Helen Harris McCluskey, 98, passed away on Thursday, June 16 at Otterbein Senior Care. She was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother and great grandmother. She lived a long and full life.
Born August 22, 1923 in Huntington, West Virginia, she was the daughter of Helen and Harry Harris. She was a graduate of Middletown High School where she met her future husband John McCluskey. They were married for sixty-six years and surrounded their four children with patient guidance, care and love. Through various jobs and demands as a sought-after seamstress, she was a prideful homemaker. She retired from Otterbein as a nurse’s aide.
Among the words suited to describe Helen McCluskey, two stand out: patience and care. In her younger years patience and care were shown in her devotion to the roses, daffodils, and hydrangeas in her backyard garden on 17th Avenue. The same patience and care were displayed in her relationships with others—her children and grandchildren; never judging harshly or too quickly and letting them have their say.
As the years progressed, she began to find joy in traveling, whether near or far. She was a loyal fan at the activities and games of her grandchildren. She enjoyed the Harris Family Reunions in settings such as Chicago and Virginia Beach. She likewise enjoyed traveling with her sister Juanita Stollings to various Toastmaster gatherings. She especially liked the solitude at Fox Lake, Indiana where she and her husband John along with the Stollings strolled the grounds during summers.
She was preceded in death by her husband John, Sr.; a son, Steven Earl; sisters, Juanita (Stollings) and Mary Ella and two brothers, Harry and Thomas.
Surviving relatives include her brother William and two sisters, Janie and Annie Ruth (Tramell).
She leaves to cherish her memory: daughters, Mildred Hilliard and Karen (Michael) Young; son, John, Jr. (Audrey); eleven grandchildren, Malik McCluskey, Nina (Kevin) Tohill, Angelique (Eric) Gwin, Jerome McCluskey, Toure' (Deshay) McCluskey, Michael (Gloria) Young, Stevy McCluskey Desiree' (Walt) Hudson, Whitney (Demetrius) Lewis, Alexis (Dustin) Campbell, and Louis Browning and eighteen great grandchildren.
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