Helen Frances Barefoot

Helen F. Barefoot

Helen Frances was born on September 14th, 1927 in Portland, Oregon, to William and Katherine French, welcomed by her older sister, Evangeline. Her father was a pastor and traveling evangelist. Helen recounts that she had crossed the US continent from the West Coast (Oregon) to the East Coast (Alabama) and back before she was 6 months old. Five more siblings followed: Marsena, William Jr, Bob, Ward, and Larry.

Helen gave her heart to Jesus when she was 3 years old. At this tender age she began violin lessons and played with her older sister in the famous Hollywood Baby Orchestra in California. She was trained to conduct the orchestra as well. Helen continued to play her violin and sing with her mother and sisters in the services her father held.

As the family grew, Helen’s father took a pastorate in South Carolina so that his children could attend high school and college. Helen often spoke of her deep respect for her father’s value of keeping the family together. She graduated from The Wesleyan Methodist Academy in 1945, from The Wesleyan Methodist College at Central, SC (Junior College) in 1947, and from Marion College in 1949 with a degree in voice. Shortly thereafter, Helen was offered a job teaching music in a small Bible college in Kernersville, North Carolina.

At this small Bible college, Helen met James Barefoot, who was preparing for ministry. They married August 1, 1952 and traveled as newlyweds to pioneer a boarding school for Pueblo Indian children in Bernalillo, New Mexico. While there, James William was born, followed by Kathy (deceased) and Janet Lynn. The family later moved to South Carolina, where their fourth child, Judith Frances (Judi), was born.

Helen enjoyed directing numerous choirs during her lifetime, including achildren’s choir, college choirs, and church choirs.

The family moved to Alaska in 1968, where Helen helped her husband pioneer numerous ministries over the next 20 years, including a weekly radio broadcast known as “Cabin Prayer Meeting of the Air”, a ministry to university students on the UofA Fairbanks campus, and the Fairbanks Rescue Mission. Helen began a weekly Bible study for a number of Alaskan native women who struggled with alcohol addiction. She became a much loved mentor to these women and witnessed the transforming power of God as women accepted Jesus and were delivered from their addiction.

Some years after leaving their ministries in Alaska, James and Helen settled in the Carolinas, living in North Carolina for a season before moving to Anderson, South Carolina. Helen’s health declined until Judi, who had come to live with her aging parents, found a doctor who diagnosed Helen’s problem. She received an aortic valve replacement November 11, 2012 (at

the age of 85). During her hospital recovery, her husband was killed in a car accident. Following the death of her spouse, Helen lived with her son and his wife in Alaska for a time, with her eldest brother and his wife for a season, and finally moved to Minnesota (2016) to live with her eldest daughter and son-in-law.

Helen mentored a number of women at City Hill Church, where her son-in-law pastored. Her macular degeneration and profound hearing loss made it difficult to be in large groups, but she loved meeting oneon- one with women. When she could no longer attend services, Helen continued to welcome women into the home to share and pray together.

At the age of 95, Helen suffered a stroke which left her right side paralyzed. She remained mentally sharp and communicative, continuing her daily practice of Bible reading on her iPad and prayer through her prayer journal. In spite of her many losses, Helen remained steadfast in her faith, a devoted prayer warrior from her recliner, giving thanks daily to those who cared for

her, and sharing her hope in Jesus and her eternal home with whomever came to visit. She never lost her sense of humor, which kept everyone laughing!

During her final days, Helen enjoyed “listening” to her son read the book Heaven, by Randy Alcorn. She was curious to learn more about her eternal home. Helen transitioned peacefully from this earth on March 21, 2024 while her son, James, held her hand, quoted the 23rd Psalm and prayed “Come Lord Jesus.”

Helen is survived by her son James W. Barefoot, her daughters Janet (Kent Norell) and Judi Barefoot, her grandchildren Tanzi (John Mitchell), James A. Barefoot, Joshua Norell (Lexi), Benjamin Norell (Charis), Nathanael Norell, Jeremiah Werner, and her great-grandchildren Seth Barefoot, Liam & Grace Mitchell, Cora, Ruby, and Emma Norell.