Harold Theodore Helming

HAROLD THEODORE HELMING

March 27, 1945 – May 2, 2025

Harold T. Helming passed away surrounded by family on May 2, 2025, after a difficult illness. He was born on March 27, 1945, to Theodore and Helen (Handeland) in Minot, ND, and spent his youth in Lansford, ND, and Tucson, AZ. Harold took great pride in playing on the Lansford High School baseball team and cherished their many trips to the state baseball tournaments. He also enjoyed being a member of the Lansford Cubs basketball team. Harold graduated from Lansford High School in 1963. Throughout his life, he worked for the railroad, sold insurance, and ultimately served as an off-the-road tire salesman for Goodyear Tire & Rubber for 35 years.

Harold’s career afforded him a life full of adventure in numerous remote locations. It began in southern Arizona at the Anaconda Twin Buttes Mine, where he serviced the largest group of Caterpillar equipment in the world at that time. Over the years, he contributed to many significant projects across the United States, including the construction of the Alaska Oil Pipeline in 1975, the Central Arizona Canal Project in 1977, the Navajo Power Generating Station in Page, AZ, in 1978, and several large mines throughout the West, including the Battle Mountain Gold Mine in NV from 1981 to 1987.

Eventually, he became the nationwide trainer in over-the-road service for Goodyear dealer servicemen, conducting seminars and hands-on training across the country, including two years spent in Maui, Hawaii. This was followed by his role as the service manager for the tire and safety program at the An Tai Bao Surface Coal Mine in Ping Shou, Shanxi Province, China. Throughout the 1990s, he was assigned to Granite Construction for their Alan Henry Dam project in Texas and for servicing their California projects. He concluded his career stationed in Las Vegas, NV, where he serviced mines throughout southern NV.

After retiring from Goodyear in April 2005, Harold settled permanently in Tucson, close to his family. Not one to shy away from new opportunities, his retirement included work as a Mining Consultant at the San Cristobal Mine in Bolivia and travel to Chita and throughout Siberia, Russia. Thankfully, Harold didn’t just work tirelessly; he always found ways to engage in local cultural experiences and discover a golf course or fishing hole. He spent his summers traveling in his American Eagle motorcoach and visiting the Mohall, ND area, enjoying more time with family and reconnecting with high school friends.

Harold is survived by his daughters, Lisa Riley and Amy (Jesus) Bojorquez; grandchildren Kimberlye, Courtlin, Cameron, Chrisanna, Joey, Brett, Madyson, and Hannah; great-grandchildren Alexia, Brian, Magnolia, Jude, Rhett, Lilyana, Landon, Elijah, Brielle, Rowyn, and Penelope; brothers Rick (Michele) Helming and Steve Helming; sister Lana (Joe) Korff; six nieces and two nephews; and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.

Harold’s North Dakota family, Jessica (Joe) Barbot their children Brandon, Ava and Gavyn; Kalli (Nick) Avlas their children Rowan and Noble; and Jarrid Helming. Their summers will never be the same without Uncle/Great Uncle Harold.