On Thursday, February 6th, Helen Kearns won her battle to be reunited with the love of her life of 68 years, Louis Kearns. Helen Marie Kearns, née Justh, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, surrounded by her loving family, passed away peacefully in Wilmington, North Carolina at the age of 84. Born in Washington, DC on April 14, 1940, Helen grew up in Falls Church, Virginia and attended Falls Church High School. After high school, she married Louis Gene Kearns on July 20, 1957 and spent the first two years of marriage living in Frankfurt, Germany. Helen worked 35 years for Giant Food and “retired” to Clinton, NC where she spent an additional 25 years working with the good people of Matthew’s Drugstore and Gift Shop. Helen and Louis raised four children: Stan (Joanne) Kearns, Cyndi (Rick) Fowler, Joan Kearns, and Steve (Maureen) Kearns. Helen’s true passion in life was her love of family and finding different ways to show that love. She enjoyed cooking and entertaining (and she was gifted at both) and her talents were obvious to all who spent quality time with her. She was sometimes teased by family who jokingly referred to her as “Martha” (Stewart). That love of cooking was generously and wisely passed down to all of her children and for that, she was also very proud. While living in Clinton, Helen dedicated a great deal of her time and talents helping the Sampson Arts Council become a focal point for a “diverse array of cultural and artistic” activities. Among the many contributions to the arts council, Helen and her dear friends Debbie and Stan Roberts were the co-chairs for the annual “Golf Fore the Arts” golf tournament which raised funds supporting local artists. Helen is survived by her four children; eight grandchildren: Brad (Kelly) Lee, Brandon (Nia) Lee, Brittany (Jared) Poindexter, Ryan Kearns, Sean Kearns, Allyson Kearns, Holden Kearns, and Nicholas Kearns; and four great-grandchildren: Jax, Harrison, Taylor, and Marseus. She is also survived by her younger sister, Dorothy Kohnken of Purcellville, Virginia. She was preceded in death last September by Louis, her husband of 67 years.