Happy 85th birthday, Helen Ledford! prologue by PATTI STOKES I first met Helen Ledford when our son, who recently turned 34, was in kindergarten at Oak Ridge Elementary School. She was the assistant teacher in his classroom and did a very commendable job of working with boisterous 5-year-olds; as a wonderful bonus, her artistic creations were always on display throughout the classroom, in the arts and crafts items the students enjoyed making with her guidance, and in the hand-drawn “badges” awarded to those students who managed to go the entire school day without requiring any disciplinary action (I still have some of those treasured badges our son earned). I can’t say what prompted me three years later, not long after I had launched what was then the Oak Ridge Observer, to ask Helen if by chance
she enjoyed writing as well as drawing. I’ll just chalk it up to my good fortune, because I had no idea back then what a gifted writer she was, and how much our readers would come to enjoy her homespun stories in the years to follow. Besides appearing in the Oak Ridge Observer, and what later evolved into the Northwest Observer, Helen’s writings and illustrations have been published in her hometown newspaper, the Caswell County Messenger, and many other newspapers over the years. And, she’s written and illustrated two books – “Helen Jean Stories” and “The Mistletoe Tree and other stories” – comprised of her memories of
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Northwest Observer contributing writer Helen Ledford celebrated her 85th birthday Feb. 16. Helen has written for several newspapers during her lifetime, including for the Northwest Observer for the last 20+ years. She has also published two books comprised of stories from her childhood and two children’s books.
growing up on a Caswell County, North Carolina farm in the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s with her Mama Allie Farthing, “a passel of siblings, and the Lord only knows how many dogs, cats, ducks, and other beasts.” She’s also written and illustrated two children’s books, “The Amazing Mr. Boggle-Dy.Woogle” and “Toby: The Little Duck who Liked to Climb” (her books can be purchased online at www.lulu.com – search for “Helen Ledford”).
It’s been a privilege to share Helen’s stories and articles with our readers in northwest Guilford County over the last 20+ years. Whenever one arrives in my email inbox, I always wait to read it until I can get a fresh cup of coffee and take a deep breath while preparing to let my imagination sink into the world that she grew up in. As the youngest of 10 children, Helen and her siblings lacked an abundance of material possessions but never wanted for love and laughter. I thank Helen for bringing this simple world to our readers and to me – her touching accounts of a time, a place, and cherished loved ones long since gone have truly been a gift, and I hope her stories will continue to grace this newspaper for many more years to come.
Happy birthday, ‘Mama,’ friend, teacher
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Photo courtesy of Lenore Morales
FEB. 18 - MARCH 3, 2021
The following comments and birthday wishes were compiled by Helen Ledford’s daughter, Lenore Morales, and posted on the Northwest Observer’s Facebook page by our readers “What do you give someone who has so much? This question came up as my mother’s landmark 85th birthday recently approached,” Helen Ledford’s daughter, Lenore Morales, wrote. “Helen Ledford certainly has
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one of the largest collections of people to whom she is utterly special of anyone I know. She has always been one to ‘see,’ connect with, and encourage people in her path. So, for her ‘quarantine’ birthday, I wanted her to read thoughts from some of the local people who appreciate her so much. Many know her as the life of the party; others would say she changed their lives. Happy birthday, Mama!”
