Born in Hydetown, Pennsylvania, Ms. Helen McElhaney Rogel will be remembered as one who impacted the lives of so many during her 89 years of life.
The wife of the late Dan Rogel, Ms. Helen entered into life in Todd County with an impactful zeal that few other ‘adopted’ Todd Countians have possessed. Her husband Dan, owner of Elkton Die Casting, and Ms. Helen arrived in Todd County in 1966, and the city of Elkton and Todd County soon became the center of their lives as they were embedded in many activities of our beloved community. Prior to moving to Elkton, Ms. Helen received her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Hamot Hospital School of Nursing in Erie, Pennsylvania. At her funeral service on February 15th, Ms. Helen was described by those a part of her life as one with a “servant’s heart.”
Mrs. Sheila Lacy, a neighbor of the Rogels for many years, shared she first became close to Ms. Helen after the birth of Sheila and Perry’s older daughter, Shelton Lacy Harrell. Greeted with a crying baby and a distressed mother, Ms. Helen arrived at the Lacy home soon after Shelton’s birth with a casserole in her hands. Immediately Ms. Helen soon calmed the baby and the nerves of the distraught mother, emphasizing to Sheila that life as a young mother would improve. Sheila added, “We became the best of friends for the many years Ms. Helen and Mr. Dan lived in Elkton.” Others who knew Ms. Helen will add she was one who possessed a volunteer spirit. One of the earliest indications of that volunteer spirit was when Ms. Helen devoted so much time and effort to making the Sesquicentennial Celebration of Todd County in 1971 such a successful event.
A former member of the local Girl Scout troop in Elkton, Vickie Osborne Boyd remarked in conversation she thought the world of Ms. Helen and the late Ms. Addie O’Shoney as they both devoted so much time and energy to the formation and leadership of the Girl Scout effort in Todd County. Those who knew Ms. Helen will also reiterate she was a devoted member of Petrie Memorial Methodist Church, and she served there for many years as the coordinator for meals at Petrie and worked with the youth at the church in several activities. Ms. Helen’s granddaughter, Hannah Robertson, commented in her eulogy that she and the other grandchildren will always associate their grandmother with the kitchen, “always moving, preparing, and serving” those who were present. She also added the small television in the kitchen area reflected who was present with her with either Teletubbies, Dexter’s Lab, or Murder She Wrote on the screen. Hannah also commented the holidays were special to Ms. Helen with everyone present witnessing the love Ms. Helen possessed for not only God but her family as she created an atmosphere filled with both magic and perfection.
Another Todd Countian who knew Ms. Helen penned, “Ms. Helen had a kind and sweet soul. She was always helpful and friendly to me when I did work for her.” One of the most impactful imprints Ms. Helen made in Todd County was with her tireless devotion to the “Friends of the Library,” an effort to promote the work of the Todd County Public Library. Nothing the library staff needed was ever neglected, and many will recall Ms. Helen flitting in and out of the library performing whatever tasks were required to make the library and its programs a successful asset to our community. Her devotion to others also included her many years of service to the Relay for Life effort in Todd County as well as to the American Red Cross Blood Drive. A member of the Todd County Women’s Club, Ms. Helen also impacted the lives of many other women in Todd County as she was an “Energizer bunny” always promoting the work of so many Todd County organizations.
During the eulogy honoring her on Thursday, her granddaughter Hannah commented, “She was the best grandmother and great-grandmother, smothering those in her life with her love and devotion to them.” Ms. Sheila said it well as she explained Ms. Helen taught others so much with her abilities to make life easier for them, helping them to transition through the difficult tasks we are all faced with during our lives. We can all immediately think of those we know who have the hearts of servants, and Todd County was indeed blessed for decades with the servant heart of Ms. Helen Louse McElhaney Rogel. What a treasure and servant she was to Todd County!
~ Article by Carolyn L. Wells
February 18, 2024
