Helen ’ s story
Cornerstone No . 187 , page 4
Helen was born in 1959 and brought up in Lancaster . Her father was a school teacher , her mother a nurse . She had a younger brother , John . According to her brother John , Helen was a very caring person from an early age . Reading bedtime stories , performing magic tricks and giving him lots of hugs to keep the night terrors at bay . He also said she was very bright at school , loved music and classical literature and could often be found with her head in a book . She was a fantastic daughter to their parents and a wonderful sister .
On leaving school , she had the grades and the qualifications to join St . Andrew ’ s University , where she made many friends , enjoyed her studies and her university life . She graduated in modern and medieval history with a 2:1 Honours Degree . While there , she also enjoyed the outdoor life , walking on the seashore , cycling and gained a fondness of Scottish Country Dancing . Once again , Helen ’ s caring trait shone through – becoming a member of the Student Voluntary Service and a regular visitor to the patients in a local hospital .
In 1980 , before completing her degree , through the friend of a friend she met Ian . The relationship thrived and they got married in 1981 . Once graduated Helen , following in her mother ’ s footsteps , was strongly drawn to nursing and she started as a student nurse in Edinburgh .
Helen was always very loyal and supportive of Ian , in his training and in his ministry , and after 5 years in Edinburgh , Ian received a Call to Orkney which must have seemed like a different planet to a lass from Lancaster ! A year after their arrival in Orkney Helen became a mum for the first time when Sarah arrived followed by two more Orkney babies , Michael in 1987 , Matthew in 1989 . After 8 years , they moved to Bannockburn , where in 1994 Colin was born .
In 1996 came the move to Kirkcaldy , where Ian took up the post of hospital chaplain and Helen busied herself with the children – she loved reading them stories , even when they could read themselves . As Colin grew to school age , Helen returned to nursing . Helen was a highly respected member of staff and much loved by patients and their families . She was attentive , thoughtful and caring , and treated people with such tenderness and concern , she was ideal in the role . She was not somebody who got in a flap or who reacted adversely to stress or problems . Helen seemed to float through issues and situations that caused others stress and she had the patience of a saint .