About Helen Tyson
Born October 8, 1915
Helen Knoll Tyson was born in Cunnot, Indiana on October 8,1915. She
was the sixth of eight children born to James and Bertha Knoll.
Her grandfather came from Barvia, Germany
during the 100 Year's War.
The Knoll family came to Arkansas when Helen
was a small child. They lived in Arkansas County and grew rice, later moving to Alymara,
Arkansas which is south of Stuttgart in 1917. In 1925 when she was ten, the
Knoll family moved to Springdale.
Helen Knoll graduated from Springdale High
School in 1934. After graduation, she became a beautician. She worked at this profession
for several years. In 1940 she married John Tyson. In two or three years, John and Helen
Tyson began a chicken hatchery which has now grown into the largest poultry producing the
company in the United States. Helen sold her beauty shop and started working in the Tyson
business. She ran the office, took care of personnel and sometimes delivered baby chicks
in the back of her car. Helen served for a time on the Board of Directors at the Tyson
Company. She did just about anything that needed to be done. She worked until her son was
born in 1952, he was named Randal Tyson. The athletic complex next to our campus is named
after Randal Tyson. Although she stayed home to care for him, she remained very much
involved in Tyson Company.
Not only she was a beautician, she was also a
person with positive qualities. She was a person concerned with the welfare of her family
as well as the workers in the company. She worked in the PTA and helped in school in many
ways.
She continued to be actively involved in the Tyson business
until her death. She was tragically killed in 1966 when a train crashed into the car she
and her husband were riding in on their way to the lake house near Hickory Creek.
Helen Tyson is
remembered as a kind and generous lady. Our school is honored to bear the
name of such a caring lady. |
