Helen Ploch

HELEN JANE LOUISE S. PLOCH

Asheville-Helen Jane Louise Swits Ploch, age 86, of Givens Estate, formerly a resident of Cokesbury Circle, Lake Junaluska, died Wednesday, March 19, 2003 at Laurels of Green Tree Ridge.

A native of Austin, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, she was the only child of the late F. Howard Swits and Myrtle Rix Swits. She graduated from Rockford High School and earned a BA in Sociology from Rockford College in Rockford, Illinois in 1938. She was awarded a degree in Christian Education from Garrett Biblical Institute on the campus of Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois in June 1939. There she met her husband, Clarence, a classmate. Helen Jane was a gracious and active hostess during the 40 years of ministry they shared in the Northern Illinois Annual Conference. She joined the P.E.O. International Sisterhood in DeKalb, Illinois in 1962. Helen Jane and Clarence retired to Lake Junaluska in 1979 where she continued to be a caring hostess, especially in welcoming new residents to the Junaluska community. She was the co-editor and original typist of the Lake News and Views continuing her work for 17 years. She was a member of the AW Chapter of P.E.O. in Waynesville, the Garden Club of Lake Junaluska, and the United Methodist Women. She was a member of First United Methodist Church of Waynesville for 21 years until she moved to Givens Estates in 2000. For the last two years, she was a member of Central United Methodist in Asheville.

She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Reverend Clarence E. Ploch, of Givens Estates; three sons, Robert Ploch, and his wife, Brenda, and their daughter, Andrea, of Winchester, Kentucky, Richard, and his wife, Carol, of Asheville and their daughter, Christine Basulto, and her husband, Armando, and John and his wife, Lauri, and their daughter, Catherine, of Alexandria, Virginia.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 22 at First United Methodist Church of Waynesville with Bishop Charlene Payne Kammerer, Reverend Dr. W. Lyn Sorrells, and Reverend Carol S. Ploch officiating. Graveside services at Green Hill Cemetery will be conducted by Reverend Joe Faulk and Dr. Robert M. Blackburn. The family will receive friends at the church from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. prior to the service.

Memorials may be made to Inspiration Point at Lake Junaluska Assembly, P.O. Box 67, Lake Junaluska, NC 28745.

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