Obituary of Pauline Parsons Hellams

Pauline Elizabeth “Polly” Parsons Hellams, 81, died Wednesday, January 9, 2019, at McCall Hospice House. Born January 11, 1937, in Fountain Inn, she was the daughter of the late Luther Earle and Lois Nash Parsons of Fountain Inn, and sister of Jackson Earle Parsons and wife Carey of Simpsonville, SC.

Polly was married for almost 62 years to John Thomas Hellams. Their children are: Dr. John Thomas Hellams, Jr. and wife Tena of Fountain Inn, SC, Dr. Robert Michael Hellams and wife Stacy of Taylors, SC, Polly Anne Hellams Miller and husband Nathan of Greer, SC, and Earle Parsons Hellams of Newberry, SC. Their grandchildren are:  Katie and Adam, John and Jessica, Kayla, Jackson, Courtney, Grant, Kaley, Koedy, Mason, and Olivia.  Their great-grandchildren are:  Colby and Claire Elizabeth.  Their great-great grandchild is Harper. 

Polly was a lifetime member of Fountain Inn First Baptist Church.  She was valedictorian of the 1954 class of Fountain Inn High School and attended North Greenville University. 

Polly was a member of the Fountain Inn Music Club with 40 years of perfect attendance, serving in leadership roles at both the local and state levels.  Polly was a member and Regent of the Sullivan-Dunklin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  She was a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy; in addition, she gave numerous hours to the Gray Court-Owings Historical Society and the Fountain Inn History Center. 

An accomplished pianist, soloist, and artist, her paintings are proudly displayed in each of her children’s homes.  For seventy years, Polly was a member of the Fountain Inn First Baptist Church Choir and a frequent soloist.  From its inception, she enjoyed being a member of the Fountain Inn Civic Chorale. 

The family is at the home at 200 Inn Circle, Fountain Inn, SC, and will receive friends at Fletcher Funeral Home, North Main Street, Fountain Inn, Friday evening from 5 to 7 p. m.

Funeral services will be at Fountain Inn First Baptist Church, Saturday, January 12, at 11 o'clock in the morning. Area musicians are invited to take part in the celebration of life by forming a choir for the service.  Rehearsal will take place at 10:30 am in the church sanctuary. Burial will follow in the Nash family plot at Lebanon United Methodist Church, 1450 Dunklin Bridge Road, Honea Path, SC. 

Honorary escort will be the Faye Womack Sunday School class and the Sullivan-Dunklin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. 

Memorials may be made to Fountain Inn First Baptist Church, 206 North Weston Street, Fountain Inn, SC 29644; or to Lebanon United Methodist Church, c/o Jeanette Whitfield, 946 Hillside Church Road, Fountain Inn, SC 29644.