Helen M. (Hinkle) Lehman Mathias

Helen Mae (Hinkle) Lehman Mathias, 101, passed away Wednesday, December 26, 2018 at Masonic Village, Elizabethtown.

A daughter of the late Edgar J. and Mary V. (Miller) Hinkle, she was born September 27, 1917 in Virginia and at the age of three her family moved to Campbelltown to buy farms.  She was raised there until she married Harry Lehman and then lived in Hershey most of her life.  Harry passed away at the age of 45.  Ten years later, she met and married Eston Mathias who died in 1996.

She was a devout Christian, which was evident in her everyday life, and was noted for her strength, wisdom and always giving to others.  An avid reader, which was her favorite pastime, Helen was also known for her culinary skills.  She was recognized by the Mayor of Dornberg, Germany for saving the lives of a kindergarten teacher (Elsa) and her students, who fled to a bomb shelter to escape the World War II bombings.  Helen would send packages that could be bartered for food and this turned into a life-long friendship between Helen and Elsa’s extended families.

Surviving are her children Nancy, wife of Ernie Cassel of Masonic Village, Elizabethtown and Paul, widower of Patsy Lehman of Westerville, Ohio; step daughter Delyn, wife of Robert Devlin of Harrisburg; grandchildren Sharon, wife of Randy Martin, Michael Hollinger and companion Lisa Sovia, Jonathan, Jeremy and Christopher Lehman; great grandchildren Emily and Gregory Hollinger; four great great grandchildren; step grandchildren Linda Cassel, Cathy Daugherty, Karen Fornwald and Polly Cohick; sister Dolly Shepler and companion Bill Wise; brother Richard, husband of Alma Hinkle; and several nieces and nephews.

Helen has donated her body to Humanity Gifts Registry at the Hershey Medical Center, therefore no funeral is planned.  Please omit flowers.

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