Posted: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 12:00 am
Dec. 6, 1919 - Nov. 14, 2008
Tom Helfrich, longtime Eugene resident and member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, died Friday, Nov. 14, in Corvallis.
Tom was born Dec. 6, 1919, near Glen Ullin, N.D. His father was John Helfrich and his mother was Katherine Meuchel Helfrich.
Tom married Agnes Hermes on Oct. 25, 1943. They had seven children, all of whom were raised and went to school in Eugene: Maxine (Mrs. Robert) Durbin, Eugene; Patricia (Mrs. Lawrence) O'Brien, Eugene; Constance (Mrs. Terrence) Hackenbruck, Corvallis; Timothy (and Pam) Helfrich, Ontario; Colette (Mrs. Christian) Taylor, Corvallis; Kenneth (and Martha) Helfrich, Sweet Home; and Eugene (and Mary) Helfrich, Portland. Of his family, Tom once said "We hatched and raised a family of seven children, and at this point there are no regrets or ambitions to revise the blueprints."
Tom received his bachelor's degree in pharmacy from North Dakota State University. He worked as a pharmacist for several years in Minnesota and then moved with his young family to Oregon. He worked at Frank Nau pharmacy in downtown Portland for a short time and in 1951 he moved to Eugene and went to work as a pharmaceutical sales representative for Eli Lilly and Company. For 30 years he called on doctors, pharmacists and hospital representatives in Western Oregon. Many of his customers became good and faithful friends.
For Tom Helfrich, family was first and foremost. The book of Proverbs says that grandchildren are "the crown of the aged." That was certainly true for Tom and Agnes and they had 33 such "crowns." Tom shared a powerful and mutual love and respect with each of his grandchildren - and the 38 great-grandchildren who followed.
Tom was a faithful member of St. Mary's Catholic Parish in Eugene for more than 50 years and became a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Corvallis this year. He passed on to his children his strong Christian faith, a great sense of humor, and an example of integrity in action. He was well-loved and will be sorely missed and forever remembered.