Virginia Hamilton (Fadely) Helms passed away at her home in St. Clairsville, Ohio on June 7, 2026. She led a long, full life enriched by a love of learning and a spirit for adventure.

She was born in Middleport, Ohio on September 2O, 1931 to Sidney Hamilton Fadely and Claire Ona Fadely. Virginia (Ginny) grew up with her two sisters in small towns along the Ohio River and recalled a very happy childhood in those communities. She was a graduate of Rio Grande High School, attended Rio Grande College, and earned a B.S. degree in Elementary Education from Ohio University.

She met her beloved husband Thomas Helms, an associate professor emeritus with Ohio University, while students at Rio, and they shared many happy years until his passing in 1994. Together they traveled to Southeast Asia and Africa for Tom’s work with Ohio University and UNESCO, and Ginny looked forward to each move with enthusiasm.

She was a creative and dedicated teacher who enjoyed her years teaching elementary school in Lancaster and St. Clairsville. After retiring, Ginny was instrumental in bringing the Great Western School on the OUE campus back to life, and loved serving as the one-room school’s “schoolmarm” for visiting students and parents.

Ginny felt strongly that if someone found an interest, they should pursue it. While living in Malaysia, she took up flying and earned her private pilot’s license. Introduced to painting and sculpture while a student at Ohio University Eastern, she learned the art of metal casting, which became a lifelong passion. She had the rare opportunity to study the ancient process of lost wax casting with teachers in Africa when living in Ethiopia, Cameroon, and Botswana. While in Botswana, she also worked with the archeology department of the national museum and assisted on archeological digs.

She will be remembered for her devotion to education, her love of music and art, but most of all, for the love and laughter she brought to family and friends.

Ginny is predeceased by her husband of 46 years, Thomas Lawton Helms, father Sidney Hamilton Fadely, mother Claire Ona Fadely and sister Allegra Shank. She is survived by her sister Marjorie Evans, son Thomas Helms Jr., daughters Sally (John) Maher and Lisa Helms, grandchildren Patrick (Kate) Maher and Jane Maher, great grandchildren Mackenzie and Thomas James Maher, and close friend of the family Debbie Czapp and her children Tammy, Jennifer and George.

A visitation will be held from 1 pm thru 3 pm followed by a Celebration of Life at Toothman Funeral Home, 141 S. Marietta St., St. Clairsville on July 11, 2026. In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to honor Ginny’s memory with a donation to the Ohio University Foundation (Helms Scholarship/Elementary Education), P.O. Box 869, Athens OH 45701 (give.ohio.edu), or to the Ohio Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 66166 Kirkwood Heights Rd. Bellaire, OH 43906.