Helen Meade graduated from Central High School and Grand Rapids Junior College. She was the secretary for the Mayor of Grand Rapids. She was a widow with two children. She had a daughter Maureen, and a younger son Terry.

Meade kept a record of the mayor's activities of importance and travels. She did this by collecting news articles, postcards, and correspondence and photographs. She was the secretary for twenty-four years (1945-1969) and in that time worked for seven mayors and twelve city managers. She has stated that she enjoyed working for each of these officials.

Helen Meade worked for the controversial mayor George Welsh who resigned from office. Mayor George Welsh was president of the U.S. Conference of mayors. His resignation apparently had to do with political posters put up in the hall in favor of a Housing Commission being formed. City Councilmen Stanley Davis made an issue of this by throwing away these posters. In fact, apparently some spare posters were removed from Helen Meade's desk.

Helen Meade was present when Grand Rapids hosted the President of the United Nations, Qafrulla Khan of Pakistan. She presented the key to the city to Vice-president Lyndon Johnson's office as the Vice-President's planned visit to Grand Rapids to receive the key was canceled due to the Bay of Pigs invasion.