Obituary: Thomas Helm

He grew up in Hood River, Ore., and graduated from Hood River High School at the young age of 17. Tom attended Portland University for 2 1/2 years, majoring in psychology.

Upon leaving college, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he spent his entire career at the Camp Hanford Nike Missile Base and worked as a radar operator.

While on leave, he traveled back to Hood River, where he met his future wife, Ann Noble-Fahey. They were married one year later on June 15, 1957. The couple had been married for 64 years at the time of Tom’s passing.

Tom and Ann moved to Seattle, Wash., in 1958, where he started working for the Boeing Co. His Boeing employment also allowed him to work for 2 years in New Orleans, La., on the Saturn program, which was responsible for building the rocket boosters for the Apollo space program.

After 30 years, Tom retired from Boeing at age 55 in 1990.

Upon retirement, Tom and Ann started an antique business, specializing in sterling silver. They traveled to many antique shows to sell and gain new items in preparation for the next opportunity to sell their wares ... Tom loved this life ... selling and haggling for the best price! He would have kept going, but Ann was ready to stop, so he retired from this business after 17 years.

He also loved cleaning silver, restoring bamboo fly rods and gardening. He even enjoyed working table puzzles with Ann.

Tom is survived by his wife Ann of Auburn, Wash.; son Tom (Lynne), of Auburn; daughter Anne-Marie Elkins (Bob) of Ellensburg, Wash.; sister Elizabeth Cook of Tacoma, Wash.; grandchildren Jeromy, Jennifer, Kelly, and Mackenzie; and two great-grandsons, Corbin and Asher along with several cousins, nieces and nephews.

Tom fought a valiant fight with this dreaded disease for many years. He is now resting peacefully and will be tremendously missed by family and all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the charity of your choice.

Internment was held at Idlewilde Cemetery, Hood River, on Dec. 3.