Alva Review-Courier -

I started the Alva Boys Choir over 60 years ago and I must say that this is the first time I felt like writing a letter to the editor of the Alva Review Courier. It was Helen Barrett that made me want to write when I learned she passed away. For many years and many, many publicity stories about the Alva Boys Choir, all the concerts, travels many times to Mexico, camping many times at all of the three television stations in Oklahoma City, Helen's publicity of the countless stories in the Courier of all this made such a big success of the sales of the choir's peanut brittle and the many times the choir had their annual Irish Stew Supper years ago back before Spring Break. She made it possible for the boy's choir to earn their own money for all their trips. They never needed donations thanks to Helen's constant years of publicity and pictures she took of the boys choir. As for me, she really made me feel like a movie star when she even wrote about me. How could the above happen without Helen's publicity?

Helen worked full time for many years at our local newspaper with countless stories about the ups and downs of all kinds of people. She was also an outstanding, terrific piano player. What a deal when she played for congregational singing it sounded like there were two or three people when it was just her. She retired several years ago with the newspaper and then became the piano accompanist for the Alva Schools Vocal Music Department for several years. Even during that time she did write some for the Courier. She did return to the newspaper full time and back to human interest stories. For all of the talent she had and mentioned above so far she was also a very good cook and the mother of three very successful children and played for and never missed Sunday church. Very loyal in that department.

She has and does have many, many friends and thoroughly enjoyed getting up every day. Every time I saw her she was happy. I wish they weren't so anxious to get her up there and would have left her here a little longer for all of us to enjoy.