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Note: s of residence: Adrian, Wayne and Belleville Michigan, Yuma, AZ. Helen worked for the Adrian Daily Telegram in advertising department at the time of her marriage. She attended Adrian College for one year before her marriage. Helen would later receive her degree from Eastern Michigan University in 1977. She was an active mother during the time her children were growing up in Wayne, participating as a Den Mother for the Cub Scouts. After retirement, she and her husband became members of MMAP. This is a Christian group that travels the country to aid and rehabilitate various missions. Moved to Yuma with Jack in starting in Feb. 1989.1996 - Active with the ECW (St. Paul's Episcopal Church Women) in Yuma, AZ. [MAL]She died peacefully in her home of pancreatic cancer under the care of Hospice.
Tribute to Helen Ruby Knight Law
By Fern Trebilcock
My little baby sister-yes-that’s what she was. And what a darling wee mite!. Born on a hot summer day, August 21, 1929, just two days before our brother’s eighth birthday, and a few months after my tenth, she was the precious darling of us all. I thought of her as my baby doll, dressing her, fussing with her much of the time. Our mother was ill much of her life and became more so as time went on, as was our brother, so much of the care of “my baby” came to me. Did I mind? No, it was a privilege and there was nothing I enjoyed more than wheeling her about, taking her to piano lessons, to the park, shopping, etc. We had such fun. She was quite a tomboy and dearly loved playing rough games with our brother, too. Once when returning by foot from a downtown store I discovered a pair of pink socks had been attached to a purchase. Not having paid for them I knew they had to be returned, at the same time being embarrassed, though neither of us had taken them. However, I felt she could learn from this incident, so return them we did. When I went off to college in Ypsilanti I took her to visit one week at the end of exams and enjoyed “showing her off” to classmates at age seven. What a cutie!
By the time she became more independent I was pretty much out of the home except for visits but I could discern her interest in other people and noted-well, almost jealously-that she had so many friends. Always well-liked by others, her outgoing personality drew others to her, and she to them. I always called her a free spirit, for she and the family would do what they wanted when they wanted and it created a more interesting, fun-filled and relaxed life for the family.
As time went by and we all married our lives intertwined more than ever. We three siblings happened to marry spouses whose family was either far away or deceased, so every birthday and every holiday we spent together with our combined families of nine children and our parents. What joyous times they were. After our dear mother died our father took all of us camping and canoeing in northern rivers, introducing us to the fascinating hobby of photography, which encouraged many of our children to pursue areas of that in their lives, and continuing to enforce a strong bond among us. That was especially nice for our brother and me as we were rearing our children alone. But Helen was always the constant, loving, stalwart person who could unruffle our feathers and keep us calm and peaceful, much like our father was-always steady.
Forever smiling, usually laughing, her children have followed that trait. Whenever they are together there is always a lot of laughter, happy, gleeful laughter, each one enjoying each other, traits their mother instilled in them from birth. They are such happy people. I have been leaving out Jack, which is not meant to say he had no part in this but, after all, this is a tribute to my sister. Never a harsh word, never ever a demeaning word about someone else, she is friendly and kind to all.
In later years as they traveled about the country in their trailer, frequently meeting with our brother, and often with me, her happy spirit caught on to us all. The fun we had on those trips is something to write about in a book-the places we traveled to, the fantastic things we saw, and just the fun we had being together are treasured memories. Their several years doing mission work around the country filled their time with working for their, and our, heavenly Father. My brother and I often met them at their stations.
This last fight for her life showed her true spirit-uncomplaining in spite of much pain, acceptance of the diagnosis, but with determination to live as happily as possible in the time left on earth. Her faith in God was prominent in her life and continued throughout this illness. She has blessed us all.
Note: Church affiliation: Baptist, Congregational, Episcopal, Lutheran. Place
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