Helen was well known at Holden Village in the 60's for her music. She loved country and folk music as a child and continued this love throughout her life. She composed many pieces and published several albums. She obtain her nursing diploma from Trinity Hospital School of Nursing in Minot, North Dakota and became an instructor there. She and her husband, Obert, were missionaries to Santal Mission in India. They spent 10 years overseas. Upon returning to Spokane, Washington, Helen became Lead Instructor at the Deaconess School of Nursing. She received a M.A. in Guidance and Counseling in 1973 from Gonzaga University. As Assistant Professor at Gonzaga she designed and initiated the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Helen obtained an Ed.D in Educational Leadership in 1983 as part of the first doctoral graduating class at Gonzaga. She continued her nursing career with Home Health Services until her retirement at age 75.
She died in 2011.