Helene Ramsey Hand
Helene Ramsey Hand, 81, of Decatur, Georgia and formerly Orangeburg, SC died peacefully in her sleep at the home she loved with her Siamese cat by her side on the evening of Monday, July 17th. Helene was born October 31st, 1936 in Atlanta, Georgia to Robert Little Ramsey and Margaret Fuller Ramsey (later Marchant and Rousseau). Helene moved to Orangeburg, SC, while still young, where she lived with her mother and step-father Daniel Marchant. Helene attended Orangeburg High School and then Emory University. She graduated as a Registered Nurse from the Medical University of South Carolina, College of Nursing. She married Francis Dickson Hand, Jr. of Lindale, Georgia in 1960 and followed him to Ft. Lee, Virginia, while he was in the Army. In 1961, she had a daughter, Victoria Elizabeth and in 1970, a son, Francis Dickson (III). Upon returning to Atlanta in the early 1960’s, she became a nursing instructor at Dekalb Community College, from where she would later retire from in the early 2000’s. During her time at Dekalb College, she earned her Master’s Degree in Education from the University of New York, all while continuing work as a Registered Nurse at Emory University Intensive Care Unit (3GICU) and later as shift supervisor at Decatur Hospital. When retirement did finally arrive, Helene did not slow down. She enjoyed traveling with friends and supported the Siamese Cat Rescue Center by adopting older Siamese cats in need of a home. She was a Lifetime Master Gardener with the Dekalb Master Gardeners Association – as such, she would not just stop and smell the roses, she would make you identify them too! Helene was a proud member of the Mayflower Society and Daughters of the American Revolution and great-granddaughter of Captain William A. Fuller of the famed Great Locomotive Chase during the Civil War. Helene was preceded in death by her husband, Francis Dickson Hand, Jr. of Albany, GA in November of 2016. Helene is survived by her brother, Daniel Hazle Marchant, Jr. and his wife Lynda of Charleston, SC, daughter Victoria Baker and her husband Daniel of Hayesville, NC and son Francis Dickson Hand, III and his wife Laura of Atlanta, cousin Grace Durham of Scotland, UK, four grandchildren: Maitland Baker, Layla Sofield, Coleman Hand and Julia Hand and three great-grandchildren: Jersei Sofield, Paxton Sofield and Kaia Grace Sofield as well as nephew Marc Marchant of Charleston, SC and Anna Marchant Eller of St. Simon’s Island, GA and numerous grand-nieces and grand-nephews. Services will be on Friday morning, July 28th at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity Parish, 515 E Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030, graveside at Decatur Cemetery and reception to follow at Holy Trinity Parish. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Virginia chapter of the Siamese Cat Rescue Center: https://va.siameserescue.org/ or Georgia Native Plant Society: https://gnps.org/.
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