Helen was a stalwart and highly valued member of Cabrillo-Diego Branch AAUW for over 50 years. She was a founding member of the branch and over time served on our board of directors in many capacities, including as President. Detail-oriented and reliable, Helen proof-read every branch newsletter prior to publication. She aided in the  Tech Trek selection process. She shouldered mundane but important tasks such as making sure our Bylaws and Policies and Procedures were reviewed and updated on schedule and keeping track of minutia such as our non-profit status information. She always made sure our meetings did not conflict with religious holidays and could tell us how many constituted a quorum for a board or general meeting. We will sorely miss her constant and important involvement. Helen was civic-minded, and she was involved with her local community planning group. After the census she served on a committee to address redistricting. She met with elected leaders to discuss AAUW’s stance on legislative matters. When her children were attending La Jolla schools, she was active in PTA and served as its president at LJ high school. Even though Helen had lived in La Jolla since the 1960s, she was nostalgic for New York, where she was raised. She always subscribed to The New York Times and The New Yorker. At our AAUW branch interest group meetings she took pleasure in recalling places and experiences on the East coast, memories sparked by books or films being discussed. She was very engaged in these interest groups and could be counted on to suggest books to read or movies to watch. When hosting such gatherings, she frequently included delicious homemade brownies among her refreshments. Black unsweetened tea was her mid-morning beverage of choice. Helen and her husband Doug thoroughly enjoyed participating in our AAUW Gourmet group for many years; at one of those dinners I remember Doug, an ophthalmologist, describing her fondly and admiringly as “much smarter than I am.”

Helen was a legend. Always a lady, and one of keen intellect, sharp wit, unmatched work ethic and generous heart. Her kindness was legendary and her leadership in land use and planning will live on, a testament to her steward. I enjoyed working on her on LJCPA for many years, and all of us Trustees were enriched by her. Thank you Helen, for all that you accomplished to improve the La Jolla that you so loved.

We here at Island Architects will miss Helen who would drop by here at our studio, always with cheer, as we slogged thru the project review tasks for the Shores and LJCPA.  I will miss her as part of the executive board at the latter and more dearly as a daytime friend in our community.  Cheers and happy trails to someone who cared dearly for the Community and all those that she volunteered with.

In September, we lost one of our long time Cabrillo-Diego AAUW members, Helen Boyden, after she had a fall.  Helen was a founding member of our branch in 1972 and served on the board in some capacity ever since I joined in the late 80s and for many years before that.  She was a wonderful person for detail.  As Bylaws /Policies & Procedures Director, she kept track of when each document was to be updated and helped to rewrite and amend the Bylaws and our Policies and Procedures many times. She assisted Jill Patch in editing our newsletter, the Periodico, every month.  In addition, she served as Program Chair, Public Policy Chair, Parliamentarian, and President.  She attended State and National AAUW conventions as well as the San Diego Interbranch Council meetings.  She was an AAUW Funds Named Gift Honoree in 2002.  She assisted in the selection of our branch’s Tech Trek girls each year.  She was active in the Gourmet group, the Dine Out group, the Movie group, Great Decisions, and our book groups, in addition to her civic activities in La Jolla.  In short, she was one of our “uber” members.  We always enjoyed Helen’s presence with her sharp wit, her active curiosity, her precision, her strong leadership abilities, and her civic mindedness.  We miss her greatly and her absence is felt by all of us.  Our deepest condolences to her children and grandchildren.

LYN KAGEY
President, Cabrillo-Diego AAUW


OBITUARY

Helen Mammen Boyden

7 June, 1937 – 24 September, 2022

Pacific Beach – La Jolla Chapel

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