Helen Marie Hodges Tinnin, 83, passed away unexpectedly on March 5, 2019. Visitation will be held from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. on the afternoon of June 15, 2019 at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home in Midland, Texas.She was born to the late Truman and Eula Garner Hodges on December 21, 1935 in Morton, Texas. Helen graduated valedictorian from Morton High School in 1952. She received her BBA in 1956 from Texas Tech University and her M. ED from Sul Ross State University in 1970. She also completed post graduate work from Texas Tech University and The University of Texas Permian Basin.Helen retired from Midland Independent School District serving as a classroom teacher and later as an Educational Diagnostician. She touched the lives of many children whether in the classroom or her tutoring sessions after school and during the summers. After retirement, she continued her love for teaching by working at charter schools.She was a member of the Texas Educational Diagnosticians Association, Region 18. She was elected to serve a six-year term on the State Registry Board of the Registered Professional Educational Diagnosticians of Texas.Dear to her heart was the Children’s Service League of which she was an active member. She helped organize the Midland Cerebral Palsy Center where she served as the educational diagnostician for many years. She was a faithful member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church for more than fifty years. She was also a lifetime member of the Beta Sigma Phi service sorority pledging in October 1956. She served in many capacities during her association with the sorority. She was a volunteer at the Petroleum Museum for several years. She enjoyed sharing stories about the visitors she would meet.Helen was bitten by the “travel bug” at an early age. She filled albums with photographs of the many places she visited with her mother and sisters. She loved to play games. She taught her daughters to play card games and many Sunday afternoons were spent playing while they lived at home. She developed a love for the game of bridge and played up to five times per month. She also belonged to a Bunko group and played Hand and Foot with the same group of women for over twenty years.Helen is survived by her daughter, Debra Black (Alan) and three sisters, Kaye Houston (Michael), Margaret Powell (Houston) and Connie Calley. She is also survived by six grandchildren, and a host of great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.She is preceded in death by her daughters, Cynthia Luckie and Cheryl Doggett, parents, Truman and Eula Garner Hodges, brothers, John Hodges and Norman Hodges, and sister, Gloria Taylor.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association or a charity of your choice.Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.“I know for certain that we never lose the people we love, even to death.They continue to participate in every act, thought and decision we make.Their love leaves an indelible imprint in our memories.We find comfort in knowing that our lives have been enriched by havingshared their love.” -author unknown,
