Helen Bentley, journo and one-time ‘Romper Room’ host was 83

The Berkeley native known as “Miss Helen” to viewers of the 1950s “Romper Room” TV show emanating from Los Angeles and who later became one of the first women in Bay Area television news at KPIX-TV and other TV and radio outlets, has died. She was 83, and died of Wegener’s disease, a rare illness of the autoimmune system, on Aug. 4 in Mill Valley. Obituary: Chronicle