Palestine High School Alumni Association

Helen McFarlane Collie Stout, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday, was called home to be with Jesus, on December 31, 2011.

Services will be held at 11:00 am Thursday, January 5, 2012, at Herrington / Land of Memory Funeral Home, 3434 South Loop 256, Palestine, TX 75801, with burial to follow at Land of Memory Cemetery. Services to be officiated by Dr. Richard Waters.

Visitation will be Wednesday, January 4, 2012, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at Herrington / Land of Memory Funeral Home.

Helen was born May 22, 1911, in Palestine, Texas to John Wesley and Mae Morrow McFarlane, a prominent Anderson County family. A graduate of Palestine High School and Nixon Business College, Helen was active in many civic and church activities and a lifelong member of First Baptist Church of Palestine. She was the former president of the East Texas Porcelain Art Guild of Tyler and former member of the Pioneer Garden Club, the Iris Society, the Harvey Women’s Club and the Howard House Museum.

She was very well known in the business community providing office management, sales and bookkeeping services to Missouri Pacific Railroad, Swift and Hombs, Denby Furniture Company, William George Produce and Braly Builders Supply.

Helen brought joy to family, friends and neighbors, with her many artistic talents and gifts, including: china painting, needlework, decorating for all the holidays. She was proud to celebrate her 100th birthday this past May with numerous parties with family and friends. Helen was passionate about many things: family, faith, flowers, her hand-painted porcelain china, birds and a vast assortment of shoes.

She is preceded in death by her father, mother, and her first husband, Eugene Howard (Jack) Collie, and second husband, Aaron Lee Stout; three sisters, Marie Kennedy, Savilla Kennedy and Frances Lowe; three brothers, Wesley McFarlane, John William Floyd McFarlane and Byron McFarlane.

She is survived by her beloved daughter, Cheryl Collie Bruyere and her husband, Bill Bruyere, of Houston; two grandchildren, Meredith Bruyere Little and her husband, Dr. Jeff Little, of Madison, Wisconsin and Capt. John William Bruyere, USAF, and wife, Rachel Bruyere, of Del Rio; one brother, Alvis Finley McFarlane and wife, Evelyn McFarlane, of Del Rio; three great-grandchildren, Jeffrey Little, Celia Little and Holland Bruyere who were her love and joy; adored nieces, Martha McGeehon and Ruth Ann Young; special nephews, Jack Kennedy, Howard Kennedy, Bill Kennedy, Harold McFarlane, John E. McFarlane, and Dr. Robert F. McFarlane; a host of great nieces and nephews; and many lifelong caring friends including, Gayla Stanfield, Cathy Summers and Susan Ray.

Pallbearers will be Frank George, Jesse Hickman, David Bratz, and Wayne Wolf. Honorary pallbearers will be nephews- Jack Kennedy, Howard Kennedy, Bill Kennedy, John E. McFarlane, Robert McFarlane, Harold McFarlane, and Bart McGeehon.

Donations may be made to: Howard House Museum, 1011 N. Perry Street, Palestine, TX 75801 or to Paralyzed Veterans of America, 7 Mill Brook Road, Wilton, NH 03036.

Palestine Herald Press 01 / 03 / 2012