Helen Louise Black Strickland, 89, of Whitesboro, TX, passed peacefully on March 23, 2025, at her home surrounded by family.

Helen was born and grew up in Oklahoma City. She was a gifted pianist. At 14, she began accompanying gospel quartets and served as pianist in several churches over many years.

After living in Arizona for five years, Helen relocated to the Dallas area and worked at the Dallas Morning News and other newspapers. She could type 124 words per minute. In 1963, she was right across the street at the Morning News office when President Kennedy was shot.  Among other jobs throughout the years, Helen owned and managed a Christian bookstore in Gainesville, Texas.

It was at the State Fair of Texas that Helen met Chuck Strickland of Denton, Texas. They were married soon after. In 1969, she and her family moved to Callisburg, Texas, where they lived until 2002, when she moved to Whitesboro.

Helen loved and served the Lord and her church. Besides playing the piano, she also sang, played organ, and assisted in many other church ministries, including nursery attendant, Sunday school teacher, church secretary, bookkeeper, and women’s ministry leader.

Helen loved her family (especially her 9 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren).

She was preceded in death by her mother and father, her two brothers, Bill and Kenneth Black, her two grandchildren, Aaron and Jeffrey Strickland, son-in-law, Chris Kucera, and Chuck Strickland.

She is survived by her four children, Mike McComas, Patty Kucera, Tony (Carol) Strickland, and Danny (Melissa) Strickland and their families.

Visitation will be Wednesday, March 26, at 1:00, at Crossroads Church, 2600 US 82, Whitesboro, Texas, followed by the celebration of life service at 2:00 at the church. Interment will be at Fairview Cemetery in Gainesville.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Angel Hands Hospice, 2315 W. Morton St., Denison, TX 75020, are much appreciated.