Helen Gustafson McChesney's Obituary
McChesney, Helen Gustafson 91, of St. Petersburg, FL went to be with the Lord on February 22nd, 2023 as the result of complications arising from a recent stroke. She is survived by two sons, John McChesney (BJ) and Tom McChesney, daughter Linda McMillan, four grandchildren, and ten great grand children as well as her sister Evelyn Collins (Jack) and a host of nieces and nephews. Helen was born in St. Petersburg on November 10th, 1931 and was predeceased by her parents Raymond Gustafson and Clara Gustafson Laws, sisters Mildred Gustafson Raphun and Dorothy Gustafson Lang, and former husband Warren J. McChesney, Sr., to whom she was married from 1953 to 1973. Helen graduated from St. Petersburg High School, St. Petersburg Junior College, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. She was a debutante in 1952, a member of the St. Petersburg Junior League, served as a Cub Scout Pack 235 den mother, participated for years in a bridge club, served as book manager for the Beverly Abell Bible Study Group, and was a long-time member of First United Methodist Church (where she was baptized in 1932). Helen returned to the work force in the 1970s and was employed by Berean Christian Bookstore where she served as a salesperson and bookkeeper before retiring after 20 years. More recently, while celebrating her 90th birthday, she was thrilled to visit with family members and close friends. There will be a celebration of life graveside service and interment at Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery (https://www.memorialparkfuneralhome.com/obituaries/), at 5750 49th Street North, St. Petersburg FL 33709 on Saturday, March 11th at 10:00 AM. Please meet at the Funeral Home office and we will drive out together. In honor of Helen, please wear something joyful and comfortable.
We wish to recognize and thank the wonderful teams of professional caregivers at St. Anthony's Hospital and Menorah Life for the kind and compassionate care they provided Helen while she was a patient there. We also wish to thank the hospice professionals at Empath Health for their compassionate care during Helen's final days. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations can be made in Helen's memory to the First United Methodist Church St. Petersburg (https://www.stpetefirst.org/give) or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (https://www.lls.org/).
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