Helen M. McCrea, 87, rural Osawatomie, died Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009 at Life Care Center in Osawatomie.

The youngest of three children born to John Lewis and Ada Mae Edwards Wilson, she was born March 29, 1921, in Osawatomie. She attended Crescent Hill Grade School and Osawatomie High School, graduating with the class of 1939.

On April 24, 1943, she married Ralph McCrea Jr. They made their home in rural Osawatomie and became the parents of two sons. They moved to Gridley, Kan., in 1947, where Helen worked several years as a cook for the Gridley Grade School. They moved back to Osawatomie in the late 1980s.

Her church membership was with the First United Methodist Church in Osawatomie. She was also a member of the Harmony E. H. U. in Gridley.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ralph, who died Dec. 17, 2008; two brothers, Lloyd and Harold Wilson; and one son, Lewis McCrea, who died in 1982.

She is survived by her son, Lloyd McCrea of rural Osawatomie; three grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and another great-grandchild due in March; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home, 203 Main St., P. O. Box 430, Osawatomie, KS, 66064, (913) 755-2114. Burial will be in the Paola Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Mark Weber, Scott McCrea, Loren McCrea, Harvey Raaf, Harold Mudge and Kim Beyer.

Memorials are to the American Diabetes Association or the First United Methodist Church of Osawatomie