Helen Amestoy was born in Los Angeles on August 26, 1920, and was the daughter of Orra Eugene Monnette, the founder and first president of the Bank of America, Los Angeles, and Helen Marie Kull, a native of Pittsburgh. As a child, she was adored by her grandparents, and enjoyed world travel with her parents. Following the Lindburgh kidnapping, threats were made against the family promised that young Helen could be next, leading her father had to build a high wall to surround the family's backyard. A graduate of the Westlake School for Girls, she was also a member of the Bryn Mawr College class of 1941. Earning her pilot's license, her first and only solo flight piloted by her was interrupted by the announcement of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She spent the war years as a nurse's aide at Children's Hospital. She was a member of the first graduating class of the UCLA School of Library Science and her professional career spanned 25 years, most of which were spent as Senior Librarian, In-Charge at the Angelo M. Iacaboni Library in Lakewood, California. During his lifetime, her father, Orra Monnette served as the Board Chair for the Los Angeles Public Library, and in a way, Helen's career was an extension of her father's service and commitment to the Los Angeles community, yet unique to her talents and education. Mrs. Amestoy enjoyed a distinguished career in her chosen field, which included serving as president of the California Library Association. She was fixture in the community, and was known to always be available to patrons and staff alike. Along with her mother, in 1960, she helped to donate her father's substantial personal library of genealogical books to the Central Library in downtown Los Angeles. In 2004 she was honored as a Living Legend of Lakewood. A patron of the arts and, a lifelong supporter of animal welfare and conservation efforts, she was an active member of First Century Families, the Society of Mayflower Descendants, and National Charity League, among others. Following her death, Mrs. Amestoy's collection of cat books – the largest private collection known – was donated to the Arne Nixon Center in Fresno, California. The initial collection of over 6,000 unique titles, many of which are children's books, has grown through additional donations for other patrons. It is recognized as North America's premiere collection on the topic. Mrs. Amestoy was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Michel Francois Amestoy, and was survived by three daughters and a son in law; two grandchildren; and her beloved cats, Linnea and Cocina.