HALF MY GOOGLE ALERTS are dead Helen Ellises. Every few months, my email delivers obituaries, a veritable kick-the-bucket list of women who have shared my name. Many of them lived past ninety and died at home in their beds surrounded by loved ones. Most had been married and outlived their husbands. Most had children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. But like snowflakes, each Helen Ellis had something special that set her apart.
Helen Ellis of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, starched and ironed jeans to the point they stood on their own. Helen Ellis of Hughes Springs, Texas, had a doll collection that filled two rooms of her house. Helen Ellis of Manhattan, Kansas, was a cheerleader, synchronized swimmer, and prom queen attendant. Helen Ellis of Brookhaven, Mississippi, joined the army, made sergeant, and…
