THOMPSONTOWN - Helen Gilson Macknair, 79, of Thompsontown, died at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 8, 2012, at Harrisburg Hospital.
Born May 28, 1932, in Port Royal, Juniata County, she was a daughter of the late William H. and Margaret E. (Dysinger) Gilson.
She is survived by: two sons, Ronald W. Macknair and his companion, Linda Yankoski, of Middleburg, and Richard W. Macknair and his wife Mary, of Mifflintown; one sister, Sara Grace Burchfield, of Mifflintown; two brothers, Dr. John I. Gilson, of Mechanicsburg, and Robert C. Gilson and his wife, Alice, of Port Royal; and she leaves behind five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; two stepgranddaughters; and five stepgreat-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were one son, Robert G. Macknair, in 1984, one brother, F. Laird "Ham" Gilson, in 1973, and one sister-in-law, Jessie Gilson, in 2012.
Mrs. Macknair was a 1950 graduate of Tuscarora Valley High School, Port Royal, and a 1954 graduate of the Lewistown Hospital School of Nursing. She was a nurse for 32 years, retiring in 1994 from the Harrisburg State Hospital, after 14 years of service.
Her memberships included Thompsontown United Methodist Church, Thompsontown, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Crawford-Brubaker VFW Post 5863, American Legion Post 298, both of Mifflintown, and the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge No. 925, Millerstown.
Helen enjoyed camping, crocheting, knitting and reading, but her greatest love was the time she spent with her family and friends.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, May 14, 2012, at the Brown Funeral Homes Inc., 100 Bridge St., Mifflintown, with the Rev. Maureen Wagner officiating. Interment will be private and held at the convenience of the family.
There will be no viewing; however, family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until the time of the service Monday, at the funeral home.
For those who wish, memorial donations in Mrs. Macknair's memory may be made to the Thompsontown United Methodist Church, c/o Anise Page, 9 Sycamore Dr, Thompsontown, PA 17094.
Online tributes and condolences may be offered at www.brownfuneralhomesinc.com.
Contributed by rkohler3 on 4/29/16 - Image Year: 1950
TVHS CLASS OF 1950: SEATED (l-r): Patricia Bashore, Nedra Frankhouse, Beulah Foltz, Jane Longenecker, Mary Alice Eaton,
SECOND ROW: Helen Gilson, Kathryn Fettig, Gloria Kauffman, Charles Telfer, Shirley Crozier, Pearl Kerchner, Miriam Kilmer, Alma Brackbill; THIRD ROW: Dick Dunn, Charles Towsey, John Ritzman, Darl Burdge, Charles Telfer, Mack Johnson, Ray Helwig; TOP ROW: James Shirk, Park Gerhart (Teacher)
Contributed by rkohler3 on 5/9/12 - Image Year: 1949
TVHS CLASS OF 1950 IN JUNIOR YEAR (49): SEATED (l-r): Miriam Kilmer, Gloria Kauffman, Pearl Kerchner, Nedra Frankhouse, Shirley Crozier, Kathryn Fettig, Jane Longenecker; MIDDLE ROW: Charles Telfer, Alma Brackbill, HELEN GILSON, Dorothy Kephart (teacher), Patty Bashore, Mary Alice Eaton, James Shirk; TOP ROW: Charles Towsey, Earl Fleck, Robert Hertzler, John Ritzman, Mack Johnson, Dick Dunn, Ray Helwig.
Contributed by rkohler3 on 5/13/17 - Image Year: 1948
TVHS CLASS OF 1950 IN SOPHOMORE YEAR (48): (Front R) (l-r): Gloria Kauffman, Nedra Frankhouse, Patsy Bashore, Helen Gilson, Alma Brackbill, Charles Telfer; (Middle R): Miriam Kilmer, Beulah Foltz, Pearl Kerchner, Shirley Crozier, Kathryn Fettig, Mary Alice Eaton, Charles Towsey; (Back R): Earl Fleck, James Shirk, John Ritzman, Darl Burdge, Ray Helwig, Richard Dunn, Mrs. Framkhouse (Teacher)
Contributed by rkohler3 on 3/29/12 - Image Year: 1948
GANG IN FRONT OF IZZY'S RESTAURANT ON MARKET STREET: (front row) HELEN GILSON, Charles "Sonny" McCahan, Betty Price, (back row) Jean Kennedy and JoAn Bashore.
