Helen Marie Gillispie, of Benton, Arkansas, formerly of Vienna, was born on August 24, 1924, at Potosi, in Washington County, a daughter of Rudolph Charles and Jennie (Smith) Hochstatter, and departed this life on Monday, May 27, 2013, in the Alcoa Pines Care Center, Benton, Arkansas. Mrs. Gillispie had been in failing health for some time and had attained the age of 88 years, 9 months, and 3 days.

Mrs. Gillispie was united in marriage on October 23, 1954, at St. Louis, to Chester Curtis Gillispie, and to this union, two daughters were born. She was preceded in death by her husband on April 29, 2000; one great-granddaughter, Tinlee Dreher; two brothers, Herman Hochstatter and Roy Hochstatter; and four sisters, Elsie Bennett, Mary Parmley, Ruby Hochstatter, and Edith Chilton.

Mrs. Gillispie accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal savior and followed Him in baptism in 1936 when she was 12 years old. During their working life, Helen and Chester had lived in St. Louis and moved to Vienna for retirement in 1988. She had taught ladies Sunday School for 18 years at Bethany Missionary Baptist Church, St. Louis, and at the time of her passing, was a member of the Park Place Baptist Church, Bryant, Arkansas. Following the death of her husband, Mrs. Gillispie had moved to Benton, Arkansas, to be near family. She especially enjoyed being with friends and having meals with them. Mrs. Gillispie had been employed as a sales clerk for Famous-Barr Department Store, St. Louis, as well as being a faithful, loving, and loyal wife and mother. She will be missed by her family and friends, but she has already been greeted by Jesus and a host of family and friends in heaven.

Those left to mourn the passing of Mrs. Gillispie include: two daughters and sons-in-law, Karen and George Cizek, Florissant; Sandy and Gary Lambright, Benton, Arkansas; four grandchildren, Stacy Dreher and husband, Cody, Benton, Arkansas; Wesley Lambright and wife, Lindsay, Kansas City; Aaron Cizek and wife, Amber, Fenton, and Kyle Cizek, Florissant; and one great-grandson, Nathan Cizek.

Funeral services were held for Mrs. Gillispie at 11:00 a.m., on Friday, May 31, 2013, in the Vienna Chapel of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Homes with Pastor Ron Fields, Temple Baptist Church, Rogers, Arkansas, officiating. Two favorite selections, "Amazing Grace" and "What A Day That Will Be", were played for the service.

Interment was in the Vienna Public Cemetery under the direction of the Vienna Chapel of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Homes. Pallbearers for Mrs. Gillispie were Wesley Lambright, Aaron Cizek, Kyle Cizek, Cody Dreher, Denny Miller, and Mike Miller.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Vienna Public Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund with envelopes available at the Vienna Office of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Homes.