Walter S. Helfer

August 16, 1931 - January 14, 2020

New Rochelle, NY - Walter Sutcliffe Helfer of New Rochelle, NY and Hampton, NH, died on January 13th, 2020 in Durham, NH. He was born to the late Dorothy (Sutcliffe) Helfer and Walter Helfer on August 16th, 1931. He is survived by his brother Michael Helfer, of Norwalk, CT; his beloved wife Lorraine (Voepel) Helfer; his son Walter Voepel Helfer, of New Rochelle; his daughter Margaret Herlehy, of Hampton; his daughter Liann Kimball, and son-in-law William Kimball, of Southbury, CT; and his five cherished granddaughters. He was a veteran of the Korean War, received his Master's degree from Hunter College in New York City, and taught sixth-grade science and math at George M. Davis Elementary School in New Rochelle. His passions included, but were not limited to: competition fast-pitch softball, speed-skating, surfing, Dixieland jazz, music for pipe organs, and classical music. He played bassoon in Westchester (NY) Symphonies, and bassoon, saxophone, and clarinet in Mount Vernon's (NY) series of Broadway musicals for charity. He was a member of St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Rochelle. A service commemorating his life will be held at an undetermined date. His ashes will be spread on the Atlantic Ocean in a traditional Surfer's Memorial in the spring. One of his most popular activities was the afternoon skating program of Davis School held at Rye Playland of NY. Hundreds of students who passed through this program made their memories of "Mr. Helfer" known to us throughout our lives.