Helen Brown

Helen Brown was known by many names – Helen, Honaree, Hon, Aunt Honey, Grandma, and Mum. On February 28, 2025, she entered the presence of her Lord and Savior after a life of love and faith. We will miss her very much but are comforted by the fact that she had given her life to Jesus even as a child.

Helen Marie Theresa Tester Brown was born January 4, 1944, in Homestead PA to Herbert and Helen Szajlai Tester. Her Catholic family was Hungarian, and she was proud of that heritage, loving the traditions and food. Especially the food – she loved to cook haluska, chicken paprikash, szalonna, kolachi, and nut, apricot, and lekvar rolls. We will never be able to duplicate those recipes.

She married her best friend and high school sweetheart Larry Monroe Brown on August 15, 1964, and they had one son, Jeffrey. She kept a home full of fun and laughter. The family moved from Pennsylvania to North Carolina to build and open Statesville KOA which they owned and operated for over forty years. They retired only a few years ago. She loved reading, crocheting, decorating every room of the house with flowers, and completing challenging word puzzles. She loved to read her Bible and attended Command Baptist Church faithfully. A consummate host, she preferred to invite guests to her home instead of imposing (as she’d say) on others.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Patti.

Left to cherish her memory are her husband Larry, her son Jeff and his wife Kelly, and her granddaughters Patricia and Gillian. She is also survived by her sisters Carol Thomas (Andrew) of FL and Sharon Inglis (Harvey) of PA, as well as their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Helen’s Life is being planned now and will be held at Command Baptist Church.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Command Baptist Church’s Benevolence Fund (658 Island Ford Rd, Statesville NC 28625) or to Broad Street UMC’s Music Ministry (PO Box 169, Statesville NC 28687).

Troutman Funeral Home is serving the Brown family.