Helen Disharoon (Oglesby) Decker

Helen Oglesby Disharoon Decker, aged 96, passed away peacefully at Friendship Village of the South Hills in Pittsburgh, PA on April 11, 2022 after a short illness. Helen was born on February 20, 1926 in Philadelphia, PA to Theodore Lee Disharoon, an accountant for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and his wife Sally Oglesby Disharoon, a school teacher and homemaker and raised in Paoli, PA. She was pre-deceased by her husband, William C. Decker, Jr. in 1986 and is survived by her two children, William C. Decker, III of Woodstock, MD; Linda Jane Decker Steindorf of Roswell, GA; her brother, Mr. Leslie Disharoon of White Stone, VA; four grandchildren (Leslie Elizabeth Decker, San Francisco, CA; Kayleigh Blair Decker, Irvine, CA; Willian Tyler Steindorf, Houston, TX; Virginia Kathryn Steindorf, New York, NY), and a multitude of nephews/nieces and grandnephews/nieces. Helen was the second youngest in a family of five siblings who all went on to become accomplished adults. Helen excelled as a student athlete in high school decades before Title IX, earning several varsity letters and was an PA All State Trumpet player. She attended Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, PA, working as an administrative assistant for the Warner Company in Center City Philadelphia after graduation. While living at home with her parents in Paoli, PA, she spent her free time socializing, attending weekend house parties throughout the MidAtlantic states, even traveling to New Orleans, Miami, and Havana, Cuba well before the revolution. After she married Mr. Decker in 1951, the newlyweds moved to Fort Sill, OK where Helen assisted in the Judge Advocate General Office. Before moving back to the Philadelphia area, where her two children were born, she traveled widely in the western US, touring many national parks, including Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon. Since her husband worked for various steel companies for the rest of his career, Helen marshalled her family through several moves to New Jersey, New York, West Virginia, and finally Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, establishing comfortable homes and ensuring that her family was well looked after in each location. After her husband died in 1986, Helen took up ballroom dancing, took courses at the community college, organized a regular bridge night for seniors at her church, and became a beloved local celebrity for her entertaining appearances at the neighborhood picnics. She also patiently endured playing duets of Heart and Soul on the piano with her grandchildren. Fiercely independent, compulsive, and curious, Helen was an excellent house keeper and never met a lawn tool, household appliance, or automobile which she could not use to her maximum advantage. She took pride in and enjoyed keeping her home immaculate and ensuring her refrigerator, pantry and basement were well stocked. She spent time tending to her yard, mowing the grass with a push mower and shoveled snow from her driveway well into her eighties. Her cars were exactingly maintained and she drove her beloved Buick to her weekly hairdresser appointment and grocery store up until a year ago. Assertive and savvy, Helen was passionate about the stock market and the pursuit of a bargain. Helen was eager to help others decipher and become involved in stock market. She steadfastly devoted time each day to reading the Wall Street Journal, monitoring and enhancing her stock portfolio and other financial Investments. Helen was an extremely competitive bridge enthusiast, playing at a high level most of her later life. After moving to Friendship Village, she enjoyed attending and helping to organize scheduled bridge events until only a few months ago. She particularly relished winning at bridge and the stock market. Helen was very proud of her accomplishments, as well as those of her children, grandchildren, nephew, nieces, and their children, and greatly enjoyed updating and relaying those wideranging accomplishments to all. She was always keen to offer helpful advice on any topic including how to advance your career, pursue additional educational opportunities, improve your wardrobe, or to save for the down payment for a house. A Memorial Service will be held at Friendship Village, 1290 Boyce Road, on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at 2 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Schleroderma Research Foundation (https://srfcure.org) or the Carnegie Hall Weill Institute for their support of young artists (https://www.carnegiehall.org/Support/Donate).

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Helen Disharoon (Oglesby) Decker, please visit our floral store.