HELEN was one of the best mezzo sopranos with whom I sang over many years. We go back a long way to the late 60s & 70s.
Helen was a great colleague on the platform. She was always totally prepared & with her rich, beautiful mezzo quality, added SO much to the many quartets, in which we sang, all round Scotland. Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh and Glasgow were frequent venues, especially the BBC in Queen Margaret Drive in Glasgow. Helen was always honest, had great integrity and a great sense of humour. I can hear her  musical, rich, mezzo laugh in my ears now!! On one occasion, I experienced a technical crisis & once I had sorted it, I asked for her opinion, because I knew that I could trust her in every way. Her comment was :- "It is the same voice, just bigger" This meant so much coming from her. We sang many a "Messiah" together and at that time (70s), the quartet was usually Helen, Clifford Hughes, Ronald Morrison & myself.
When singing in Edinburgh, Helen and John often invited me to stay and it was in their house that I first tasted Earl Grey Tea, when John would brew a perfect cup.
This friendship lasted and we would often visit each other in different places and we were always amazed at the incredible interest & knowledge which Helen & John possessed of Bird Life, in the country.
A great loss to the world of singing, honesty, integrity & sheer common sense.