Helen Vessells

Helen Troy Vessells, 78, of Winston-Salem, N.C., died Monday, March 27, 2006, at Forsyth Memorial Hospital.

She was born Jan. 6, 1928, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of George Washington and Helen High Steck. She married Francis Meredith Vessells, who died Oct. 1, 1996.

Vessells studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, Kansas City Art Institute, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Southeast Missouri State University and Flat Rock School of Art in Henderson.

She taught art more than 20 years at the Arts and Crafts Association in Winston-Salem, and taught painting and sculpture at the Reynolds Homestead and Learning Center in Critz, Va.

Vessells was a docent at Reynolda House Museum of American Art and was a member of Associated Artists of Winston-Salem. She was a co-founder of and served on the board of directors of Art Gallery Originals in Winston-Salem and Art V in Clemmons. She was a member of St. Leo the Great Catholic Church.

Survivors include two sons, Frank Vessells of Exton, Pa., Steven Vessells of Lynchburg, Va.; a daughter, Katherine Vessells of Minneapolis, Minn.; a sister, Ruth Steck of Kansas City, Mo.; a brother, George Steck of Sikeston, Mo.; and four grandchildren.

Funeral Mass was held April 1 at St. Leo the Great Church, with burial in Forsyth Memorial Park Cemetery.

Vogler and Sons Funeral Home in Winston-Salem was in charge of arrangements.