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(veteran)
Funeral services were Monday, July 9 at Praise Assembly of God Church for Jack Helmsing, 64, of Pueblo, Colorado, and formerly of Kennard who died suddenly June 29, 1990 in Ovid, Colorado of an apparent heart attack. Dr. John Ross of First Presbyterian Church officiated. Private interment was at Roselawn Cemetery.
Jack Helmsing was born August 10, 1925 in Blair to Harry and Geneva Helmsing of Kennard. He graduated from the University of Nebraska in1950. While at Nebraska, he lettered in baseball as a pitcher and later signed a contract with the Cincinnati Reds. When the Reds sent him to their Hayward, California farm club he left baseball.
Following graduation, he took a job as football and basketball coach in Ovid. In 1956, he guided Ovid’s football team to the Class C championship and the baseball team to the state quarterfinals. His 1955 basketball team won the state consolation championship.
Helmsing moved to Pueblo County in 1957 as basketball and baseball coach. He guided the Hornet basketball teams to the state playoffs in 1960, 1963, and 1967. His 1967 squad went through the Southern Colorado League season undefeated.
Known to his friends as “Coach Jack” he went on to be named athletic director at Pueblo County High School and was eventually District 70’s director of activities. He retired in 1986 after 29 years with that school district.
He was inducted into the Greater Pueblo Sports Association hall of Fame. He served in the Marine Corps during World War II.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Geneva Helmsing.
He is survived by his wife, Detta; three children, Gregg (Merriam) Helmsing, Austin, Colorado; Barbara (Mrs. Bob) Barr and Rex Helmsing, both of Pueblo; six grandchildren; three brothers and their wives, Harry and Gigi Helmsing, Shawnee Mission, Kansas; Leo and Verna Helmsing, Foristell, Missouri and Howard and Billie Cook of Kennard; numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials and expressions of sympathy may be sent to the Jack Helmsing Athletic Memorial Fund through the family
Find A Grave Memorial# 142403395
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