Dr. Helene Harrison

Margaret Helene Westbrook was born Oct. 20, 1927, in Brownwood, Texas, to Oscar B. and Margaret McGhee Westbrook. She died Nov. 17, 2017, in Kyle, Texas.
Helene completed her primary education in Brownwood and received her Bachelor of Arts in 1948 from Howard Payne College, majoring in Spanish and minoring in French.
She became a hostess for Trans Texas Airlines while working on her Master’s degree in Spanish and French, which she achieved in 1954, at the University of Texas in Austin. Her first teaching job was in Corpus Christi, Texas, teaching English as a second language to pre first grade students.
Helene married Dr. George H. Harrison, O.D., July 11, 1954. After settling in Lockhart, she taught English at Lockhart High School and Spanish and French at Del Valle High School.
Always interested in furthering her education, Helene studied for one semester at the Sorbonne in Paris before completing her PhD in Linguistics in 1967 at the University of Texas in Austin. At various times, she taught English, Spanish, French and Linguistics and spoke seven languages including Egyptian Arabic. She worked at Southwest Texas State College in San Marcos, supervising student teachers and she planned and directed an Institute for Teachers who taught English as a second language.
For 10 years she was an evaluator for bilingual education programs at Southwest Texas State University as well as San Marcos and Harlandale public school systems. Following that, she returned to Lockhart High School, where she finished her career teaching English and directing the student yearbook.
During her lifetime, Helene traveled extensively to many locations around the world including Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Belize, the Galapagos Islands, Mexico, many countries in Europe, and many locations in the United States.
After retirement, she and her husband spent most of their time enjoying their favorite activities: traveling to Mexico, hunting, swimming, snorkeling and dancing. She also loved waterskiing.
Helene was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Lockhart and the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
She was preceded in death by her parents and husband; she is survived by one daughter, Dawn Jones and husband, Mike, of Luling, Texas; one son, Brook Harrison and wife, Tracy, of Munford, Tenn.; three grandchildren, Melanie Jones, Tony Harrison and April Harrison-Bader; and three great-grandchildren.
In a final act of generosity, Helene elected to donate her body to science. A memorial service is being planned. To view and sign the guestbook, visit www.post-register.com/obituaries/dr-helene-harrison.