Sister Helen Vinton, Sp

New Iberia- Sister Helen Vinton, 90, a long-time resident of New Iberia, passed away on August 5, 2023, with her dear friend, Lorna Bourg, and caregivers, by her side.

Sr. Helen was the daughter of a Gordon, Nebraska rancher, the late John Hopkins Vinton and Helen Swiggart Vinton. She was a rural specialist with over six decades experience in rural organizing. She learned at an early age to love and care for the earth and the creatures on it, believing that you must put into the earth everything you take out and do it faithfully. She was a small plane pilot on her Nebraska ranch as well as a horse woman on a cattle drive with her father. Helen was as comfortable on her horse as she was in her canoe.

She was a member of the Sisters of Providence in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in Indiana since 1953 and began teaching in 1956.  From 1956 through 1975 Sr. Helen taught 5th and 6th grade at St. Mary Carmelite in Joliet, IL, 8th grade at St. Mary in Richmond, IN, and Ladywood High School in Indianapolis, IN.  While teaching biology and environmental studies, her high school students called her the original “earth Mother”.  She was an ecological pioneer and forerunner in the environmental movement who taught biology and ecology. Because of her Earth Day was created. Sr. Helen left a lasting impression on her student’s lives, taking her class on field trips by canoe, giving ample time for the students to examine the surroundings, making the outdoors a lab of life sciences. “Sr. Helen was a woman for all time.  The seeds she planted have grown in many directions.”

Sister Helen became the national editor for Rural Catholic Life magazine in 1975.  She came to Louisiana in 1980 as the Life Quality Director of Southern Mutual Help Association, Inc., serving as rural specialist on environmental issues and working closely with farmer and fisher families and has remained here ever since.

Sister Helen Vinton received a Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award, was selected as one of eight "most interesting people of 2014”, featured in "Women Pioneers of the Louisiana Environmental Movement" by Peggy Frankland, founded Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SoSAWG), selected an inaugural inductee of OMB Watch's (Office of Budget and Management Watch's) national Public Interest Hall of Fame, re-elected president of Rural Advancement Foundation International – USA, received the Mother Theodore Guerin Medallion from Saint-Mary-of-the-Woods College, Indiana, recognizing outstanding leadership in Louisiana's rural communities and received an Iberia Parish Environmental Leadership Award.

She was the First Woman to be named to Louisiana's State Pesticide Commission and the only one representing the citizens of Louisiana. She managed millions of dollars for Southern Mutual Help Association (SMHA) in program-related investments from religious congregations. Helen was a founding member of the 13-state Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG) and worked with an international group in Canada and Norway to save heritage seeds should there be an international disaster in order to restart agriculture to feed the world.

Sister Helen is survived by her dear friend, Lorna Bourg of New Iberia and her sister Donnie Connealy of Lincoln, Nebraska.

Other family members include:

John and Shirlee Vinton family:  Hop and Kathy Vinton, Tom and Jennifer Vinton, Bob and Cathy Vinton, Ann Vinton-Bruce, Steve Vinton, Meg Vinton, Jean and Doug Baum, Chris and Sherry Vinton, Kathleen Vinton, Nancy Vinton-Smidt

Ralph and MaryAnn Vinton family:  Dan and Mona Vinton, Maureen and Jim Skavdahl, Jim Vinton, George and Lori Vinton, Brian and Joyce Vinton, Mariam Vinton, Paul and Stacey Vinton, MaryAnn Vinton and John Noble, Tim and Lori Vinton

Alan and Margaret Kime family:  Anita and Vic Olson, Helen Kime Thune, Jim and Cindy Kime, Mark Kime and partner Kim Brown, Paul Kime and Ann Shepard, Dave and Carol Kime, Liz Kime and Brad Harrelson, Tom and Susan Kime

Joe and Martha Vinton family:  Judy Berry, Mary and Brad Blauvelt, Joe and Marcia Vinton, Fred and Linda Vinton, Theresa Dykes, Mike Vinton, Kathy and Verlin Dohse, deAlva Vinton, Arty and Dee Vinton, Helen and Brunza LaBore, Chris and Darla Vinton, Paul and Sheila Vinton

Stan and Agnes Sasse family:  Deb Sasse, Laura and Kenny Scalva, Ann and Sam Smith, John and Eileen Sasse, Bob and Sonja Sasse, Jane and Mark Super, Angie and Pat Burke, Jim and Amber Sasse, Ted and Janna Sasse, Meg and Scott Wallace, Pat Sasse, Bridget and Joel Dickinson, Sarah and Tracy Moser

Marty and Donnie Connealy family:  Bill and Renee Connealy, Susan and Bob Huffman, Jerry and Sharon Connealy, Kathy and Steve Cleveland, Jack and Jane Connealy, Mick and Kathy Connealy, Terry and Lisa Connealy

She is preceded in death by her parents, John Hopkins Vinton and Helen Swiggart Vinton, siblings Agnes Vinton Sasse, Margaret Vinton Kime, Ralph Vinton, Joe Vinton, John Vinton and Kathryn Vinton, nephews Pat Vinton and Ed Vinton, Pete Vinton, Terry Vinton and Matt Kime

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to continue her work, to the Southern Mutual Help Association, Inc. of New Iberia (www.SouthernMutualHelp.org).

Visitation will be held on Saturday, August 12, 2023 at David Funeral Home of New Iberia from 9:00AM until the time of the service.

Services for Sister Helen will be held on Saturday, August 12, 2023 at 11:00AM at David Funeral Home of New Iberia. Interment will follow at Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery in Jeanerette.

You can read more about Sister Helen on the SMHA website www.SouthernMutualHelp.org or her congregation page at www.spsmw.org/sister-profile/helen-vinton.

Family and friends may sign the guest register book and/or send condolences at www.davidfuneralhome.org

David Funeral Home of New Iberia, 1101 Trotter St. 337-369-6336 is in charge of arrangements.

Family and friends are grateful for the special care given to Sister Helen, especially Wilma, Dianne, Margie, Irian, Bonnie, Denise and Leona.

The family is grateful for the doctors and nurses at Lourdes Hospital and the excellent care at St. Joseph Carpenter House and Father Francis Fontenot for his gracious spiritual care.