Helen Palmer was a talented writer, editor, and philanthropist who was married to the famous children’s author Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, for 40 years. She was also the founder and vice president of Beginner Books, a division of Random House that published many of Dr. Seuss’s books. She collaborated with her husband on several projects, including the Oscar-winning documentary Design for Death and the bestselling book The Cat in the Hat. She also wrote her own books for children, such as A Fish Out of Water and Do You Know What I’m Going to Do Next Saturday?
However, behind her successful career and happy marriage, Helen Palmer was suffering from a series of illnesses that affected her physical and mental health. She had polio as a child, which left her with a limp. She also had cancer, which required surgery and radiation therapy. She developed partial blindness and deafness, as well as chronic pain and insomnia. She became addicted to barbiturates, a type of sedative, to cope with her condition. She also struggled with infertility and depression, feeling lonely and isolated from her husband, who was often away on business trips or working on his books.
On October 23, 1967, Helen Palmer took her own life by overdosing on barbiturates. She left a heartbreaking suicide note for her husband, expressing her love and despair. She wrote:
Dear Ted, What has happened to us? I don’t know. I feel myself in a spiral, going down down down, into a black hole from which there is no escape, no brightness. And loud in my ears from every side I hear, ‘failure, failure, failure…’ I love you so much … I am too old and enmeshed in everything you do and are, that I cannot conceive of life without you …
Her death was a devastating blow for Dr. Seuss, who blamed himself for not being able to save her. He later said:
She didn’t die of cancer or a brain tumor. She died of being married to me.
He also admitted that he had been unfaithful to her, having an affair with a younger woman named Audrey Stone Dimond, who was also married at the time. He married Audrey a year after Helen’s death, and she became his second wife and the executor of his estate.
Helen Palmer’s death was a tragic end to a remarkable life. She was a pioneer in children’s literature, a supportive partner to one of the most beloved authors of all time, and a generous benefactor to many causes. She deserves to be remembered for her achievements and contributions, as well as for her struggles and sorrows. She was a human being who had a profound impact on the world, and who left behind a legacy of joy and wonder for generations of readers.
