Austin Helmers

Longtime Alaska resident, Austin Helmers, 93, passed away March 5, 2010, at the Palmer Pioneers Home surrounded by family.

A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel, 1015 S. Check St., Wasilla. The Rev. Ann Whitney of St. David's Episcopal Church will officiate. A reception will be from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Palmer Pioneer's Home, 250 E. Fireweed Ave.

Austin was a research forester for the U.S. Forest Service and a lifelong outdoorsman and public trails advocate for both Idaho and the Matanuska Valley.

Austin was born Aug. 30, 1916, in Doon, Iowa, to Edd and Marie Schroeder Helmers. He was raised in Idaho and Montana, where his father worked for the Forest Service.

Austin and Geneva Maxine Wortman were married in 1940, while both were still in college. In the early 1940s, they moved between Missoula and the Forest Service station at Deception Creek, near Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, and finally to the experimental forest station near Priest River, Idaho.

Austin was an alumnus of the University of Idaho at Moscow. He completed a master's degree in plant ecology and research. During his college years, he worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps to fight the spread of white pine blister rust. Part of his USFS research career included working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, performing soil and snow trafficability tests of military vehicles. The highlight of working with the Corps was a summer spent on the Greenland icecap. He moved his family to Alaska in 1957 to do watershed research in the Tongass National Forest. In 1971, they moved to Fairbanks, where he continued his research on the boreal forest at the Institute of Northern Forestry located on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus.

In 1976, Austin and Maxine retired to Coeur D'Alene. Missing family and Alaska, they returned in 1978, settling in the Matanuska Valley. Together they grew immaculate vegetable gardens with giant pea vines and a huge raspberry patch, surrounded by stunning flowers and well-tended trees. They enjoyed square dancing as members of Paws and Taws Square Dance Club in Palmer.

Austin's second career was his passion for hiking and making sure public trails' rights of way were not lost. He was instrumental in establishing the Pioneer Ridge Trail, the public route up Pioneer Peak which was dedicated to him in 2004. He also mapped and secured the Matanuska Peak Trail, the Morgan Horse Trail on Lazy Mountain, and the Crevasse Moraine trail system. The first Mat-Su public trails plan to serve many users was put together due to his field research. Austin observed that our greatest freedom was on public lands and rights of way, and his greatest concern was that fencing and the loss of easements would be the ultimate lockout to the people. To him, access to the mountaintops was nearer to God and peace. He climbed frequently up to 90 years of age.

Austin was instrumental in forming the Mat-Su Trails Council. He was appointed to the governor's TRAK Board in 1996. He was presented numerous awards recognizing his volunteer efforts on the local, state and national levels.

Austin was a wonderful role model and taught his family the importance of good work ethic, respect for nature and pride for country.

Austin was preceded in death by his wife, Geneva "Maxine," in 2008, also a resident of the Palmer Pioneer's Home; and two sisters, Lois and Eulaine.

He is survived by daughters, Nancy (David) Thomas of Palmer and Geri (John) Paden of Texas; son, Thomas (Teri) Helmers of Fairbanks; grandchildren, Scott and Steve Thomas, Kelli Toth, Jessica and Leslie Helmers and Ashley Wages, of Alaska, Kierstin Waara of Michigan; Brandi Deems of California, Marilyn Smith of Utah; and 12 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Mat-Su Trails Council, P.O. Box 2356, Palmer 99645, or directly into their account #88170 at any branch of the Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union or the Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 4406, Palmer 99645.