Delene (Gibson) Helton

Delene Helton, 86, resident of Eldorado passed away Saturday, February 22, 2025, at Eldorado Nursing and Rehab. Delene was born July 1, 1938, in Eldorado to the late Eugene and Sethelle Gibson. She graduated Eldorado Township High School. After high school she moved to Chicago and worked as a telephone switchboard operator and attended Lee College from 1959 to 1960. On October 3, 1960, in Fayetteville, GA, she married Rev. Russell Helton who survives. After she was married she and her husband moved to Stickney, IL, and she worked as a secretary at a Chicago detective agency. Delene and her husband moved back to Eldorado to raise their family and begin pastoring several churches including Calvary Baptist Church and College Heights Baptist Church. In addition to her husband, she is survived by three children, Mike (Valery) Helton of Goreville, IL; Bill (Bill) Helton of Chicago, IL; Angelene (Vernon) Heid of Cape Girardeau, MO; grandchildren, Taryn (Andrew) Meek, Chance (Kaleigh) Heid, Lexus Heid, Torri Heid, Brylee Heid, Davis (Amanda) Helton, Jillian Helton; great grandchildren, Blaine Helton, Noel Meek, Ala Meek, Micah Meek, Riah Meek, Parker Meek; step grandchildren, Logan Alexander, Ethan Alexander, Megan (Hieronymus) Mitchell; step great-grandchildren, Marion Mitchell, Ronnie Mitchell, Joanna Mitchell and Sylvia Mitchell. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Helen, and a grandson: Nick Heid. Funeral services will be at 1:00 pm Friday, February 28, 2025, at Colonial Terrace Funeral Home in Eldorado with Rev. Russell Stephens officiating. Visitation will be 5-7 pm Thursday, February 27, 2025, at the funeral home. Burial will be in Wolf Creek Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Children’s Hospital or The College Heights Baptist Church and will be accepted at the funeral home. Condolences and expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family via the website www.colonialterracefuneralhome.com