Helen Kathleen Hamilton

Born in Los Angeles, California to Gilbert C. and Mary Jane Burke and raised in San Diego. When Helen was a teen-ager, during World War II, the family moved to a ranch in El Cajon where they gardened, raised a dairy cow, a retired race horse, two dogs, and a burro who liked to steal cigars. They also played host to the local skunks and a number of cats. After the War, the family returned to a relatively rural Pacific Beach. Helen married Frank Tawney, giving birth to a son, Michael. Her second marriage was to Richard Hamilton, giving birth to a daughter, Mary. Helen graduated from college with a BS in Psychology and a MA in Education. She taught High School English in the San Diego School System. Following her retirement from teaching, she pursued a career in free-lance copy editing. She was interested in nutrition and organic gardening. Her back yard was filled with fruit trees, vegetables and flowers, including orchids. She even had her own volunteer bee hive. Helen’s love of animals developed at an early age and became a life-long passion. ‘Chiefie’, a Springer spaniel, who was also a part time nanny for the children, was followed by a family of cats. The cats were succeeded by a series of dogs that she adopted. She cooked carefully balanced food for her dogs and lavished attention on them. Her dogs repaid her by introducing her to neighbors and fellow dog lovers at dog beach. Her love of animals reflected her love of people and acquaintances soon became friends. Her interests were many and far ranging. In addition to gardening and nutrition, she enjoyed music. Her taste ran to classical music, opera, jazz, big band, and country. She also read extensively in classics, sciences, economics, languages, religion, and murder mysteries. She also played piano and the cello, painted in water color, made costume jewelry, and ceramics.