Helene Church

Helene Suzanne ”Sue” Church was born in Castlewood, VA on May 21, 1967. Sue, loving mother of three children, passed away on Friday, January 10, 2020 at her home with her husband, John, at her side in Asheville, NC at the age of 52. She lived her life in Wise County, VA and attended Appalachia Elementary School until about the age of 10 and then moved to Baltimore, MD with her mother and siblings.

As an adult, she returned to school for her GED. Sue worked many jobs throughout her life. She was working for the Red Cross and was in Washington DC at the time of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and suffered from PTSD as a result. She moved back to her beloved mountains in 2016, and her southern family was so happy to have her back in the fold.

Sue is survived by her loving husband, John Staffon of Asheville, NC; her children, Ronald Krenzer and granddaughters, Ronny Lynn and Katelynn, Jayme Krenzer Frey and granddaughter, Destinee, and James "JJ" Krenzer and granddaughter, Kayleigh, of Baltimore, MD; three sisters, Melissa "Lisa" Lynn Church of Baltimore, MD, Amy Church Mooneyhan of Appalachia, VA, and Elizabeth Church of Appalachia, VA; aunts and uncles, Virginia "Petie” Thomas Condon of Pasadena, MD, James "Jimmy" Thomas of Asheville, NC, and Barbara Jean Thomas Whitehead & Uncle Hubert Whitehead of Asheville, NC.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Helene Thomas Church and Samuel Church, Jr.; her brother, Samuel Church III; maternal grandfather, William Nelson Thomas; maternal grandmother, Virginia Elizabeth Karsville Thomas; aunts and uncles, Rosie Thomas Lambert & Gordon Lambert of Silver Springs, MD, Emma Thomas Bobblet of Baltimore, MD, Charles Thomas of Baltimore, MD, and Mary Thomas Hawks of Ridgeway, VA.

Sue was a sweet, loving, and kind person. She was always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone in need.  She loved to cook, garden, craft, yard sale, and ride motorcycles . Sue had many cousins, friends, and neighbors who will miss her greatly. We love you, sweet Sue. You made our lives richer for being present in them and now your troubles are no more.

Sue’s Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00pm on Monday, January 20, 2020 at Asheville First Church of the Nazarene, 385 Hazel Mill Road, Asheville. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the church in Sue's name.