Helen Roller

Helen Roller, 95, of Amarillo died September 14, 2020.

Graveside service will be at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, September 17, 2020 in Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home.

Helen was born in Big Pine, CA but her parents moved back to Amarillo soon after she was born. Both parents died before she was 7 years old, and she was sent to live at the Buckner Orphans Home in Dallas, staying there for 10 years. After graduating from high school, she left Buckner and went to Parkland School of Nursing in Dallas. She later received a BSN in Nursing Education from The University of Washington in Seattle. She also received a diploma in Educational Ministries from the Seminary Extension Department of the Seminaries of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Helen entered the United States Navy in 1948 and served in many places in the US, Japan and Vietnam. She was aboard the USS Repose off the coast of Vietnam, which was one of the hospital ships used during the Vietnam War. She retired from the US Navy in 1971. Helen worked as a nurse with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention on many occasions. She served in many countries, including several places in Africa and the Far East. She also travelled on many short-term mission trips around the world.

Helen volunteered at BSA Hospice, Ware Memorial Care Center, Park Place Towers and The Arbors. She was a long-time member of First Baptist Church of Amarillo. She helped to establish the Buchanan Street Community Ministries (now Perkins Community Center) and was instrumental in establishing the Christian Women’s Job Corps in Amarillo. She was a resident of Amarillo off and on for many years and it has always been her home of record. Helen as lived in Amarillo since she retied the second time in 1986.

It is Helen’s request the memorials be sent to the First Baptist Church Mission Committee, 1208 S. Tyler, Amarillo, Texas 79101 or to Buckner International, 700 N. Pearl, Ste 1200, Dallas, Texas 75201.