At 10, Helen committed her life to serving the Lord. John 6:37 confirmed her decision. The family had “a family altar” after meals, when they would read the Bible, sing songs around the pump organ and pray. Helen learned to memorize Scripture; even in her 94th year, she could quote whole Psalms. She graduated from Prairie Bible Institute, Three Hills, Alta., in 1944, followed by a year at Missionary Medical School, Quebec. An organizer and delegator, Helen worked in nursing, teaching and office administration. During her year as a one-room-school teacher in Torrence, Ont., in 1955, she gave birth to a girl. She worked two jobs, moving often to find affordable housing. Her faith grew as she leaned on God. After 17 years as a single mother, she was pursued by a widower, Ernest. She instantly gained a large family and loved his children as her own. Helen and Ernest retired to Peterborough, Ont. In 2002, due to health concerns, they moved near their daughters in Abbotsford. Helen enjoyed playing Scrabble, reading poetry, listening to music, writing letters, spending time with family. Her advice was “Choose gratitude. If you have no other mission in life, encourage others to have one.”
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