Obituary for William E. “Bill” Helms, Jr Mr. William Ernest “Bill” Helms, Jr., 92, of Glenn Springs, SC, passed away on Sunday, December 9, 2018, at Mary Black Memorial Hospital. Born December 7, 1926, in Molino, FL, he was the son of the late William Ernest Helms Sr. and Anna Myrtya Matthews Helms.
Mr. Helms graduated from Molino High School in 1944 and enlisted in the U. S. Army. After entering the Army Specialized Program at Clemson Agricultural and Military College, he served in the U. S. Army Air Corps 9th Division as a B-25 bomber radio operator and as part of the Allied Occupation Forces in Germany from 1944-1947. He returned to Clemson after his discharge and graduated in 1951 with honors receiving a BS Degree in Architectural Engineering.
Mr. Helms was an architectural designer and construction supervisor with Lockwood Greene Engineers of Spartanburg. He supervised the design and construction of hospitals, schools, municipal buildings, residential buildings and textiles mills across South Carolina and the United States, as well as, Canada and Saudi Arabia for over 30 years. Mr. Helms was a past-Master of St. John’s Masonic Lodge #333 in Spartanburg, a past-captain of the Hejaz Shrine Temple Potentate’s Guard motorcycle unit, a member of the Scottish Rite Temple and Glenn Springs Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Mary Etta Gurley Helms of West Columbia, SC; children, William E. Helms III, Jefferson Alhart Helms Sr. and Ann Louise Helms; his granddaughter, Shannon Marie Helms; grandson, Jefferson Alhart Helms Jr. and wife Keri; great-grandson, Nathan William Helms; brother, Thomas Helms Sr. and wife Margaret of Molino, FL and their children, Marjan Helms, Tommy Helms, and Kathy Helms Starkey. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a son, Bert Gurley Helms, who died in infancy in 1956. Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 PM Thursday, December 13, 2018, at Glenn Springs Presbyterian Church, 6001 Hwy 215, Pauline, SC 29374, by The Rev.
Dr. B. E. Pettit. Burial, with military rites, will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will follow in the Family Life Center.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Glenn Springs Preservation Society, c/o Spartanburg County Foundation, 424 East Kennedy Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302 online at www. spcf.org (Code 0775). Floyd’s North Church Street Chapel To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of William E. “Bill” Helms, Jr. please visit our Sympathy Store.
Upcoming Events Funeral service with Visitation following , DEC 13. 1:00 PM Glenn Springs Presbyterian Church 6001 Hwy 215 Pauline, SC, US, 29374 Order Flowers for the Funeral service with Visitation following Guaranteed delivery before William’s Funeral service with Visitation following begins.
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