Elizabeth Marie Van Prooyen Hellinger

Mrs. Elizabeth (Betty) Marie Van Prooyen Hellinger, 95, formerly of Winston-Salem, passed away, Wednesday, April 23, 2014.

Betty was born in September of 1918 in Rotterdam, Holland to Cornelius and Maria Braun Van Prooyen. She moved to New York as a small child. On May 17, 1947, she married the love of her life, Ernest F. Hellinger and moved to New Jersey. Ernie and Betty moved to Winston-Salem in 1968, where they became active members of the community. Betty was a longtime member at Our Lady of Mercy Church, volunteering wherever she was needed, from transporting members to services to washing linens for the church. She was also a member of The Good Times Club, the canasta club, and several quilting and sewing clubs. Betty and Ernie moved to Pennybyrn in High Point in 2007, where they also served that community. Betty will be remembered for her wonderful cooking and her famous ""twist cookies"". Above all, Betty loved her family and her God and will be forever remembered as a sweet, gentle and faithful soul.

In addition to her husband and parents, she is predeceased by sisters, Anna Zimmer, Martha Willhoft, and Sr. Afra Van Prooyen.

Betty is survived by children, Daniel Hellinger and wife Joann Eng-Hellinger of Webster Groves, MO, Ray Hellinger and wife Kathy, of Winston-Salem, and Marie Hellinger and husband Doug Sobel of Chevy Chase, MD; grandchildren, David Hellinger and wife Jennifer, Tim Hellinger and wife Kyrin, Michael Hellinger and wife Gabbie, Joe Hellinger and wife Tiffany, and Christine Hellinger and fiancée Daniel Conti, and Jason Sobel; also 8 great-grandchildren, Owen, Wyatt, Clara, Tillie, Otto, Thomas, Hayes, and Jackson; and several nieces and nephews.

A funeral mass for Betty will be held Monday, April 28 at 10 am at Our Lady of Mercy Church with Friar William Robinson officiating. Interment will follow at Parklawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends Sunday, April 27, 2014 from 6 pm - 8 pm at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel.

The family would like to thank the staff, priests, and sisters at Pennybyrn for their loving kindness and service to both Betty and Ernie.

Memorials may be made to Our Lady of Mercy Church, 1730 Link Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27103.

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