Helen Powell Feussner's Obituary
Helen Powell Feussner passed away on 9/13/2019, surrounded by her family and friends after a brief devastating illness. Helen was born in Athens, Georgia, on 8/19/1947, but moved to Gainesville at the age of six months. Except for a few years, she lived her entire life in Gainesville. She attended Gainesville High School, where she is remembered as a caring friend, well-liked by all. She was involved in many school activities including artistic dancing, school plays and cheerleading. She also attended Camp Crystal Lake, first as a camper and then a counselor who also taught swimming and lifesaving.
She graduated from the University of Florida where she was a member of the gymnastics team and was awarded a varsity letter for cheerleading for football and basketball. She was the first to introduce gymnastic stunts into the cheerleading repertoire. She was an All-American and a member of the UF’s two national championship cheerleading squads in 1967 and 1968. She continued her education, earning a master's degree in psychology at University of Florida.
Helen was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. As a student, she sang in the choir and developed a love of group singing and music that lasted her whole life. She worked as a schoolteacher, bank officer, and public relations representative for UF’s School of Dentistry.
Helen was an avid skier. She seemed to have an instinctive understanding of the finesse and balance of skiing. She and her husband skied mostly on the expert slopes of Vail, Colorado. In addition, over a period of twenty-five years, they skied many other areas in the American and Canadian Rockies, and a few in Europe as well. As in all other aspects of her life, she was graceful and fearless on the ski slopes.
Closer to home, Helen had a great love for Crescent Beach. She enjoyed day trips as a child and later was delighted to have a beach home where she could entertain family and friends. Her grandchildren were beach kids before they could walk. Helen believed that her daughter and grandchildren were her greatest accomplishments. She never missed an activity or event and she was always available for them.
Helen is survived by her husband of 32 years, Dr. George Feussner; her daughter Heather Hall Frenchman; two stepsons, Brad and Justin Feussner; and five grandchildren -- Will Frenchman, age 18; Joe Frenchman, age 17; Anna Frenchman, age 15; Tessa Frenchman, age 13; and Autumn Frenchman, age 11. She also leaves four sisters—Liz Powell of Athens, GA; Julie Powell of Gainesville; Fran Bigelow of St. Petersburg; and Maggie Powell of Cedar Key.
She will be terribly missed by her family and friends.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, September 19, 2019 at 10:00 A. M., in the First Presbyterian Church of Gainesville, 106 SW 3rd Street, with Rev. Scott Stuart, officiating. Interment will follow in Memorial Park East. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, September 18, 2019 from 5 to 7 P. M., at Williams-Thomas Funeral Home Downtown, 404 North Main Street.
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