Helen Wilson

Helen Elizabeth Lavey Wilson was born in Jackson, MI on October 25, 1927 to Helen Patterson Lavey and Michael Leo Lavey. She was the oldest of six children. She attended St. Mary Star of the Sea grade school and high school and graduated in June, 1945. She was awarded a four-year academic scholarship to the College of Mount St. Joseph on graduation from high school. She attended the Mount from 1945-1949 and graduated from there with a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude in June, 1949. After graduation from college, she was employed at Commonwealth and Southern Corporation in Jackson, MI in the Accounting Dept. Commonwealth and Southern became Commonwealth Associates in 1950.

She married Robert J Wilson on April 19, 1952. He was a Structural Engineer for Commonwealth Associates at that time. In September 1954, Helen and Bob moved to Indianapolis where Bob accepted a position as Structural Engineer with Pierce, Gruber and Beam. He then earned his Professional Engineering license in 1956. Helen went back to IUPUI in 1980 and updated her accounting skills and passed the CPA exam in 1985. She worked for Burke Marketing Research as a Supervisor until that company closed their Indianapolis office in 1984. She then went to work for Allison Gas Turbine in their Accounts Payable and later in their Internal Controls Dept. It was while she was working in the Internal Controls Department that she fulfilled the requirements to become a licensed CPA in 1991. When Allison was sold in 1993, Helen retired for about a year and then she went to work for the Internal Revenue Service in Taxpayer Service. She retired from that position in January, 1999.

Helen was a member of Christ the King Catholic Church, the Indianapolis Stroke Club and Mount St Joseph Alumni. She volunteered as a member of Resurrection Choir, the Rosary makers group, and the Peace Meals group at Christ the King.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Robert (August 9, 1998) her sister, Delia Roty (January 2010), her sister, Theresa Bjerke (October 2014) her brother, Gilbert Lavey (March 17, 2019).  and her sister Phyllis Sierminski (April 7, 2019).  She is survived by her children, Charles Wilson (wife Mariam), Kathleen Ferguson (husband Ric), Christine Wilson (husband Takeshi Yamada), Thomas Wilson (wife Karen), and six grandchildren, Bryanna Saffen (husband Jonathan), Anthony Wilson (wife Maia), Robert G. Wilson, Tiffany N Wilson, Tatsuya Yamada and Mari Louise Yamada. She is also survived by her sister, Carolyn Fitzpatrick. She also has nine Great Grandchildren and many nieces and nephews and many great nieces and great nephews.

Calling will be at Flanner Buchanan – Broad Ripple on Wednesday, January 4, 2023 from 4-6:30pm with a Rosary service to begin at 6:30pm.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be at Christ the King Catholic Church on Thursday, January 5, 2023 at 11am, with burial to follow in Our Lady of Peace Cemetery. Contributions may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Little Sisters of the Poor, or Christ the King School.