Helen Louise (McGuire) Wilkey

     Helen Louise McGuire Wilkey of the Snowbird Community passed away October 30, 2025, in a nursing home in Nashville, GA. She was born March 20, 1928, in Murphy, NC to parents Cotton and Mabel Hooper McGuire. Her name included both grandmothers since she was the first grandchild.

     Her first years were spent at the Hooper Bald, first in the ‘Caretaker’s Cottage’ until it burned in 1939; then in the “Big” House or Lodge until 1942. During the school year, she and Ruth stayed with their mother’s sister, Genevieve Hooper Rogers, who taught in the one-room school on West Buffalo before the schools were consolidated, and they rode the bus to school. All the family moved from the Hooper Bald to the Hooper homeplace on West Buffalo. Helen Louise loved to talk about her life in the mountains and had a vivid recollection of events and people. If she thought it was a hard life, she never expressed it. It was always told with joy and excitement.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Blake Wilkey, her parents, her sister, Ruth, and her brother, Garland McGuire. She is survived by her son, Sidney (Tana) of

Shelby, NC; her daughter, Rachel (Mike) Serrano, Nashville, GA; her grandchildren, Blake (Peyton) Wilkey of Mooresboro, NC; Tanner (Lindsey) Serrano of Nashville, GA; and Cierra Serrano of Colorado Springs, CO; 3 great-grandchildren: Riverlynn Wilkey; Layton and Lawson Serrano; brother, Jim (Velda) McGuire, Robbinsville; and sister, Nancy Smith of Canton, GA.

Helen Louise and Blake moved to the Big Snowbird area in the early 1950’s and built a home on the banks of Big Snowbird. She was an avid gardener and always had a great garden filled with lots of vegetables that she canned or frozen for the winter. Tubers filled the “can” house and she could put a delicious meal on the table in no time from her stockpile. Her flowers were to be envied. She took so much pride in a pretty yard.

She was of the Baptist faith and attended Mt. Nebo regularly. She was afraid of the water, so she was not baptized, but she lived a Christian life. Later, Jim talked with Pastor Daniel Stewart at Cedar Cliff, and they allowed her to join the church.

     Funeral Services will be held at 3:00 pm Monday, November 3, 2025, at the Townson-Smith Chapel.  The Reverends James York, Mickey Stewart, and Daniel Stewart will officiate.  Burial will follow the service at the Hooper-McGuire Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 1:00 pm till 3:00 pm at the Chapel prior to the service.

     Townson-Smith Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Wilkey Family.