The Gretna Glance

About the Author

Helen Williams is a resident of Old Gretna, LA and very active in her community. She is best known on the Westbank as the Times Picayune/Nola.com columnist covering Gretna community news, as well as other Westbank events. For almost a decade, she penned the “Gretna at a Glance” column, wrote feature stories, including cover articles for Inside Out magazine until the paper was sold in 2019.

This was her second career after retiring in 2006 as controller for an independent oil company. She worked for 40 years in the oil industry.

She presently serves as Chairperson for the $1,200,000 St. Joseph Restoration Project to bring Gretna’s historic St. Joseph Church back to its original beauty after major damage to the exterior of the beloved church. Helen also serves as Finance Chair, Eucharistic Minister and Lector at St. Joseph Church and was a recipient of the Order of St. Louis IX Medallion.

A Board Member and the Corresponding Secretary of Gretna Historical Society, she often performs as “Emma Whiteside” in the popular annual Hook & Ladder Cemetery Tour.

Her starring role in the inaugural Gretna Cultural Center for the Arts event, the production of “The Women” led her to perform in other Sandy Rhodes Productions.

A new endeavor has her writing for “All About Gretna,” a free quarterly publication featuring Gretna businesses and activities where “Helen Williams Reporting” gives updates of local happenings.

She was the recipient of the prestigious C. W. Cox Life Enhancement Award in 2019 for dedicated leadership that inspires and enriches the lives of others. At the event she also received a proclamation from the City of Gretna and was presented with her most treasured award ever, a “Key to the City” by the Mayor and City Council.

Starting the Gretna Glance Blog has been on her bucket list, she is looking forward to checking the box and sharing the good news of Gretna, LA once again!