Helen Heidelberg Cullefer

Published 10:53 am Thursday, August 27, 2015

Funeral services for Helen Heidelberg Cullefer will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015, at Main Street United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg.  

Visitation will be Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015, from 1 until 3 p.m. at the church.

Mrs. Cullefer, 64, of Hattiesburg, died on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015, at her home, surrounded by loving family and friends. She was born Dec. 10, 1950, in Hattiesburg, the second of two children born to Rowland W. Heidelberg Jr. and Jane Becker Heidelberg.

She attended the Hattiesburg Public Schools, graduating from Hattiesburg High School in 1969, after which she attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri.

Helen worked for almost 40 years with her father, brother and nephew at Heidelberg, Sutherland & McKenzie law firm in Hattiesburg, where she held many positions through the years including legal secretary, paralegal, office manager and any other position that needed attention.  She was always a loyal and dedicated employee of the firm and, more than that, she was its heart and personality. She was there until a few weeks before her passing.

Helen and Charles were great fans and supporters of the University of Southern Mississippi, especially its athletic teams.  They were perennial residents of the Right Field Roost and long-time inhabitants of The Rock, as well as members of the USM Honors Club.

Helen was a member of Main Street United Methodist Church her entire life.

Helen was deeply devoted to her home and family and a close circle of very dear friends of long standing (some from Patton Avenue in the 1950s), many of whom were with Helen during the last week of her life.

Helen was active with the HHS Class of ‘69 and loved their frequent dinner gatherings, which she and Charles attended regularly.  She also loved her many years spent with the Hattiesburg Civic Association (Krewe of Zeus), during which she filled many roles.  And, of course, she treasured her time with the ladies of the Mentor Club, of whom she was one of the younger members.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; and her father-in-law, R. Hilton Cullefer Sr.

Survivors are her husband of 37 years, Charles Van Cullefer; her aunt, Barbara Becker Bailey of New Orleans; her mother-in-law, Louise M. Cullefer of Hattiesburg; her brother, R. Web Heidelberg, III (Michelle) of Hattiesburg; her sister-in-law, Anna C. Ferry (Ned) of Mobile, Alabama; her daughter, Sarah Stanton Crimmins (Kim) of Hattiesburg; her sons, Charles R. Cullefer (Katie) of Daphne, Alabama, and Michael L. Stanton, II (Ann Marie) of Oxford; her nephew, Joseph W. Heidelberg of Hattiesburg; her niece, Hollis Heidelberg Giddens (Brett) of Queenstown, New Zealand; four grandchildren, who were the light of her life, Maylen R. Cullefer, Nolan P. Crimmins, Becker V. Crimmins and Kelly T. Crimmins; together with numerous cousins and countless friends.

In lieu of flowers, friends may choose to donate to the Charles and Helen Cullefer Baseball Endowment at the USM Foundation, P.O. Box 15458, Hattiesburg, MS 39404 or to the Southern Pines Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 2021, Hattiesburg, MS 39403.

Everybody loved Helen.