Paddock, Helen Abigail, 1892-1965

Biography

Helen Abigail Paddock was born April 2, 1892 in Evanston, IL, the daughter of William E. and Mary Paddock of 1830 Sheridan Road. Paddock attended Evanston Township High School in Evanston, graduating in June 1910. She entered Northwestern University as an undergraduate student in September of 1910, and earned her M.A. in 1915. Paddock worked as an adoption advocate throughout much of her life.

While at Northwestern, Paddock was a member of both Gamma Phi Beta, a social sorority, and Phi Beta Kappa, a honors sorority. Paddock was also an active member in the Young Women's Christian Association, the Evanston Women's Club, and the League of Women Voters. In March of 1913, Paddock received an invitation to join the Helen Club, an exclusive social club for co-eds named Helen. In addition, Paddock remained an active member in the First Congressional Church of Evanston throughout her years attending Northwestern. She graduated in June 1914 from the College of Liberal Arts with a Bachelor of Arts degree. After completing her thesis entitled Observation on the Otherworld of the Arthurian Romances, as a Land Beyond or Beneath the Water, Paddock received her Master of Arts degree from Northwestern University in June 1915.

Paddock married Lt. Col. Stephen Riggs Truesdell in 1916. She was actively involved in adoption work throughout her life. She supported the Evanston Cradle Society, a society formed in 1923 to help prepare babies for adoption. Her son, William P. and her daughter, Margaret Hall, were two of the first children to be adopted from the Cradle Society. Helen Paddock Truesdell died on March 28, 1965 in Skokie, IL.

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