Helen Eller

Helen Curry Eller, age 106, of Troy passed away peacefully at her home on May 4, 2023.
Funeral services were 1 p.m. Monday, May 8, 2023, at Troy Methodist Church, with Bro. Judd Mowery and Bro. Phillip Cook officiating. Burial followed in Terrace Hill Cemetery. The family received friends Monday beginning at 11 a.m. until the time of service at the church.
John Ed Fuqua, Troy Eller, Will Fuqua, Kevin Cook, Jimmy Smith, Brian Wilder, Richard Martin and Brian Cadle served as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Phyllis Matheny, Jo Barker, Wendy Lofton, Brookelyn Chambers and Aimee Requena.
White-Ranson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Eller was born on July 30, 1916, in the old Curry Home Place, a mile and a half west of Troy, to the late Millon Curtis Curry and the late Bessie Ward Dueease Curry. She married Mr. Edward B. Eller Sr. on June 27, 1939. He preceded her in death on Aug. 18, 2007.
She attended Erskine College, where she received her AB degree (Bachelor of Arts). Mrs. Eller majored in Vocal Music and minored in English and French and then took a few advance degree classes at Memphis State and Peabody College. In 1938, she took her love for music and began her teaching career which would span for 21 years. She taught music at Woodland Mills Public School for a year before moving to Collinsville, Ala., in 1939 and teaching music in the elementary school until 1941. After a break from teaching to raise her newborn daughter, she went back to teaching music in 1945 at South Fulton. She taught at Martin Elementary beginning in 1950 until 1956 when she and her family moved to Nashville. There, she taught at Margaret Allen Elementary School and then in 1960 she taught at McGavock Elementary in the Donelson Community. Mrs. Eller and her family moved back to Troy in 1985 where she would live the rest of her life.
In addition to her love for public school teaching, Mrs. Eller loved to sing and entertain at parties, birthdays and anniversaries. She also sang at funerals and church affairs in the Obion County area.
Mrs. Eller is survived by her son, Edward B. Eller Jr. of Troy; her daughter, Carolyn Elizabeth Fuqua of Hendersonville; and seven grandchildren, John Ed Fuqua, Lisa Cadle, Troy Eller, Will Fuqua, Mark Eller, Jenny Martin and Kevin Cook.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her daughter-in-law, Barbara Jean Eller; and her son-in-law, Harry Rychen Fuqua.
Condolences may be sent to the family at the funeral home website: www.white-ranson.com.

Published in The Messenger 5.10.23