Helvi Kosenkranius Luckadoo, 94

Helvi Kosenkranius Luckadoo, 94, passed away Wednesday, June 4, 2025.

Born in Tartu, Estonia, May 4, 1931, she was the daughter of Hans and Georgine Tomberg Kosenkranius. Helvi enjoyed a happy childhood in a thriving democracy until the upheaval of World War II, during which she witnessed firsthand the brutality and oppression of both Soviet communism and Nazi occupation. In August 1944, as the Red Army advanced to reoccupy Estonia, she and her family made the difficult decision to flee. They escaped by boat across the Baltic Sea, eventually arriving in a Displaced Persons camp in the American sector of post-war Germany, where they lived for several years before immigrating to the US through Ellis Island in 1949.

Helvi embraced her new life in America with gratitude and vigor. She cherished the freedoms she found here and remained active in politics and public service. In addition to raising her four sons, she worked at Rutherford Hospital and later as an enumerator with the US Bureau of the Census in 1970. She eventually became the longtime manager of the bookstore at Isothermal Community College until her retirement.

After Estonia regained its independence in 1991, Helvi was able to visit four times, reuniting with relatives she had not seen or heard from in nearly 50 years-journeys that were profoundly meaningful to her.

Helvi was preceded in death by her husband, Bobby P. Luckadoo; her parents, Hans and Georgine Tomberg Kosenkranius; her brother, Hans Kosenkranius of Wilmington, DE; and her daughter-in-law, Deb Luckadoo.

Left to cherish her memory are her four sons: Bill Luckadoo (Loretta) of Forest City; Tim Luckadoo of Cary, Bob Luckadoo (Bobbie) of Shelby, and Tommy Luckadoo (Mary) of Hickory, her brother George Kosen (Vicki) of Sequim, WA, and her sister Milvi Gill of Castle Rock, CO, her grandchildren: Lauren Beard (Brandon), Kate Overby (Joe), Maggie Luckadoo (Alex Setzer), Callie Lopez (Estuardo), Joshua Luckadoo, Annie Cannon (Coley), Sarah Kincaid (Josh), and Emma Corneliussen (Garrett); great-granddaughter Helvi Lopez and step great-grandson Matias Lopez; and several special nieces and nephews.

Helvi was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of Forest City.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her memory to the Media Ministry of First Baptist Church of Forest City so that others can continue to benefit from this important ministry.

The funeral was held June 8 at First Baptist Church of Forest City with Rev. Dr. Garin Hill officiating.

An online guest registry is available at www.padgettking.com

Padgett~King Mortuary and Crematory is serving the family.