Helen Ainslie David

Helen Ainslie David was born Helen Edna Ainslie on May 15, 1923, in Brainerd Minnesota. Her parents, Arthur Frederick Ainslie and Edna Orne Ainslie, met at the Minneapolis Winter Carnival in 1917. Her mother was chosen Queen of the Northern Pacific Hospital, and her father had just received orders to go to France in World War I. When he returned home, they resumed their romance and were married in 1919. Helen's father was a civil engineer for the Northern Pacific Railroad, and the family followed him from Minnesota to Montana to Washington.

Helen was born with her twin brother, Jim. They had an older sister Mary. When Helen was in fourth grade and the family lived in Pasco, Washington, she was dared to swallow an earthworm, and she did it! She later told her granddaughter, "No more, just one." Helen loved to swim and roller-skate in the summertime. After high school, Helen attended business school for six months and later worked for an aircraft company and the Northern Pacific Railroad as a secretary. In 1994, she enlisted in the Women's Auxiliary Corps and was stationed at Gore Field Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana. While there, she met her future husband, Leonard Julian David ("Dave"). They married on June 9, 1945, at St. John's Episcopal Church in Moorehead, Minnesota. They were married for 4 years until his death in 1991.

In 1946 Helen and Dave's first child, James Leonard, was born. Their daughter, Connie, followed in 1947. In 1949, the family moved to Fair Oaks. They moved to their house on Winding Way in 1953, which was Helen's home for the rest of her life. In 1959, the family was hit hard by the death of Jim from leukemia. In 1962 John was born. When John was attending St. Alban's Country Day School, Helen became the WD-40 Queen by working diligently to unstick a boxcar door that hadn't closed in many years. She had always been an advocate of WD-40.

Helen and Dave were among four families who founded St. Francis Episcopal Church in Fair Oaks, and they later moved to St. Clement's in Rancho Cordova. Helen was the church secretary for many years at both churches. Helen was also a senior Gleaners volunteer. Helen's final church community was Grace Lutheran Church. Helen took up bowling later in life, both before and after knee replacement surgery, and she continued to bowl until Crestview Lanes closed. Helen regularly donated blood and was known as a "Life Saver" with over 400 donations and over 25 gallons donated.

Helen has five grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Her grandchildren's favorite memories include camping trips, tailgating at Giant's games, and Grandma's gourmet dinners, as well as her sense of humor. On camping trips, she always put three essentials in the creek for refrigeration: wine, watermelon, and milk (in that order!).

Helen loved her family and her family by choice above all else. She loved the Lord and was practicing discipleship right until the end. Helen was a mom, grandma, great-grandma, aunt, great-aunt, friend, chef, gardener, bowler, and lover of life. Her gracious manner of presence made a difference in the lives of everyone who was blessed to come into contact with her.