Helen M. (Colgan) Wickerham

Helen M. Wickerham passed away at Brookdale Senior Living Facility in Findlay, Ohio on Monday, October 21, 2019. Helen was born Helen M. Colgan in Paulding County on June 28, 1920 to Ora B. Colgan and Ruth Mae (Lloyd) Colgan. She married Ormal Wickerham on Valentine's Day, 1942. He preceded her in death in 2012.

Helen has two sons, Lynn Wickerham (deceased) and Vaun Wickerham who resides in Findlay, Ohio with his wife Deborah. Helen has two grandchildren, Adam Wickerham of Venice, CA, and Amanda (Wickerham) Flores of Gilbert, AZ, and two great-grandsons, Jackson Flores and Bennett Flores.

Helen was preceded in death by sisters Wreatha Mae Mansfield and Emma Marie (Ferris) Chappius, and brother John Martin Colgan.

Aside from a brief time when first married, Helen lived her entire 99 years in Arthur. She attended the Arthur one-room school thru the eighth grade and graduated in 1938 from Oakwood High School. She was an exceptional student who always wished she could have gone to college.

Helen's widowed mother made their living by operating the in-house switchboard for the Arthur Mutual Telephone Co. They received the contract as they had 3 women in the house to connect calls all day or night. Helen learned the operation from her older sisters and when old enough, assumed duties. That lasted until automated switchers were installed, making Helen the last surviving switchboard operator.

Helen's knowledge of Arthur and it's citizens gave rise to her later being a contributing writer for the community events section in the Defiance Crescent-News. She enjoyed watching baseball and the news on TV and reading the Crescent-News.

The viewing for Helen M. Wickerham will be from 9 to 11 am on Thursday, October 24, 2019 at Schaffer Funeral Home in Defiance, with Pastor Lynn Passet officiating. The funeral will follow at 11:00 am with burial at the Myers Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to her great-grandchildren. Online condolences can be given at www.Schafferfh.com

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