Helen McIntire

Helen McIntire
Basic Information
Full Name	Helen Culver McIntire
Series Data
Series Location	Jefferson, IL
Family Relationships
Father	Grandpa Culver
Mother	Grammy Culver
Sibling(s)	Eleanor Culver (younger sister)
Husband	James McIntire
Son(s)	Ricky McIntire Brad McIntire
Daughter(s)	Jill McIntire Molly McIntire

Helen McIntire is the mother of Molly McIntire; she calls her "Mom."

Personality and Facts

Helen works at the Red Cross as a nurse. She is considered very shy and doesn't speak in front of others easily. She's quite timid. She's a very kind and nice woman. Sometimes she's too easygoing when it comes to punishing her children.

In the Books

Meet Molly: An American Girl

Helen comes home from her job at the Red Cross to see Molly still at the table with a pile of mashed turnips on Molly's plate. She warms up the turnips and adds some sugar from their ration and cinnamon so it'll taste a bit better. She shares a story to Molly that she hated sardines, so she would put them in napkins and hide them in her pocket, leading to some trouble with her cats. She tells Molly that although the war has changed things, some things are still the same. She helps Molly and her friends make Hawaiian outfits and says that she'll take a picture of the girls when they come back. She later punishes Ricky by having him give his candy to the girls. She gives out more punishments when Molly gets her own revenge against Ricky, saying that anger and revenge is what starts wars.

Molly Learns a Lesson: A School Story

Helen gives Molly some leftover bottle tops they have for Molly's personal project. She also tells Molly that she'll have to use Ricky's old boots since the companies aren't making any more rubber shoes.

Molly's Surprise: A Christmas Story

Helen tells Molly that since Dad isn't here, it's up to themselves to fill this Christmas with happy surprises. Her parents are supposed to visit them and bring a tree, but they can't come due to a flat tire. She shows signs of worrying for her husband's safety, like crying quietly during the Christmas Eve mass. Helen is happily surprised when she finds the box of gifts from her husband, her gift being a pair of gloves.

Happy Birthday, Molly!: A Springtime Story

Helen offers to keep Emily at her house until Emily's aunt gets better. She understands Emily's situation, and assures Molly that Emily will open up with time. She asks Molly what kind of birthday would she like to have. At the end, she comes into the girls' room, and helps bring in their new puppies.

Molly and the Movie Star

Helen is aware that Melody Moore is a famous actress, and she's proud of Molly for knowing the most about war bonds in her class. She asks Molly how much money she was supposed to bring in for the war bond money, and suggests Molly could give up her movie money for the next two weeks to earn the remainder. When Mrs. Gilford suggests Molly could earn the remaining money by doing chores, she agrees with the plan and tells Molly she'll give her the money Friday if Mrs. Gilford says she's done the chores to her satisfaction.

That Friday, Mom asks Mrs. Gilford how Molly did with the chores. When Mrs. Gilford states that Molly didn't sort the laundry, she asks Molly if she would sort the laundry after school. Molly's promise is enough for her, and she hands Molly the remaining money. Later that evening, Mrs. Gilford explains that Helen wouldn't be home until late, and she would drop off the clothes that needed mending at her house while on her way to the rally.

Helen arrives home after Molly has gone to bed, and she accidentally takes the sock with the war bond money in it, thinking that it needed to go with the mending to Mrs. Gilford's house.

In the Film

She is played by Molly Ringwald.