Lost my My Lister Mentor and Diesel Resource; George Helmuth

[rleonard]

Mr George Helmuth, Owner of Helmuth and Son Engine Shop, Arthur, IL. passed away Sunday July 5 2009 at the early age of 63.  His death was sudden and very unexpected.  His knowledge of Lister CS and the entire line, Petter, Deitz, antique machinery, his friendship and service to the community will be deeply missed.  Services were held today, July 8, 2009 at his residence.

I saw my first CS, a 3 hp, running at his shop pulling a generator for the lights.  From that point on, the interest in the Listers and the seeds of a friendship were sewn.  Over the next several years we went to shows, spent countless hours together and he taught me a few things bout the Listers.  Saturday lunch at the R&I in downtown Arthur was a fairly regular event.  He had forgotten more than I'll ever know about the engines.

I bought my engines from him and although he hated to part with them I think that he was glad to see them find new life and a caring owner.  We went thru the rebuild process and he was mindfull that I was doing things right.

I referred many forum members to him for parts.  He helped many members here.

George, I'll miss you.

Robert Leonard

[MoeK]

Sorry to hear that. I did not know him well but did speak with him once over the phone. I enjoyed my discussion with him and he clearly knew a lot about the Lister. He has a great deal of knowledge about the British Lister and also knew of the history.

[wrightkiller]

 

[rcavictim]

Sorry for your/our loss.

In the Amateur or Ham radio community a deceased liscensed radio operator is referred to as a 'silent key'.  Perhaps something similarly reverent could be applied to active stationary engine enthusiasts when they pass on.  Might I humbly submit the term 'still flywheel', or 'flywheel at rest'.

[Dail R H]

   Sorry to hear of his passing. If it counts,I vote for "Still Flywheel"

[sid]

Dail/ hope you made it home from Denton o.k/ had a good time running the diesel/it was too hot to stay too long/if we had the time I would have intoduced you to my mentor there/ he is 87 and a pain in th a** a lot of the times but the amount of knowledge is beyond belief/we have been to dozens of shows the last 20 years and there will be a big void when his flywheel stops/ I hate to see all  that knowledge stop/ we will take a 3 day trip and he will start a story when we leave and not finish until we arrive home/he will have branched off on side stories many times but will always return to the original story/he started working for Ford in 1949 after 4 years in the military and graduating from clemson//he is one of the few people to work a steam locomotive in 1940/not many like that left/ there will be big void when he leaves us/sid