Helen Louise Wilkin Faircourt, age 82, passed away peacefully on July 17, 2025, at her home in West Valley City, Utah.

Helen was born December 18, 1942 in the small mining town of Pioche, Nevada, into the growing family of Robert and Della (White) Wilkin. She was the fifth of seven children.

As a toddler it was discovered that she was born without hearing. At age seven, her parents enrolled her into the Ogden School for the Deaf and Blind in Ogden, Utah, a 400-mile journey. Young Helen would travel on the train between Ogden and Caliente, Nevada on holidays and summer breaks.

She was a good student and attended the school each year until she graduated with her high school diploma in the Class of 1962. She was a rare student who mastered- not only what would later be called American Sign language (ASL), but also oral and written English and excellent lip-reading skills. Later that same year she married her deaf high school sweetheart Robert ‘Bobby’ Potter and settled in Provo, Utah.

It didn’t take long for Robert and Helen to start a large family- eventually having eight children. The family moved to Taylorsville, Utah in 1972. In 1984 she and Robert Potter divorced. At this time she took her six youngest children and moved back to her own childhood home in Pioche, Nevada. There she eked out a living as a homemaker and expert seamstress.

In 1986, she became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Her dedication to her faith led her to teach the Bible to the Deaf community, which brought her much joy and fulfillment. In early 1989, she met a handsome, deaf Jehovah’s Witness named Robert ‘Bob’ Faircourt. (A lot of Bobs in her life!) They were married later that same year. Bob and Helen made a life in Pioche with their large blended family. Once all the kids had graduated from Lincoln County High School in the mid-1990s, she and Bob moved to the Salt Lake City area for good.

Helen had a loving and creative spirit. She enjoyed sewing, cooking, and spending time with people. Her fondness for her egg-laying chickens was well known. Her warmth and humor touched everyone around her. She had an interesting way of naming her children- always taking her time, sometimes taking weeks- after their birth to find names that truly fit their personality. By example- she worked hard and instilled in her children the need to work hard, be honest, and be a loving person. She was the epitome of a woman lovingly known as “Mom”.

She will be dearly missed.

Helen is survived by her husband Bob Faircourt (WVC, UT); her sister Faye Odor (Mesa, AZ); her brother Jim Wilkin & wife Uvada (Panaca, NV); Her children: Linda Gregory & Levi Vargas (Grantsville, UT), Milton Potter (W. Jordan, UT, Duane Potter (S. Jordan, UT), Abe & Tina Potter (SLC, UT), Fern Reed (WVC, UT), Edward Potter (Oregon), and Richard & Brianna Potter (Heber, UT); 18 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Helen was preceded in death by her son Allen Potter, her parents, her sisters June and Joyce, and her brothers Joseph, Bruce, Mark, Paul, Grey and Howard.

A memorial will be held on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 203 East 5600 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84107. Zoom is available upon request. All who knew Helen are welcome to attend and honor her life.

As per Helen’s wishes, there will be a burial at The Pioche Public Cemetery in Pioche, NV at 1 PM, September 20 2025.

The family would like to recognize and thank Rocky Mountain Hospice for their essential care and support.