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Helen was born and raised in Gary, Indiana, where she graduated from Horace Mann High School and Mercy Hospital School of Nursing. The day after the attack on Pearl Harbor she enlisted in the United States Army. She attended basic training at Oliver General Hospital, Augusta, Georgia and later was assigned to the 199th General Hospital as a first lieutenant. From there, she was stationed in England and Rennes, France during World War II. After VE Day, she was preparing to be transferred to the Philippines when the war in the Pacific ended. Shortly thereafter, she returned to the United States and was honorably discharged in Boston.

Following the war, she and her husband settled in Westfield where they lived for more than 60 years and raised their eight children. Mrs. Livesey, known to everyone as "Murphy" was a member of the Altar and Rosary societies and the Catholic Daughters of America. She was a Girl Scout leader, school librarian and a member of the Columbiettes, the American Legion, and the Chansonettes, a singing group. For 18 years, she was employed as a Registered Nurse at Overlook Medical Center in Summit, N.J. 

She was very proud of her Irish heritage, attended daily mass at Holy Trinity Church and exemplified compassion and kindness. She passed away peacefully in 2013.