She was badly burned in an electrical accident while in Germany, losing two fingers on her left hand as a result, and was flown back to alley Forge Army Hospital in Pennsylvania, where she spent a year recovering from the burns.
In the 1960’s she married Otis D. Baxter Sr. of Wichita, and they opened an antiques and furniture restoration business called “Grandma’s Attic.” They traveled back east purchasing antiques for resale. They were married for 35 years. In the 1990’s Helen and Otis purchased a vacation mobile home in Angel Fire, NM, that became a gathering place for many of the family with trout-fishing trips and plenty of adventures, which supplied the basis for many of Helen’s future stories.
Following the death of her husband in 2000, she moved to Albuquerque to be close to her daughter. She involved herself in art activities at Los Volcanes Senior Center, became a member of the Young at Heart Choir, the Highland Senior Center Creative Writers Group, and the Southwest Writers. Prior to her death on December 19, 2009, she was in the process of completing a book entitled, “Bananas on Thursday,” a memoir of her life with Otis, which will be finalized and published by her children. She is survived by son, Mark Culkin, Rio Rancho; daughter Sharon Culkin White and husband Ken, Albuquerque; stepsons, Otis Dean Baxter of Texas, Kenton Baxter of Oklahoma; and stepdaughter, Beverly Baxter Haussermann and husband Andy, Wichita, Kansas. She was loved by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Helen was always a lady, beautifully dressed, complete with high heel shoes. We will always remember her leading the ‘Temperance Marches’ at the Young at Heart Country Fair (photo in Fair costume). You will be missed.
She is survived by her daughters, Lillian Ann Moon and husband, Danny, of Albuquerque and Cindy Chasteen and husband, Chris, of Elverta, CA; son, Larry Joe Davis and wife, Carrie, of Irving, TX; grandchildren, Karey Johnson and husband, Wil, Kristy Peck and husband, Wade, John Davis, Matthew Davis and wife, Casey, Cammi Moseley and husband, Justin, and Scott Chasteen and wife, Nicole; great-grandchildren, Isiah Howell, Noah Howell, Gabriellah Howell, Whitney Peck, Audrey Peck and Mason Davis; sister, Jane Wright of Springfield, MO; and brother, David Cordell of Littletown, CO. Marian was preceded in death by her husband, Ray H. Davis.
She was an active member of the area wide senior adult choir "Young At Heart", where she was choir chaplain. Young at Heart members fondly recall her exhortation to them during a choir tour to not let anything or anyone “steal your joy.”