Helen Marcia (Haynes) Bacon

Helen Marcia Haynes Bacon went home to be with Jesus on the morning of June 25, 2023.

She was born on December 9, 1936 on Chestnut Street in Salem, NJ to Benjamin Franklin Haynes, Sr. and Frances Mifflin Haynes. She was the baby of the family behind Maude, Jean, and Ben Jr. Her aunt, Geraldine Mifflin Davis, was like a sister to her. The family moved to Riverview Farm in Elsinboro soon after Helen was born. She loved life “on the farm.” Cows were some of her favorite people to talk to, she never met a Border Collie or German Shepherd she didn’t like, and “down back” was a favorite destination.

She met the love of her life, Bill Bacon, when he came to work on the farm, and they were married in 1955. They built a little house and raised two daughters on the farm with Helen’s parents, siblings, nieces and nephews as neighbors. It was a chaotic and fantastic childhood for Helen’s daughters. In 1983, Helen and Bill started a new adventure when they sold their house on the farm and bought a farmhouse in Elsinboro with Dennis and Linda and their children, Jennifer and Jared. A few years later, Helen and Bill’s daughter Karen built a home next door, bringing her children, Melinda and Christina. It was a chaotic and fantastic childhood for Helen’s grandchildren. The house was always open to Helen’s siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who would stop by, and they usually ended up with their pictures in one of Helen’s many photo albums – with their full name and age, in years and months, documented on the back of the picture. Helen and Bill built a rancher next to the farmhouse for retirement and spent many happy years there enjoying their next phase of life: great-grandchildren.

Helen worked at DuPont for a year before becoming a devoted housewife, mother, and grandmother. Her time at DuPont was just long enough for her to save up to buy a car for Bill. Her legacy, however, is not one of things but of the time and effort dedicated to serving her family and the knowledge and faith that she passed along to them. She was a devoted follower of Jesus and sought to please Him in everything that she did, and the most important thing to her was passing that faith along to her children and grandchildren. Helen kept a regimented
schedule and took her housekeeping duties as seriously as she would have taken any paid profession. Bill’s lunch was packed every single day with a thermos, shined apple, sandwich, and snacks. You were more likely to win the lottery than find a wrinkle in his clothing, and dinner was always on time (so hungry grandchildren knew where to go and when). She was organized, everything was in its proper place, and laundry was still warm when it hit the drawer. Helen also loved gardening and spent many years tending the beautiful gardens around the farmhouse. And yet, there was always time for her to rock babies and sing songs and read stories and play games. She endured “help” with her tasks from grandchildren and great-grandchildren and patiently taught them what she was doing and why. Every conversation came back to Jesus, most of the songs that she sang and stories that she read to any babies and children in her care were about Jesus, and she truly tried to do all of the mundane tasks involved in keeping house and raising children “as unto the Lord.” Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren certainly consider themselves blessed to have had her.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband Bill in 2016; her mother and father; siblings Maude, Jean, and Ben; niece, Linda Graeff VanPelt and nephews John Weber, John Haynes, and Michael Haynes. Helen downsized in 2020 and spent her last three years living with Dennis and Linda. She doted on their springer spaniels, Sadie and Bess. The springers returned the favor and could often be found napping in her room. Her little suite was just right and filled with family pictures and special memories. She enjoyed helping Linda around the house until she was no longer able. As her health declined over the last year, her family. including her great-grandchildren, were happy to help care for her as she cared for them over the years. While the situation was not easy, and “it is what it is” became a regular phrase, there were many laughs and special moments and precious conversations in the hard parts that her family will forever be grateful to have experienced.

She leaves to treasure her memory her two daughters Linda Bradway (Dennis), and Karen McMahon; her four grandchildren Jennifer Ladner (Kevin), Jared Bradway (Stephanie), Melinda Wheeler (Tye), and Christina Bierman (Dale); her 17 great-grandchildren Joseph McKelvey, Jacelyn and Kinnan Ladner; Austin, Brandon, Bryan, Cayden, Coltin, Jackson, and Benjamin Bradway; Garrett, Luke, Alex, and Emma Wheeler; Caleb and AJ Brown and Darren Bierman; her cherished nieces Leslie Murr and Janna Tuthill; nephews Edward Graeff (Karen), Ben Haynes III and Donald Haynes; many great nieces and nephews; sister-in-law Barbara Haynes; and her lifelong friend Tink Plummer.

Services are private.

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