Area woman killed in car accident
WEST PIKE RUN TWP. – A Coal Center woman was killed Friday morning in a two-vehicle collision on Route 481 in Washington County. Helen Elaine Thomas, 68, of Vesta Four Road was killed when she turned the 1994 Ford Escort she was driving from South California Drive onto Route 481 and into the path of a 1991 Jeep Cherokee driven by Shiela Karen Churchel of Daisytown around 10:45 a.m., according to state police at Belle Vernon.
Deputy Washington County Coroner Tim Kegel pronounced Thomas dead at the scene at 11:35 a.m.
Bentleyville EMS took Churchel to Jefferson Regional Medical Center, where she was treated for moderate injuries.
Both drivers were wearing seatbelts, according to police. Police said Thomas’ car sustained severe damage and was towed from the scene by Weld’s Towing of California. They noted Churchel’s vehicle sustained moderate damage but did not require towing
Richeyville and Bentleyville volunteer fire departments also responded to the accident, as did Centerville police.
Thomas had been the switchboard operator at Brownsville General Hospital. She worked there 22 years. She was a member of the Church of the Nazarene of California where she was financial secretary for 25 years.
Thomas is survived by five children: Debbie Heckler and her husband, Donne, of Coal Cneter; Patty Bennett and her husrband, William, of Hayden, Colo.; Judy Javorsky and her husband, Joseph, of Ellsworth; Janet Berill and her husband, Mike, of Meriden, Conn.; and David Thomas and his wife, Lisa, of Kane, Pa. Her grandchildren are Rodney Heckler, Billy Bennett, Brandie Bennett, Ryan Heckler, Jorn Javorsky, Justin Javorsky and Collin Berill.
Also surviving are a brother, Donald Conn and his wife, Virginia, of Valpariso, Ind., as well as Retha Shonts of Warren, Marjorie Vanatta of Washington and several nieces and nephews.
Her husband, Raymond E. Thomas, died Jan. 2, 1979 and she is also predeceased by daughter Cynthia Rae Thomas, who died in infancy; sisters Georgella Browning, Thelma Rollison and Audrey J. Richey; and brother Delmar Conn.
The John B. Greenlee Funeral Home in Beallsville is handling funeral arrangements.