THE HELENE LAMP STORY
The Lord blesses each of us with each day of life, and this month’s members’ spotlight is the perfect example of the Lord’s abundant blessings. Helene Lamp, born October 2, 1921, has already completed 36,865 days thus far and is not slowing down.
Helene was born in Germany, and on October 24, 1924, she moved to the U.S. with her parents when she was three years old. They lived in the country community of Neffs, Ohio. In those days, you had to have a sponsor to enter the United States. Her uncle owned a large farm in Ohio and sponsored her father to come to the U.S. Her dad came a year before the rest of the family. He worked in the coal mines of Ohio to earn enough money to bring the family here from Germany. Surrounded by many Germans and other nationalities in the Ohio community, they would speak German at home and learn English at school.
Her favorite childhood memory was going to school, and she learned quickly.
When they arrived at Ellis Island, NY, Helene had one brother and a half-brother. Her mother was a World War I widow before marrying her father. She has three sisters who were born in the U.S. Helene does not remember the depression because she was so young.
Helene took all business courses in high school, as she knew college was not an option because of finances. After graduating from high school, she met Clarence Denver Lamp. They were 18, very compatible, and did everything together. He was known as Denver and a devout Church of Christ member. There were no church buildings in those early days; they had no car, so they attended in Denver’s family home.
Denver and his whole family went to the Church of Christ. After they were married, she followed Denver to Texas, where he became a WWII Pilot in the Army Aircorp (Airforce). Denver was in training all over Texas, including Texas A&M University.
While stationed In Shreveport, LA, they were baptized on the same day!
After the War, Denver and Helene started a Propane Business in Coshocton County and were very successful. Helene taught in the church, and Denver became an Elder in the Church of Christ in Coshocton, Ohio. Helene attended this church for 50 years. It is still there today.
They had a wonderful life together and were blessed with a son, Gary, and twins – Sheryl and Sharli.
After retirement, they sold their business and purchased a century-old brick house on 225 acres in Warsaw, Ohio, where they restored it into a beautiful home.
The Lamp family is extensive and belongs to the Church of Christ.
Helene said the most challenging thing in life was losing their son, Gary, who died at 16 years old from a car wreck. She said that incident took five years out of her life.
She said all you can do is turn to God, which she did. The biggest challenge as a widow is being alone. Helene believes a person needs to deal with the grieving process and get busy helping others, which aids healing. Helene volunteered at church, hospitals, and nursing homes until 92.
As a widow of 33 years, her advice to widows today is to turn to God, try to live life for yourself as much as you can, stay busy doing volunteer work, and enjoy being with your friends.
Helene has always loved to bake (especially bread), sew, volunteer, and has kept busy. Her favorites were her bread recipes, cookies, chocolate-covered candy in unique forms, pies, and making her pie crusts.
After Denver died in 1989, she kept busy baking and giving away her baked goods, which brought her joy.
She watches and participates in church each Sunday by viewing online. The family sings, worships, and takes communion together. She enjoys her family, including five grandsons and eleven great-grandchildren. She has resided in Richmond, TX, with her daughter, Sheryl, since 2009.
With her unbreakable spirit, beautiful smile, outgoing personality, and strength, Helene is a delight to be around.
Helene is a beautiful example of a well-lived life, and God is not through with her yet!