John Kelson said her sister Helen had suffered severe epilepsy since the age of eight months which left her partly paralysed down the right side of her body.

"It held her back in many ways but not enough to stop her making the best of what she had," Mrs Kelson said.

"Many would recognize her face as she worked tirelessly for charities including selling raffle tickets for Lyndoch, St John of God Hospital, Lifeline, MS Society, Royal Children's Hospital and the Warrnambool Base Hospital.

"Helen would set up her card table and sit for hours selling raffle tickets for whatever organization need help."

Mrs Kelson said she loved to do tapestries and would often be seen working on them while she was selling raffle tickets at the tables she had set up either at Target, Gateway Plaza or outside the Koroit Street newsagency.

While Helen never kept track, Mrs Kelson said she would have raised tens of thousands of dollars over the years, perhaps even hundreds of thousands.

Helen received life governorships from the Royal Children's Hospital and the Warrnambool and District Base Hospital.

"Helen missed out on most of her education as she regularly took epileptic fits up until the age of 18," Mrs Kelson said.

"Helen proved that no matter what challenges were thrown at her she could conquer with determination, a great lesson for us all."

Unable to drive, she would take the bus into town each day she sold raffle tickets, and the one-eyed Geelong supporter would also take the bus down to AFL games.

Mrs Kelson said she would never forget to call her family members on each of their birthdays, and loved to read the paper each day.

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