Helen was born in Philadelphia in 1911, 3 years after her parents arrived at Ellis Island from Romania in 1907.
Her Dad was a butcher by trade, and soon found a job. Helen and her older sister Irene were joined by Harry, born in 1912. Before long, her Dad, following his brother out west, settled in Great Falls, Montana. When he had saved enough money, he sent for his wife, sister, and children.
Helen worked for a dry cleaning company. There she met James Mitchell. Helen and James were married, and had a son Jimmy in 1932. James was killed in an airplane accident. Helen took a job with a medical supply house in Spokane. Jimmy stayed with Helen's sister Irene for several years. Eventually, Helen went to commercial college and got a job with the U.S. Government in Bozeman using a comptomometer. Jimmy then joined her.
At the "Cave", a nightclub in Livingston, Helen met Al Decker, the manager of the Livingston Woolworth store. Al and Helen eventually married. Al had three boys from a previous marriage, and Jimmy had a difficult time adapting to life in the new family.
Helen and Al then had a daughter Jeanne.
MORE OF HELEN'S LIFE TO FOLLOW