Helaine Raye Palmer Williams — the youngest in a blended family of eight children — was born Feb. 17, 1962, to Army Sgt. Saul Palmer and Betty June Carson Palmer at Fort Leonard Wood., Mo. She resided in Fort Leonard Wood and Rolla, Mo., before moving to Little Rock at the age of 6. She grew up in Woodson, Ark., the home of her late stepfather, Haywood Lewis, and the final home of her late mother, Betty Lewis.
It was very early in life that Helaine realized what her career path would be: She began writing in the third grade, creating popular stories about a fictitious club that starred herself and her favorite classmates. She continued this series into high school.
Helaine is a 1980 honor graduate of what is now Wilbur D. Mills University Studies High School. From 1980 to 1984 she attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Helaine resumed studies at UALR and graduated in August 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Journalism.
In May 1981, Helaine came to the then-Arkansas Democrat as a city desk news assistant, writing obituaries and performing various other clerical duties. Nearly two years later, she became a consumer affairs reporter and author of her first newspaper column, “Action and
Answers.” She wrote the column for four years before starting over again in the Democrat’s Style department as bridal editor.
In September 1989, Helaine took over authorship of a weekly column, “Let’s Talk,” begun by the Style editor shortly before her departure to a new job. Helaine was also promoted to the position of reporter for the revamped LifeStyle section.
In the years since, Helaine has written for a number of current and former special sections of what is now the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Her stories appear in the Style, ActiveStyle, Family, Weekend, HomeStyle, and High Profile (society) sections. “Let’s Talk,” her column of life and humor, is now in its 21st year. Helaine also writes a biweekly fashion column, “Dressing Room.” In 2009 she added “professional photographer” to her repertoire when she began helping
to cover charity events for the High Profile section.
In spite of a busy career, Helaine has found time for a number of community and civic activities throughout the years. She a member and past chairwoman of the board of directors for United Cerebral Palsy
and currently serves as vice president of Cerebral Palsy Group Living Inc. Past activities include the board of trustees for the Center for Women in Transition (member and chairwoman); the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame Steering Committee; and the Junior League of Little Rock.
Helaine also serves as a publications editor at her church, Word of Outreach Christian Center; and is a member of the Transformed Ministries International fellowship. In addition, she is founder/CEO of Make It Plain Ministries, through which she provides spiritually-based writing and editing services.
Helaine is married to Renarda André Williams, a Louisiana native, freelance writer and founder/CEO of The Umoja Network (TUN). In her spare time she enjoys a variety of hobbies, including reading, travel,interior
decorating and antiquing.
