[ Helen Brockman passes by Anderson Hall as she takes her early

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Sep 22, 2002 by Linda Laird Capital-Journal

Helen Brockman worked at Bell Laboratories on development of equipment in the war effort.

"I received a citation from the Navy for technical work," she said.

She also got a letter from her husband asking for a divorce because he had fallen in love with his secretary.

"He sent this seven-page letter about how he had fallen for Betsy," she said.

Brockman said one sentence in the letter made her realize the divorce was probably a good idea.

"He said whenever we had company I always had the answer before he did," she said. "I sat and thought about that and decided he was right."

A New York divorce cost her $1,000 in 1945. By that time, Dale was an engineer in Berlin, where he was working for the U.S. State Department.

Some time later, she met her ex-husband and his wife at Stoffer's Restaurant in New York City.

"He was dressed in a camel hair coat that looked like a bathrobe, and his hair was completely white," she said, her expression shifting back to serious. "I knew it was over then, but it was good to have closure."

She said she can remember little about her marriage, though she knows there were nice things about it.

"I've always had a great taste for men," she said. "In fact, I like men better than women."

When asked if she had a boyfriend, she looked up quickly and quipped, "I've several."

She explained that several "fellas come by and talk" with her over a margarita.

"I usually keep two pitchers in the refrigerator, but I'm a bit low right now," she said, explaining she also can manage a kitchen pretty well and has written two cookbooks about the dishes she prepares at the Brockman House.

Brockman said she doesn't believe in guilt.

She does believe in astrology and has studied it.

"I use the Virgo part of me to make patterns and the Libra for my loose life," she said with a grin.

She believes she was born with a sense of perfect proportion. She knows she is a perfectionist, especially when it comes to design.

"I want it perfect. That's my goal," she said.

She started wearing glasses for close work during her 50s and today wears hearing aids in both ears.

In 1989, a car knocked her down near her home. She later had to have brain surgery. Eye trouble followed, causing problems such as not being able to thread a needle.

"I can't sew on a snap because I can't see the holes."

"I believe life is like a hand of bridge --- you get some face cards and you get some nothing cards," she said.

Back when she turned 80, she told everyone she had at least 20 years of work left to do. Brockman figures it will be November 2003 or 2004 before her latest book is finally published.

There's much more work to do.

"If I'm unable to work," she said, "there's no reason for me to be here."

Linda Laird may be reached

at 295-1296 or by e-mail at llaird@cjonline.com

H

See MEASURE, page 6E

Measure: Just another milestone "I believe life is like a hand of bridge --- you get some face cards and you get some nothing cards."

HELEN BROCKMAN