Helen M. Hadley, 97, passed away peacefully on June 10, 2025, in Mena, Arkansas, surrounded by her loving family.
Helen was born on January 15, 1928, in Casa, Arkansas. Her family later relocated to Hutchinson, Kansas, where she attended the United Methodist Church of South Hutchinson and graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1945. She then attended Salt City Business College before marrying the love of her life, Curtiss E. Hadley, on February 14, 1946. Their devoted marriage spanned over sixty-one years.
Helen began her professional career at Southwestern Bell as a telephone operator. She went on to serve as a secretary and later advanced to become a marketing executive. A trailblazer, she was one of the first female lobbyists for the Department of Labor in the state of Kansas and also served on the Kansas State Board of Mental Health. She retired in 1994.
In retirement, Helen pursued her love of painting and crafting, but most importantly, she remained deeply connected to her family. Following the passing of her husband Curt in 2008, Helen sold their family home and moved to a garden home in Kisiwa Village, Hutchinson. Ever the family matriarch, she soon began planning memorable family vacations, including a Thanksgiving cruise in 2011 with 30 family members through the Caribbean, followed by a trip to Hawaii and other travels with Village Tours out of Wichita. With humor and heart, she often told her children she was “spending their inheritance on memories.”
A cherished highlight of her later years was reconnecting with the United Methodist Church of South Hutchinson, where she joyfully joined in a long-standing family tradition of helping prepare pies and homemade chicken and noodles for the Kansas State Fair—a legacy started by her mother, Della Hale.
Helen is survived by her children: Karen Herpich of Mena, AR; Rachel Gilley and husband Larry of Mena, AR; and Scott Hadley and wife Patricia of Tennessee Colony, TX. She also leaves behind five beloved grandchildren: Presha Mustakas of Liberty Hill, TX; Catherine Lewis of Mena, AR; Beau Michael of Leander, TX; Dr. Jennifer Hadley-Hicks of Birmingham, AL; and Dr. Mychelle Hadley of San Antonio, TX. Helen was blessed with six great-grandchildren: Jordan Thomas, Brittany Burgess, Corey Moon, Megan Moon, Allie Mustakas, and Hannah Michael; and four great-great-grandchildren: Rachel Thomas, Timothy Thomas, Keena Burgess, and Daxton Burgess.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Luther and Della Hale; her husband, Curt; and her brothers, Clyde and Ben Hale.
A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Elliott Chapel, with burial to follow at Fairlawn Burial Park. Friends may call at Elliott Mortuary on Friday, June 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The family will receive visitors from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. that evening at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the South Hutchinson United Methodist Church, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.