Martha Thornell Helton of Knoxville, Tennessee peacefully went to be with her Lord and Savior at the age of 92 on June 30, 2026, in Houston, Texas where she had moved 4 years ago to be near her son.
Martha was born on September 25, 1933, in Eclectic, Alabama. She later moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee and graduated from Oak Ridge High School. She worked there at Union Carbide for several years. Martha moved to Knoxville and stayed home with her son and loved all of his sports, the garden club, her bridge club, her bowling league, and volunteering. She later had her own business, Dutch Girl Cleaners, where she knew all her customers well and everyone loved the personal touch she gave them. Martha loved her church, Cedar Springs Presbyterian in Knoxville, and the friends she made in several ladies groups in the community. She worked for years in her retirement at the gift shop at Children’s Hospital in Knoxville.
Martha was preceded in death by her parents Rene and Albert Thornell and her brother William Suttle Thornell.
Martha is survived by her son, Greg Helton and his wife Beth, of Katy, Texas, her granddaughters and their families – Elizabeth and Chris Hahn and their children Taylor, Reid and Parker, and Emily and Justin Patzig and their daughters Riley and Millie.
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Martha Thornell Helton of Knoxville, Tennessee peacefully went to be with her Lord and Savior at the age of 92 on June 30, 2026, in Houston, Texas where she had moved 4 years ago to be near her son.
Martha was born on September 25, 1933, in Eclectic, Alabama. She later moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee and graduated from Oak Ridge High School. She worked there at Union Carbide for several years. Martha moved to Knoxville and stayed home with her son and loved all of his sports, the garden club, her bridge club, her bowling league, and volunteering. She later had her own business, Dutch Girl Cleaners, where she knew all her customers well and everyone loved the personal touch she gave them. Martha loved her church, Cedar Springs Presbyterian in Knoxville, and the friends she made in several ladies groups in the community. She worked for years in her retirement at the gift shop at Children’s Hospital in Knoxville.
Martha was preceded in death by her parents Rene and Albert Thornell and her brother William Suttle Thornell.
Martha is survived by her son, Greg Helton and his wife Beth, of Katy, Texas, her granddaughters and their families – Elizabeth and Chris Hahn and their children Taylor, Reid and Parker, and Emily and Justin Patzig and their daughters Riley and Millie.
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