Helen Smith Troupe was born on July 5, 1937, to Joseph and Bessie Smith in Steens, Mississippi. At an early age, she gave her life to Christ and joined Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Mother Troupe was educated in the Columbus school system and graduated from Hunt High School as valedictorian of her class in 1956. She received her Bachelor of Science (Cum Laude) degree in chemistry and biology from Rust College (1961) and went on to garner a Master of Arts degree from Mississippi State University.

Mother Troupe touched many lives throughout the course of her career. She spent her life dedicated to helping the youth through her work as an educator/counselor in the Lowndes County School System, Webster County Schools, Hunt High School, Caldwell High School, Columbus Central Office, and finally as counselor at Mitchell Elementary School. She was an advocate for Rust College NAACP in Columbus and developed an award-winning mentoring program by creating role models for young men at Mitchell Elementary School.

Mother Troupe married her late husband Jesse Troupe, and they spent sixty-two wonderful years together before his passing in 2018. She served as a faithful servant of the Lord at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church and Greater Mount Zion Church in Columbus, Mississippi, before relocating to Changing a Generation Full Gospel Baptist Church in Decatur, Georgia. While in Columbus, she served as a vacation Bible schoolteacher, youth program coordinator, director of Baptist Training Union, and was one of the first two women to serve on the trustee board. One of her most impressive accomplishments was to help start the Rainbow Tea Celebration for Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, a tradition that continues in our community today.

She loved her community dearly, but most of all she loved God and cherished her family. She always instilled in the young and the old alike that no matter how near or far we are, we shall stick together and trust in the Lord. Her philanthropy and kind spirit knew no bounds, which spoke volumes throughout the entirety of her blessed life. After her mother passed, she and her husband took on the difficult task of raising her five younger siblings all the way to adulthood.

She is survived by: her daughter, Yolonda Troupe Smith (Donell); her daughter-in-love, Katie; her sister, Bessie (Alfred); her brothers, John (Denise) and Joseph (Linda); her grandchildren, Tolden (Stephanie), Alphounce III, Derrick (EB), Jason, Brandon, and Brittany (TJ); her nieces, Tahirih, Jolinda, Tamar, Shanna, and Kiara; and her nephews, Carl, Rashaad, Reginald (Krystal), Sean P., Juvante (Tantia), Sean M., Brandon, and James.

She went to be with the Lord on the 11th of December 2022 at her home in Atlanta, Georgia, surrounded by loved ones.

Carter's Funeral Services is inviting you to a scheduled livestream for the Homegoing Celebration for Mrs. Helen Smith Troupe
on December 18, 2022 at 1:00 PM CST.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2061604094?pwd=5hKBLbt1GETr1roA0NKfvG2PO78gCk.1

Meeting ID: 206 160 4094
Passcode: carters