HR1563 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1563 LRB096 24623 GRL 44467 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of William L. Helvie, who passed away on December 15, 2010; and

WHEREAS, William Helvie was born on May 1, 1927, in Alton; his parents were Harold R. and Edith F. (Anderson) Helvie; and

WHEREAS, William Helvie was raised in Wood River and attended local grade schools and East Alton-Wood River High School, where he graduated in 1945; during high school, he attended carpentry class for 3 years, learning how to build homes; he was on the track team in his senior year, running the mile and half-mile in every track meet; he obtained several 1st and 2nd place awards during the season and holds the honor of 2nd place in the Southwest Conference Mile and 4th place in the District Mile in 1945; and

WHEREAS, While attending high school, William Helvie was employed as a paperboy; he later became the manager of Wood River News Agency; he also worked during the summers for the Economy Boat Store and holidays for the Wood River Flower Shop and, later, for Smit's Florist; and

WHEREAS, After graduating from high school, William Helvie was drafted into the United States Army; after attending Ft. Benjamin Harrison Army Finance School in Indiana, he was shipped to Ft. Sheridan to work in the 5th Army Separation Center; later, he worked in the Separation Center at Camp Grant, Illinois and Camp McCoy, Wisconsin; after attending basic training at Ft. Lee, Virginia, he returned to Ft. Sheridan to work in Post Finance; during 1943 and 1944, he constructed model airplanes for the Army, Air Force, and Navy to identify German and Japanese aircraft; he was discharged in 1947 at the rank of Sergeant; and

WHEREAS, In 1947, William Helvie enrolled at Ranken Technical College in a class for pattern making; after graduating in 1949, he went to work at Duncan Foundry in Alton in the pattern shop; and

WHEREAS, In 1959, William Helvie went to work for Paul Worcester at Woodland Hill Cemetery as the cemetery's first sexton; 2 years later, Mr. Worcester sold the cemetery to Mr. Helvie, who became the first owner to live at the cemetery and maintain it; he spent 40 years improving the cemetery, adding the Garden features and the Veteran's Memorial with the help of Wood River VFW Post 2859; he added the "Avenue of Flags", where casket flags donated by veterans' families were put on poles and placed along the cemetery road; he and many of his family and friends placed the flags, donating their time to honor the veterans, and placed a small flag on each veteran's grave; he also held a public service every Memorial Day at the cemetery; and

WHEREAS, In 1952, William Helvie joined the Rosewood Heights Volunteer Fire Department to help protect his community; he served as captain of a fire crew for a period of time; he was later elected to serve as treasurer of the fire department and, after 7 years, was appointed Trustee of the Fire District due to the death of trustee George Hudson; he served as treasurer of the Fire District for 26 years before he retired in 1992, after 40 years in fire service; during his tenure with the fire department, he served on many committees; he was a member of the Illinois Fire Fighters Association, the Madison County Fireman's Association, and the Madison County Fire Fighters; he also bowled with the fire department bowling league for several years; and

WHEREAS, On June 19, 1982, William Helvie was honored with a plaque in Chicago from the Illinois Veterans of Foreign Wars organization for his outstanding efforts in promoting patriotism in his community with the flag placement display on Memorial Day and Veterans Day; he was one of only 10 people in the United States that year to receive the honor; and

WHEREAS, William Helvie served as Cub Scout committee man for Pack #60 and scout troop #60; he later became the Explorer Post 60 advisor; he was in scouting for 15 years and was a past member of the Order of the Arrow; he helped to form the Piasa Bird Trail, a 14-mile Scout Trail on the river bluffs above the River Road that was walked by over 25,000 Scouts in 10 years; he was also a past member of the Illinois Cemetery Association and the American Cemetery Association, a lifetime member of the Wood River American Legion, Post #204, and later the East Alton Post #794, and a member of the Alton Eagles, Aerie #254, the Wood River Moose Lodge #1349, the National Sheriffs Association, and the Ranken Alumni Association; and

WHEREAS, William Helvie was a member of the 1st United Methodist Church in Wood River for over 80 years; he served on many church committees and worked on many woodworking projects for the church; he also bowled on the Men's Church League for several years; and

WHEREAS, William Helvie was preceded in death by his son, Ned Helvie, and his parents; and

WHEREAS, William Helvie is survived by his ex-wife, Reka; his son, Kip Helvie; his daughter and son-in-law, Marsha and Randy Klug; his grandson, Craig Smith; his granddaughter and her husband, Jessi and Bill Williams; his great-granddaughter, Adelyn; his close companion, Bernice O. Cox; and the families of Jimmie and Donna Powell, Teresa and Gene Bartlet, Denis and Mark Northy, and Phyllis Day; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of William L. Helvie; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of William Helvie as an expression of our sympathy.