Black Springs

Helen Townsell, the daughter of Jeff and Carrie Townsell, and Granddaughter of Ollie and Helen Westbrook, has six brothers, is the mother of four, grandmother of seven and great grandmother to one. She is married to Jim Parker, step-mother to seven, step-grandmother to seven and step-great grandmother to one.

Helen was born in California and migrated with her family to Reno, Nevada in 1956. She was raised in Black Springs, located in the North Valleys. She attended The Holy Child Day Home, located on Reno Street. She attended St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, first through eighth grade, 9th grade at Clayton Jr. High and graduated from Procter Hug High School in 1973. In 1991 she received an Associate’s Degree in Sociology.

In March of 2008, Helen founded The Westbrook Foundation in memory of her grandparents. Its purpose was “Youth Empowerment through Educational Scholarships” and gave academic scholarships to local graduating seniors furthering their education.

Helen wrote and published a book in 2010; “A Cry for Help” chronicling the building of a black community, Black Springs, Nevada, in the early fifties through the year 2000.