Helen developed TB when her first child,  also named Merrill, was an infant and spent about two years in the San. Young Merrill was cared for by his Grandma McKinney during that time.   After her discharge and her husbands return from Europe when WWII was over they moved to Smithfield. She lived most of her life in Smithfield, a suburb of Huntingdon, P A.

 

She and Merrill were the parents of four children, Merrill Paul of San Antonio TX, Richard Earl of Mechanicsburg, PA, Rosemary Jane of Huntingdon, and David Lee of St Thomas V I.

 

Helen was a stay at home mom while the children were young. She went to work at the Arrow Shirt Factory and was employed there for many years. Helen died on Oct 2, 1988 at the age of 68 of breast cancer. Her husband Merrill died on June 3, 2009 at the age of 89.