Helene Poulan Colvin passed away February 2, 2024. She was born in Shreveport, LA, the daughter of the late Capt. Rush & Retta Dugas Poulan. Helene graduated from Fair Park High School in Shreveport, earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Louisiana Tech in Ruston, LA and attended graduate school at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA.
Helene had a great love for her family and friends. Many people knew her as “Mama Helene.” She leaves her two sons (whom she always loving referred to as “my two baby boys”) Rush Colvin and wife Brenda Colvin of Murfreesboro, TN and Shane Colvin and wife Lisa Adams of Carlisle, KY as well as Tammy Colvin of Murfreesboro, her two grandchildren, Rush Lee Colvin of Murfreesboro TN, and Lindsey and husband Keith Schuster of Murfreesboro. Also, two dear cousins, Gloria Summerlin (Jim) of Little Rock and Mickey Hill of Hamilton, Texas.
Helene moved to Murfreesboro in August of 1969. She was director of Marketing at Citizens Central Bank, Executive director of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, Murfreesboro manager and a partner at J.C. Bradford & Co, branch manager for the Murfreesboro office of Merrill Lynch, Bank M Investments, and FirstBank Investment Partners. Wherever she worked as a financial advisor she always had a great devotion to her many clients and worked diligently to try to do what was best for them. She retired at the end of 2021.
She was past president of the MTSU Foundation, former member of the board Crime Stoppers, and treasurer of the Linbaugh Foundation Board. She was a previous chair of The Center for the Arts, member of the MTSU business advisory board, and member of the DAR and the Rutherford County Historical Society. Helene joined the Murfreesboro Rotary Club in 1986 as a group of the first ladies in the state to be in Rotary. Later, she became the first female president of the club. She remained an active and devoted Rotarian. Helene was a founding member of the board of directors of the Smyrna Rutherford County Airport Authority and remained on the board until her death. The growth and development of the airport was a source of great pride. Helene loved to cook, especially Cajun, and enjoyed feeding family and friends. Working in her yard and taking lots of pictures also gave her great joy. Helene enjoyed travelling, especially to unusual places. She was a loyal Georgia “Dawgs” fan. Anyone who knew her was aware that red was her favorite color.
Instead of a service, a Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Rotary Foundation, A Soldiers’ Child, or Doors of Hope. Alternately please plant a tree anywhere you would like.
