Helen Hampton's life of melody and music

DOWNEY — Regular Patriot contributor Helen Hampton celebrated a birthday this week.

Hampton should be familiar to readers of both the Downey and Norwalk Patriots, as she is one of the more consistent names to be featured within the publications’ “Short Stories” column.

The writer turned 96 on Sept. 24.

“I can’t believe it,” said Hampton. “I never thought I’d live this long.”

She credits her longevity to “clean living.”

“No drinking, no smoking,” said Hampton.

Born in Maine, Hampton’s is a life of melody and music.

“It was my life; I studied at the Boston Conservatory of Music,” said Hampton.

Music is a bit of a family affair; her father and brother were both professional singers.

It wasn’t until around age 11 that she would find her voice.

Or rather, a nun found it.

“At first I didn’t know I could sing because I was so enthralled by my brother’s little soprano voice that I didn’t pay attention,” said Hampton. “I boarded in a Catholic convent with the nuns for three years. One day, I was playing the piano, practicing… I came to a little song. I thought, ‘Oh, I think I’m going to sing that; I don’t think anybody can hear me, the door is closed.’”

“The door flew open and the nun flew in with her veil flying in the wind. She came up to me and said, ‘I didn’t know you could sing.’ I said I didn’t either.”

Her father died when she was only 5 years old, however her mother would eventually remarry.

At the age of 17 and during the time of WWII, she and her family moved to Boston. Her audience shifted from that of nuns, to young men in uniform.

“I lived in Boston for five years, and I belonged to the USO,” said Hampton. “I was a professional singer.”

It was also during this time that she would meet her husband, Ralph Pope.

“He was a little sailor; he was in the Navy,” said Hampton. “We got married in 1946. We met at the USO.”

After the war, the couple moved to Florida, where they would buy a music store.

“We called it the ‘Melody Shop,’” said Hampton. “The man said there were two others, so he said we’d have to call it ‘Helen Pope’s Melody Shop.’”

Helen also continued to sing at banquets and over the radio. However, after only five years, her husband would find his work transferred to California.

“I said, “What are we going to do with the store?” and he said, ‘Get rid of it,’” said Hampton. “So I did, crying. I worked hard on that little store.”

Hampton and her husband landed in Long Beach in 1951, where she continued to sing in restaurants during dinner service.

In 1958, Hampton and her husband found themselves expecting an 8-pound boy, whom they decided to name Daniel Steven after Hampton’s father and step-father.

Instead, she ended up with two 4-pound twin girls. Thus, Daniel Steven became Joy and Jan.

“They didn’t do the things they do now to know what’s coming,” said Hampton. “The nurse came in, and I was still kind of groggy. She said, ‘I hear you had twins.’ I looked over at the next bed figuring she was talking to the lady in the next bed, and I looked over and the bed was empty and all made up. I turned back to her and I said, ‘What?.’” She said, ‘You had twins!,’ and I said, ‘Twin what?”

“I had forgotten.”

Hampton would remain in Long Beach for 42 years, before she would eventually retire in 1993 and settle in Downey.

Unfortunately, Hampton’s age would eventually catch up with her vocal cords.

“The last solo was in 1985, and that was in Norwalk,” said Hampton. “At the senior center, they had a Fourth of July celebration, and I sang ‘This is my Country.’

That was the last solo; can’t hit the high notes anymore.”

Hampton’s birthday celebrations will be forced to remain a little more maintained this year due to the virus.

Still, Hampton describes her life as “just plain happiness,” and she hopes that she stays in good health.

“I just count my blessings every day, thank the Lord for my health,” said Hampton. “As long as I have my faculties.”