Helen Imogene Glass Lochner, 103, of Spencer, TN, departed this life peacefully in her home on April 5, 2022. Helen was born in Tucson, AZ on September 29, 1918, to the late Ernest Truman and Bernice Granville Glass.
Helen grew up the oldest of three sisters in the midst of the Great Depression. Helen had a challenging childhood and was no stranger to hard work. Due to illness, she left school in the eighth grade and began working to help her mother earn money to support the family. At one point, things were so difficult, kind neighbors took the family in and fed them.
Helen married Frank Walter Lochner on June 29, 1939, at age twenty, and was his loving companion for sixty-four years. Together they built two homes on land that her mother owned. Frank and Helen had one son, “Frankie,” who Helen doted on. Helen or “Greenie” as she was known to her husband, was a homemaker and an active member of the community. She was president of the Davidson Elementary School PTA in the early 1950s, a longtime member of the Tucson Chapter of the Arizona Extension Homemakers Council, and more recently the Van Buren County Homemakers Extension. Helen was baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the age of ninety-six.
Helen was an avid gardener and despite the hot Tucson sun, her yard was always filled with flowers, especially poppies, gladiolas, and irises. She was an excellent cook and was known for her Mexican cuisine. Helen had a soft spot for all animals but especially loved cats. Helen enjoyed travel and cruised to both Alaska and Mexico in her eighties. One of her life-long pastimes was making hairpin lace afghans. She sometimes sold the afghans, but more often she made them for family, friends, and acquaintances. Helen continued to give away blankets until she was over one hundred years old. Almost anyone kind to her eventually received one of her brightly colored creations. Her kindness and generosity were some of her greatest attributes.
Helen resided in Tucson until the age of ninety-four when she decided it would be an adventure to move to Tennessee to live with her son and daughter-in-law. Despite living in the desert her whole life, she fell in love with the mountains and trees of her new home. However, she did regret leaving behind her extended family and her beloved sister, Betty, who was also her neighbor and dear friend.
In addition to her parents, Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Frank W. Lochner; sister, Marian Glauser; brothers, Frank and Fred Glass; and daughter-in-law, Deborah Lochner. Helen is survived by her son, Frank K. Lochner of Spencer, TN; sister, Betty Russell of Tucson, AZ; brother, Bill Glass of Tucson, AZ; grandchildren; Laura (Garrison) Smith, Natalie (David) Austin, Katrina (Zac) Gowen, Rusty (Jamie) Lochner, and Douglas (Kimberly) Lochner as well as fourteen great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews and other extended family.
Funeral services will be held Friday, April 15, 2022, at 5:00 pm in the Layne Chapel, Spencer, TN. Visitation times are Friday, April 15th, from 3:00 pm until the time of service at 5:00 pm. Burial and graveside service will occur at a later date in the Southlawn Cemetery in Tucson, AZ.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations may be made to Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital or Shriner’s Hospital for Children.
Send condolences to the family at www.laynefuneralhome.com
Layne Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Spencer, TN in charge of Tennessee arrangements. (931) 946-4444
South Lawn Funeral Home & Cemetery of Tucson, AZ in charge of Arizona arrangements. (520)-294-2603
