Helen K. Jones, a lifelong resident of Sand Springs, passed away peacefully on April 28, 2026, at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa at the remarkable age of 97. Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Mobley-Groesbeck Funeral Service of Sand Springs.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, May 5, at the Jim Groesbeck Memorial Chapel at Mobley-Groesbeck Funeral Service. Burial will follow at Woodland Memorial Park Cemetery. Viewing will be held at the funeral home on Monday from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Helen was born on April 9, 1929, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Otto Koenig and Ada (Gish) Koenig. She was raised in Sand Springs, where she proudly embraced her heritage as a member of the Cherokee Nation and grew into a woman known for her strength, independence, and unmistakable spirit. A proud Sandite, Helen graduated from Sand Springs High School and carried her love for her hometown throughout her life. She was a dyed in the wool Sandite through and through.

Helen lived fully and with purpose. She was a devoted homemaker, but her contributions extended far beyond her home. In her younger years, she worked as a Bell Telephone operator and later served as a teacher's aide at Charles Page High School. She also found great joy volunteering at Mobley-Groesbeck Funeral Service—work she often described as her favorite.

Deeply involved in her community, Helen gave her time generously. She was active in numerous civic organizations and clubs, holding many leadership roles over the years. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Billie A. Hall Post 17, Sertoma, and could often be found at the Case Community Center where she led aerobics classes for seniors, encouraging others to stay active and connected. It was often said that she belonged to nearly every organization in town.

Helen had a gift for storytelling and cherished a writing class where she captured her childhood memories through vignettes and stories, preserving pieces of her life and history for those who came after her.

She was known for being strong-willed, opinionated, patriotic, and outgoing—a woman who spoke her mind, stood her ground, and loved deeply. She met the love of her life, Jack Dempsey Jones, while they were still in high school. They were married on February 3, 1950, in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, and shared many years together until his passing on June 4, 1989. Later in life, Helen found love again and married Thurman Hillsberry on November 6, 2006, in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, Jack Dempsey Jones and Thurman Hillsberry; and her brother, Jack Farringer.

She leaves behind a loving family who will cherish her memory: her daughter, Nancy Uekermann and husband, Manfred; her son, Russell D. Jones; her grandchildren, Kristen Uekermann-Coderre and husband, Ray Coderre, III, Marta Uekermann, and Bethany Brock; and her great-grandchildren, Ireland Brock, Aidan Lily Brock, and Mabel Uekermann-Coderre.

Helen's legacy is one of service, strength, and unwavering love for her family and community.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Sand Springs Community Services. Donations may be made by check to: Nathan Woodmansee, Executive Director, Sand Springs Community Services, P.O. Box 25, Sand Springs, OK 74063, or https://sscsok.org/

Helen will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by all who knew her.