William Helms: “this past week a deep sense of sadness settled in on the Helms family--and countless other families as well. Scottie…”

“this past week a deep sense of sadness settled in on the Helms family--and countless other families as well. Scottie Stephenson's life was finally ended at age 80 by an unyielding illness. Scottie had gone on to her reward after 80 years of loving and being loved by everybody around her. For various reasons, I had to cancel my plans to be there when the final tributes were being paid to this remarkable lady who was declared many times to be the First Lady of Capitol Broadcasting Company in Raleigh--which, is where I began my years in broadcasting--and where I ended them when in 1972 I allowed myself to be talked into seeking election to the U.S. Senate. Mrs. Louise ``Scottie'' Stephenson never quite accepted the death of her handsome husband, Nelson W. Stephenson, whom she married in 1948 but who died in 1961. Scottie knew the end was approaching early this year. We discussed it a number of times always with the conclusion that when it happened, she would probably be the No. One Gate Keeper serving Saint Peter.”