Helen T. Matthews

Helen T. Matthews, 83 of Tipton passed away on Thursday, June 29, 2023at IU Health Tipton Hospital. She was born in Tipton on May 19, 1940 to A.G. & Berniece (Powell) Tebbe. On October 23, 1958 she married John E. “Smiley” Matthews and he preceded her in death on June 5, 1989. The couple enjoyed 30 years of marriage and raising eight children.

Helen worked at for several years at Pioneer in Tipton in the Wheat Lab then later on in life she worked at Miller’s Merry Manor. She was a 1958 graduate of St. Joseph Academy and a lifelong member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Helen also was a member of Daughters of Isabella and an auxiliary member of American Legion Post #46. She never forgot her farming heritage and worked many tractor pulls with her husband Smiley.

She is survived by eight children, Theresa Johnson and husband Scott of Jerusalem, William “Willy” Matthews and wife Tabitha of Tipton, Mary Cook and husband Robin of Florida, Dorothy Fakes and husband Del of Tipton, Deborah Bond of Tipton, John Matthews and wife Karen of Millstadt, Illinois, Duane “Sam” Matthews and wife Dee of Pendleton, Indiana, Kyle Matthews and wife Beth of Indianapolis, Indiana; siblings, Robert Tebbe and wife Zonda, Alice Gray, Leona Stout and husband John, Leonard Tebbe and George Tebbe.

She was also blessed with 21 grandchildren, Jessica Kirby, Delilah Freeman, Chris Johnson, Craig Johnson, Amber Fryar, Nick Matthews, Megan Matthews, Johnathan Buster, Rebecca Cook, Nathan Cook, Amberly Laird, Isaac McLearran, Brian Matthews, Kade Matthews, Sahmantha Guffey, Gretchen Garst, Delaney Busby, Gavin Busby, Andrew Matthews, Madelyn Matthews, and Kyra Matthews; along with several great and great-great grandchildren. Helen was preceded in death by a grandson, Zack Bond; sisters, Julie Plake and Virginia Baker; a son-in-law, Denny Bond.

A mass of Christian burial will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 8 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Tipton with Rev. Dennis Goth presiding. Burial will follow at St. John’s Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Friday, July 7, at Young-Nichols Funeral Home with a Rosary Service at 4:00 p.m.

Memorial donations may be made to St. John’s Catholic Church Organ Fund, 335 Mill Street, Tipton, Indiana, 46072 to benefit the restoration and installation of the pipe organ into the new church building.