Louis Gaston Helmick Jr., 92, of Fairmont, W.Va., died peacefully on Dec. 14, 2012. He was born July 14, 1920, son of the late Louis G. and Harriet (Smith) Helmick. He attended public school in Fairmont and later, Mercersburg Academy Prep School in Mercersburg. He graduated from Cornell University in 1943 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He then entered the U.S. Army and served as a captain during World War II. In 1947 Mr. Helmick joined Joy Manufacturing Co. of Pittsburgh, where he retired in 1979 as its president and chief operating officer. He held successive assignments at the Franklin and Claremont, N.H., plants. In 1954 he moved to the headquarters office in Pittsburgh as vice president of manufacturing and was successively elected senior vice president, executive vice president, president and chairman. He was elected to the board of directors of Joy Manufacturing in 1958. After his retirement from Joy Manufacturing in 1979, he served as president and chairman of Helmick Corp. in Fairmont from 1980-1987. He was a member of the American Mining Congress, AIME, National Coal Association, the Coal Mining Institute of America, Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute and served on the board of directors of Bituminous Coal Research Inc. Survivors include his wife Betty Pekar Helmick of Charleston, W.Va., one daughter, Susan T. Helmick of Santa Monica, Calif., two sons, Louis G. Helmick III and daughter-in-law Patricia of Fairmont and David G. Helmick of Fairmont; two grandchildren Garner Helmick and Jennifer Helmick McGlincy, two nephews and one niece. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Susan Helmick and Harriet Wenger. Memorial contributions may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 6931 Arlington Road, 2nd Floor, Bethesda, MD, 20814 (800) FIGHT CF (344-4823) The family will receive friends at the Ford Funeral Home, R.C. Jones Chapel, 1410 Country Club Road, Fairmont, WV 26554 Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012 from Noon to 2 p.m. The committal service will follow the visitation in the Woodlawn Cemetery, Fairmont. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.FORDFUNERALHOMES.com.
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