Clarence Lester “Ace” Helmick, 86, a resident of the Mt. Zion community, St. George, departed this life early Tuesday morning, Dec. 17, 2002, at the home of his daughter, Dorothy Cooper. He had been in declining health and death was attributed to respiratory failure.
He was born Sept. 9, 1916, at Mt. Zion, a son of the late Ines “Bud” Helmick and Ruhama Fowley Helmick.
He was twice married, first to Helen Rosier, who preceded him in death on Aug. 16, 1972. Then on July 2, 1976, at Oakland, Md., he was married to Nora “Emily” Waybright, who preceded him in death on March 18, 2000.
Surviving are five sons, Roy Helmick and wife, Mary, Florida, Junior Helmick and wife, Charlotte, Jerry Helmick and wife, Becky, and Mike Helmick and wife, Linda, all of Mt. Zion, and Denzil Helmick and wife, Nancy, Elkins; four daughters, Patty Rhoades, Pennsylvania, Midge Poling and husband, Guy, Maryland, Geneva Dumire and husband, Walter, Delaware, and Dorothy Cooper and husband, Orval, Mt. Zion; four stepdaughters, Carolyn Hall and husband, Charles, Clarksburg, Beverly Sue Thomsen and husband, Skip, Pennsylvania, Louise Frymyer and husband, Otis, and Linda Knotts and husband, Virgil, all of Mt. Zion; 22 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
He was the last surviving member of his immediate family, having been preceded in death by two sons, Leonard Helmick and David Allen Helmick; four brothers, Bill, Joe, Byrd and Samuel Helmick; four sisters, Amanda Sherman, Goldie McDonald, Rose DeMoss and Mary Meyers; one grandson, Scott Lynn Helmick; one granddaughter, Priscilla Marie Helmick; and one great-grandson, Steven Todd Helmick.
He attended the one-room school at Mt. Zion. He worked during the war at the shipyards in Baltimore, Md., was a woodsman and a longtime employee of the West Virginia Department of Highways. He was a member of the Mt. Zion Church and attended the Sycamore Grove Church at Bull Run.
The family will receive friends at Barb & Greenlief Funeral Home Thursday from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Final rites will be conducted from the funeral home parlor Friday at 11 a.m. Pastor Pat Cassidy will officiate and interment will follow at Mt. Zion Cemetery at St. George. The Barb & Greenlief Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements for Clarence Lester “Ace” Helmick.
