Helen F. Grefe

Helen F. Grefe
Helen Fair Wood Grefe, domestic goddess of pioneer stock, shining athlete, and couturier, and Eustis resident of 41 years, died at home on Tuesday, April 28, 2015. She carried the confidence that she could do anything she wanted to do. And she did. Starting at an age when she stood on tip-toes to dig potatoes, Helen was locally sourcing her food decades before “Farm to Table” restaurants became trendy. Out of necessity, she mastered the practical arts of putting in crops, home cooking, baking, canning, sewing, and quilting. She continued these traditions through the years, passing her knowledge to her children, grandchildren, and friends, not because she had to but because it was right way to do things and a point of pride for her. She and her family were especially fond of the mouthwatering fruits & vegetables grown in the rich loamy soil of her Little Switzerland garden. Favorites were her homemade raspberry syrup, grape jelly, and apple cider –again all locally sourced from her beloved Appleberry Springs. Born in 1933 in St. Albans, West Virginia, Helen was a loyal and respectful daughter of Arthur Clyde Wood and Grace Patton Wood. The second-youngest, she grew up with her 2 brothers and 7 sisters near the banks of the Guyandotte in Barboursville West Virginia. Home life was simple for her-she learned philanthropy on a primitive level as her mom fed the “railroad hobos” daily. Regardless that they lived during the depression, Grace never turned away anyone in need. Helen had many stories about pickin’ crops. Her grandfather was a purveyor of produce in Huntington. He would come get the Wood kids to pick the crops as they were the only cousins that knew how to do an honest day’s work. A fond childhood memory for her was after completing a full day of chores, she would hurry before
sundown to pick a bucket of strawberries, which for some reason were always better the closest you got to the train-tracks, and rush back into the house so that her older sister Iris could make the best 3-layer strawberry shortcake. Helen lived a modest but proud life in Barboursville until 1951 when her mother lost a long battle with ALS. She graduated Barboursville High School also in 1951 with several distinctions but the one she was proudest of was Most Athletic. Graduating with honors was a given and expected in her family. She was preceded in death by all of her immediate family: Parents: Arthur Clyde Wood & Grace Patton Wood; Siblings: Flossie Rodriguez, James Wood, Virginia Mosch, Iris Adkins, Lucille Johnston, Paul Wood, Anita Rodriguez, Loretta Powell, and Sara Sorensen. Helen moved to Glen Head, New York after graduating high school and soon met a returning Korean War Soldier, Jay Grefe. While her devoted husband Jay was serving in the Presidential Honor Guard in Washington, DC their first child Jay Jr was born. Their second child, Christina (deceased 2009) was born 2 years later in Glen Glove, NY. Helen excelled at making a comfortable home for her family in many states and locals and after a ten year hiatus of sorts, their third child Dionne was born in Athens, GA. Helen led by example to standards that were sometimes unachievable by anyone but her. Good enough was not good enough. She was a self- taught artist of many things and a perfectionist. If there was anything she was interested in, she learned how to do it. She had many loves and hobbies: sewing, quilting, & needle-work of every discipline; she was a talented weaver, stained glass artist, furniture upholsterer, and squirell-outsmarter. She was always busy. Her homes and others’ display her handi-work proudly. Her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends have modeled her finery thru the years. Helen was humble–sorta. She was an excellent bowler, tennis player, and basketball guard. She enjoyed and was competitive at cards and games of all sorts and mastered them quickly. She liked to win and she would remind you gently when she beat you. Helen was sincere in everything. She never half-said anything. She said what she meant and meant what she said. She believed in honor and integrity. She never fussed at her kids about being moral, empathetic, or kind-she just lived that way and they learned. She instilled a natural curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. She embodied all of the attributes of a perfect mom. She was true and generous. She spoiled her children and her grandchildren. She liked to tease and liked to giggle-a lot. How lucky we are to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. Helen will be missed by her husband Jay Grefe Sr of Eustis, son, Jay Grefe Jr of Umatilla, daughter, Dionne Grefe Smith (Adam Smith) of Dacula, GA, grandson Noah Smith, granddaughter, Ouida Grefe, many nieces and nephews across the country, and dear friends. Helen’s hard-working hands are finally at rest. A service in loving memory of this lady that fought long and hard to stick around to love us will be held at Harden/Pauli Funeral Home-1617 South Bay Street, Eustis, FL on Saturday, May 2 at 2 pm.