Mrs. Helen Faye Gearin, age 84, passed peacefully on Friday, July 31, 2026 in her daughter’s
home in Parsons surrounded by her loved ones.
She was born on July 27, 1942 in Lexington to the late Walter Perry Pratt and Mary Beulah
Adams. She graduated from Lexington High School in 1960 and completed business school in
Memphis, where she met her late husband, Kennedy Elroy Gearin. Together, they moved to
Greenfield and shared many memories of raising cattle, owning a restaurant, and traveling
together. She worked in the records office at the University of Tennessee at Martin before retiring
after more than 20 years. In 2007, they returned to Lexington to be closer to their newborn
granddaughter, where they created countless cherished memories together.
Helen’s greatest joy in life was her family. She never met a stranger and had a heart that
welcomed everyone with kindness, compassion, and a warm smile. She cherished simple
moments- sitting on the front porch with a cup of black coffee, watching the birds, sharing meals
with the people she loved, and making memories that her family will treasure forever. She
enjoyed listening to Elvis Presley and Lainey Wilson and especially loved feeding the ducks at
Beech Lake with her granddaughter, Rachel Elizabeth Miller.
She was preceded in death by her late brother, Walter Winfield Pratt. She is survived by her two
daughters, Cynthia Gearin Miller (Bryan) and Sandra Gail Burnette; her two sisters, Lillie Pearl
Galvin and Mary Alice Weaver (Billy); four grandchildren, Rachel Miller, also known as
Ladybug, Shelby White (Justin), Blaine Miller, and Blake Burnette (Dana); and six great
grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 2, 2026, in the chapel of Pafford’s
Funeral Home in Lexington. Burial will follow in Lewis Cemetery.
The family will receive friends on Saturday from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m and on Sunday from
11:00 a.m. until the service time at 3 p.m. at Pafford Funeral Home.
Helen will be remembered for her unwavering kindness, gentle spirit, selfless heart, and
unconditional love for her family and friends. She leaves behind a legacy of compassion,
strength, and countless cherished memories that will continue to live on in the hearts of all who
were blessed to know her.
