Helen Jo Toon Gunter

Helen Jo Toon Gunter was born March 3, 1924 and died on February16, 2013. She passed away at her home of 62 years surrounded by her loving family.
Helen Jo, also known as Mother, Momma, Granny and Jo, lived her life serving The Lord through kindness and generosity to her family, friends and community. The span of her life was spent in dedication to others above herself. With a loving cheerful heart you could find her driving her friends to the doctor, preparing a meal for someone in need, or serving as a faithful member of her beloved church, the Cooper Church of Christ. Among her services to the church over the past 65 years, included teaching Bible classes to the young children and assisting her husband as he served as an Elder at the local congregation.
She was a member of the Town and Country Garden Club, Enloe Hobby Club, and Delta County Extension Club. And she was also a proud member of the Captain David Philips Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, along with the Charles Buchanan Harris Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Her love of her country was shown by rolling bandages for the Red Cross during World War II. Over the years, Mrs. Gunter enjoyed traveling to several points of interest in this country, especially visiting historical sites and the resting places of her ancestors. Among her many occupations were telephone operator saying
"Number Please" countless number of times, a seamstress at a sewing factory, working along side her husband in their family jewelry business in Cooper and managing the family home. Helen Jo was also a gifted quilter. She learned to quilt as a small child sitting in a high chair. After she had gone to bed, her mother would rip out the stitches and the cycle would begin again.
Some of her quilts were featured in a national publication.
Helen Jo was born in the Unitia, Texas community to parents Annie Amelia Wilkinson and Albert Cameron Toon. She married W.B Gunter on January 7, 945 in Cooper. He preceded her in death on April 15, 1980. She is survived by two daughters Barbara Cockrum and husband Kenneth of Birthright and Debra Wood of Tira; three grandchildren Stephanie Kennedy and husband John of Denton, Heather Williams and husband Jeff of Sulphur Springs, Brad
Wood and wife KayLee of Sulphur Springs; eleven great grandchildren: John Pat, Cade, Carson, and Brock Kennedy; Madison and Ellie Thompson; Abigail, David and Samuel Williams; Daegon and Chandler Wood and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Sherwood Toon, and two sisters Edith Echols, and Mary Smart.
Helen Jo was a descendant of John McCutchen of Scottsboro, AL.
Interment was in Oaklawn Cemetery, Cooper.