She Won Many Local Art Show Awards

Helen Eliot was born in 1926 in Shanghai, China, to British parents. Her father was instrumental in establishing a modern postal service there. After his untimely death from complications related to surgery, the family headed to their California avocado farm but were captured by the Japanese and spent the rest of World War II in an internment camp. After they were liberated by the allies, they finally made their way to California. Helen later met her husband at UCLA, where she graduated with a degree in biology, and worked at the National Institutes of Health for much of her career. She picked up painting as a hobby, excelling at outdoor scenes, winning awards in local art shows. She passed away at 97 in her Silver Spring home.