RONALD LESLIE HELLIAR

Ronald Leslie Helliar passed away peacefully in his sleep, at Rainycrest Long-Term Care in Fort Frances, Ont., on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013 at the age of 95.
He was predeceased by the love of his life and wife of 50 years, Betty.
Left to mourn his passing are his children and their spouses, Robert (Judy) of Kingston, Ont., Stephen (Elaine) of Saskatoon, Sask., Elizabeth (Paul) of Dorchester, Ont., and John (Beth) of Winnipeg, Man.
He also will be missed by his eight grandchildren, Davinia, Natasha, Michael, Bryan, Amanda, Nicole, Kevin, and Julie; and two great-grandchildren, Alexa and Parker.
Dad was born in the county of Dorset in England on Sept. 25, 1917, the youngest of 10 children.
He was on the short-list for a scholarship to Cambridge, where he hoped to study engineering, but instead joined the Royal Air Force as an apprentice aircraft fitter (mechanic). He received his training at the RAF technical college in Halton, England, finishing in time to become a regular airman before the Second World War started in 1939.
One of the highlights of his service was working days on end without sleep to keep the planes in the air during the Battle of Britain in 1940.
His love of Canada started when he was posted to Goderich, Ont. in 1942 for 18 months as part of the Commonwealth Air Training program, and his love for the Rainy River District began when he visited his brother, Charles, at his tourist resort in Nestor Falls, Ont. during his posting.
He married in 1947 while still in the RAF and following his discharge in 1948, he and Betty decided to immigrate to Canada. Initially, he worked for his brother until he was able to gain qualification as an automobile mechanic.
He purchased a small store in Crozier, Ont. and operated it for several years while working as a mechanic at several garages in Fort Frances.
Later, he had the store moved to Fort Frances, where he converted it to one of the first houses on Riverview Drive.
Dad joined Pitts Construction as a heavy equipment mechanic while the company completed contracts to construct sections of Highway 11 near Atikokan and Highway 17 near Montreal River in the early 1950s. His final job was with the Ontario Department of Highways, where he worked for 25 years before retiring in 1980.
Dad worked as shop foreman in the Highways garage in Emo until it was closed. Then he was outfitted with a well-equipped truck so he could carry out repairs to vehicles located at the numerous patrol yards scattered throughout Rainy River District.
He really enjoyed his job with “the Highways” and always spoke highly of the hard work his fellow employees did to keep the district roads in good shape. Many of these fellow workers became lifelong friends.
Dad had a burning desire for knowledge, which he imparted to his family. He was an avid reader who visited the library regularly.
After his retirement, he turned his attention to achieving a lifelong ambition to continue his education. He started taking courses at Rainy River Community College in International Falls, Mn. and really enjoyed being the “old guy” among all the young students. He marvelled at the quality of the professors and what characters they all were.
He went on to take correspondence courses from the University of Waterloo, and successfully completed his BA in history at the age of 75.
Dad grew up on a farm and loved to grow things. He had a large backyard garden in which he raised a wide variety of plants; many started early from seed in his homemade greenhouse.
He was well-known for sharing his bounty, as neighbours often found bags of produce on their back doorsteps.
Dad was passionate about many subjects, especially politics, and was never shy about expressing his opinions, as exhibited by his frequent letters to the editor. He loved to share stories of his war experiences and early days in the Rainy River District.
He always enthusiastically attacked any project he undertook and participated fully in anything he joined. Scouts Canada, the Kenora-Rainy River NDP (lifetime member award), and the Parks Board were among the organizations that benefited from his participation.
His 50-year long marriage stands out for being a strong relationship built on mutual respect. They were best friends, did everything together, and enjoyed each other’s company.
Ron and Betty travelled extensively, covering every corner of Canada and most parts of the U.S. They especially enjoyed their trips to New Zealand, Australia, and Europe. England was a favorite destination due to the family connection.
Life was difficult for Ron after Betty passed away in 1997, but he developed new interests, such as woodworking, and became a regular card player at the seniors’ centre. He refined his cooking abilities and carried on Betty’s traditions of making jam and Christmas pudding.
His final years were spent at Rainycrest, where the staff listened to his stories and got to know him as a person. Regular visits by special friends, Randy and Carole Wilde and former co-worker Neil Grant, gave his life meaning and enjoyment during this time.
In accordance with his wishes, his body has been cremated and will be laid to rest in Riverview Cemetery in Fort Frances alongside his beloved Betty.
A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at a later date.
For those who wish, in memoriam donations may be made to Rainycrest or to the Fort Frances Public Library Technology Centre.