Mary Helen Tew Loftin, 93, of Front Royal, Virginia, passed away on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, in Commonwealth Assisted Living in Front Royal.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, May 3, at 11:00 a.m. at the Front Royal Presbyterian Church with Pastor Carrie Evans and Dr. C. Thomas Ryne. Interment will follow in Prospect Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Loftin was born on January 26, 1926, in Clinton, North Carolina, daughter of the late John Everett and Mary Parker Tew. Mrs. Loftin graduated from Flora McDonald College in North Carolina. She became a member of the Front Royal Presbyterian Church on September 25, 1955, where she served as president of the Front Royal Presbyterian Church Women’s group (ladies circle groups), she was an elder of the church and president of Shenandoah Presbytery Presbyterian Women’s group. Mrs. Loftin was instrumental in the founding of the VA 4H Center, member of the Warren Heritage Society, member of the Valley Garden Club, instrumental in helping with the coordination of the Festival of Leaves and member of the Warren County Fair Association. She enjoyed traveling and traveled extensively throughout Europe. She retired after many dedicated years from the Warren County Extension Agency. She was married to the late Ernest Eugene Loftin.
Surviving are a daughter Melanie Quinn and husband Bob of Front Royal; one granddaughter Kelly Quinn; and one great-granddaughter Jonnaé White. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and her son Ron Loftin.
The family will receive friends on Thursday, May 2, from 6-8 p.m. at Maddox Funeral Home.
Please accept our deepest condolences during this time of sorrow.
Mary Helen is one remarkable woman who has now moved on into the eternities to her appointed place. What a great role model and family friend which has left our family so richly blessed covering a span of well over 50 years. I can still remember as a mesmirized young child hearing her voice over the radio airwaves of WFTR. In my young mind, she was a real celebrity and not just another one of the Moms in the Neighborhood. I want to express to the Loftin Family my heartfelt condolences on the news of her passing but at the same time also express to all who knew and loved her of my sincere gratitude for having her a part of my life and to be just one of her many friends. God be with you till we meet again Mary Helen!
My sympathies go out to the family, friends, and all those who were touched by this remarkable woman. I was privileged to have worked with and been mentored by Mary Helen when I joined Cooperative Extension. She will be missed.