Helen Yopp Pratt

June 15, 1947 - April 6, 2020

Helen Marie Yopp Pratt was born on June 15, 1947 in Savannah, Georgia and grew up in Paducah, KY with her parents Clifford W. Yopp (Paducah) and Gertrude M. Smith Yopp (Tallahassee, FL) along with her two younger sisters, Karol Anne Yopp Phelps and Mary Jean Yopp Lotspeich. Helen attended elementary school at St. Thomas Moore (Paducah), her freshman and sophomore years of high school at the St. Francis School (Tiffin, Ohio), and completed high school at Saint Mary Academy (Paducah). After her graduation in 1965 she earned her degree as a registered nurse and a Master’s degree from Murray State University. On May 25, 1968, she married Col. Charles W. Pratt (Oak Lawn, IL) and moved several times (Texas, Italy, Maryland) before building a home with Charles and settling on Lake Barkley in Eddyville, Kentucky.  Helen and Charlie raised four children: Cheryl, Christopher, Thomas, and Amy in Lyon County who are filled with good memories of their many years spent exploring the wooded hills surrounded by good neighbors and wildlife. They, along with their children, have always enjoyed returning to visit with Helen and Charlie. Helen was a very devoted and extremely loving grandmother to Evan and Amey of Cheryl and Edward Silcox (Anchorage, Alaska), Colton and Alyssa of Christopher and Erika Potter Pratt (Leander, Texas), Andrew, Abigail, and Anthony of Thomas and Laura Miller Pratt (Oxford, Alabama), and Aaron and Peyton of Amy and Steve Arndt (Westminster, CO). Helen was a dedicated nurse and proud to have worked at the John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD, the hospital in Princeton, KY, and as Hospital Administrator at the Kentucky State Penitentiary in Eddyville. It was after her retirement in 1997 that she really began to do the things she enjoyed most. Helen was a devoted wife to Charlie and they loved traveling long distances to visit friends, family, and places (i.e. Ireland). Helen was an avid and award-winning quilter and was the president of the Paducah Stitch and Quilt Guild. She appreciated the beauty of nature wherever she went and was especially fond of trees, sunflowers, and hummingbirds. Helen enjoyed walks in her neighborhood, time spent on the lake, gardening, dancing, singing, cooking, reading, painting, knitting and crocheting. She especially liked meeting new people and making new friends. Two of her favorite pastimes were bowling with her team and playing cards with her dear friends whom she thought of as sisters. Helen was devoted to Jesus from a very young age, held a deep admiration for His mother Mary, and was an active member of St. Mark Catholic Church in Eddyville and St. Paul Catholic Church in Princeton. Helen died on the morning of Monday, April 6, 2020 but her strong love lives on through her family and friends who were touched by her gracious kindness and beautiful smile. Helen’s family is thankful for the caring support they’ve received during this difficult time and feel blessed by your comforting words, encouragement, memories, and powerful prayers. Funeral arrangements are being made for a small gathering of immediate family and a memorial service is being planned to take place this summer when everyone will be invited to celebrate Helen’s life together with her family and friends. Helen was a volunteer at the Hope Clinic in Eddyville where donations of any amount to them is highly appreciated. To show your love for Helen, please consider planting some sunflowers in your yard. Peace be with you.