Helen Edith Rayson Eiserloh

Born on a date unspecified in Gonzales, Texas, she was the daughter of Jack Henry and Florence Zint Rayson. Her father, a Londoner who emigrated to Texas in 1910; her mother, the daughter of frontier stock. Helen was a mix of her parents' influences: prim and proper on occasion, but always filled with the spirit of the Wild West.

She loved to tell a good story, especially about her youth in rural Texas: climbing a tree covered with poison ivy while being chased by a bull, or galloping through town on a runaway mule with her two cousins Marilyn and Bryce Reid.

During the Depression, the family moved to San Antonio. Helen attended Alamo Heights when the entire school was located in Cambridge. Soon after graduation, she married Lawrence Anton Eiserloh. His mother, Lynden, was a well-known artist and she encouraged Helen's interest in art.

Immediately after WWII, Helen and Larry built their home in Alamo Heights where she lived until the time of her death. Labor and materials were scarce. They did much of the work with their own hands, exchanging rationed beer for labor and driving to small towns in search of building supplies.

Sadly, Helen became a widow at the age of 42 and never remarried.

Needing a higher education to support herself and her family, she attended Incarnate Word College and earned a Master's Degree. Starting as a classroom teacher at Cambridge Elementary, she soon settled into her true vocation as an art teacher. Her legacy endures in the memories of all the children she taught as well as in the beautiful mosaic benches that still adorn the school. Kids: not to spoil the surprise, but the Cambridge Halloween witch was really Mrs. Eiserloh!

During the later part of her life Helen also developed a passion for travel. Some of her fondest memories were of driving through Mexico with her best friend Jean Pace, aka the Thelma and Louise of the borderlands.

As the beloved "Gran," Helen loved her grandchildren and was notorious for spoiling them. If ever a parent wondered who had given their five-year-old child a giant chocolate Easter bunny for breakfast, Gran was always the culprit.

Helen is survived by her children, Philip Eiserloh, Lynden Kosub and Laurie Eiserloh, many grandchildren and great grandchildren and her sister-in-law Donna Rayson.

The family wishes to thank care providers Maria Pereida, Amalia Lopez and Crystal Serrano and the staff of Alamo Hospice.

Public viewing will be held on Monday, April 6th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Porter Loring on McCullough Ave with a Funeral Service at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 11 St. Luke's Lane on April 7, 2015 at 11:30 a.m. Interment in Sunset Memorial Park.

Charitable contributions can be made to Incarnate Word Fine Arts Center in her memory.