Helen Meadowcraft, 79 of DeKalb, passed away June 14th, after a courageous fight with brain cancer. Helen was born in Sycamore, the daughter of Ronald and M. Irene (French) Jackson. She was the beloved wife of David Meadowcraft, who she married in 1962. Helen and David had two children together, Dana and Deana.

Helen grew up in Sycamore and graduated from Sycamore High School in the Class of 1962. After staying at home several years to raise her children, she attended college and graduated from Kishwaukee College and Northern Illinois University (Bachelors in Elementary and Special Education, 1975). Helen was a continuous learner, and later in her career returned to college to complete a Master of Arts in Teaching from Aurora University in 1998.

Helen loved children and was passionate about teaching elementary school students for 35 years in the Sycamore School District, teaching 2nd, 4th, and 5th grades at North and West Schools. She also coached afterschool girls’ sports at North School. Helen’s approach to teaching was to make learning fun, and she was a master of developing creative techniques to keep her students engaged and excited about learning. Helen actively volunteered in support of her profession by holding offices as Vice President and Secretary for the Sycamore Education Association, as well as serving as a representative in region 22 of the Illinois Education Association. She continued to follow her love for helping children after retirement, volunteering at West School, and reading to preschool children at Sycamore United Methodist Church, where she was an active member throughout her life.

Outside of teaching, Helen’s passions included watching stock car races, knitting, gardening roses and vegetables, scrapbooking, and eagle watching. Helen was also an avid world traveler, who visited at least 35 countries in Europe, Central America, and Canada, and traveled throughout most of the 50 US states. She also enjoyed frequent trips to Colorado to visit her daughter’s family, including her grandchildren Brandon and Kelsey, who she adored. Through her travels she developed close relationships with many lifelong friends, who she enjoyed spending time with, even outside of their travels.

With all of Helen’s many accomplishments, above all, she will be remembered as a caring, thoughtful, giving, and loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, whose positive attitude, smile, and sense of humor shined light on those who knew and loved her.

Helen is survived by her children, Dana Meadowcraft and Deana (Sandrino) Luke, grandchildren Brandon and Kelsey Luke, sisters Arlene (Mel) Dorland and Nancy (Gene) Miller, nephews Gene (Pam) Burnett and Bret (Vicky) Miller, nieces Jacque Dorland, Cathy (Mark) Marion, Jill (Bob) DeVita, Gayle (Rich) Thompson, Beth (Jim) Finley, and Sherrie (Randy) Bourdages, many great and great-great nieces and nephews, and aunts Evelyn (Lewis)Rice and Barbara (Stan) Brint.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her brother Ronald “Red” (Donna) Jackson, her sister Virginia (Lowly) Burnett, and her nephew Jim (Christine) Burnett.

Helen’s visitation will be held at Anderson Funeral Home on Weds, June 19th from 4-6:30 PM. Her funeral will be held at Sycamore United Methodist Church, 160 Johnson Ave, Sycamore, IL on Thurs, June 20th, at 11 am. Burial will follow at Elmwood Cemetery in Sycamore.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Meadowcraft family, in care of Anderson Funeral Home, Ltd., P.O. Box 605, 2011 South Fourth Street, DeKalb, IL 60115.