Dr. Erich A. Helfert

Dr. Erich A. Helfert May 29, 1932 - March 21, 2009 Dr. Erich A. Helfert, of San Mateo, was born in the Sudentenland. He lived there through World War II and in the immediate aftermath until 1950 when he moved to the United States with his mother. He embarked on a highly successful academic and business career. He received an MBA and doctorate from Harvard Business School and taught on its finance faculty. A management career at Crown Zellerbach Corporation in San Francisco followed - where he rose to Vice President of Corporate Planning. Upon leaving Crown Zellerbach, he was engaged in senior level consulting with many well-known companies. Later he became co-founder and chairman of Modernsoft, Inc., creating an advanced financial modeling software program. His extensive writing career included the best-selling financial management book "Techniques of Financial Analysis." This book appeared in eleven editions, was translated into ten languages and sold over 500,000 copies. He also wrote an autobiographical novel "Valley of the Shadow," which depicted his family's experience during the tragic depopulation of the Sudetenland by Czechoslovakia. The book contributed to a deeper understanding of one of World War II's lesser recorded consequences. He called for forgiveness and breaking the unending cycle of retribution. Erich Helfert was a guest lecturer at leading universities, made presentations at the Commonwealth and Bohemian Clubs, and was a regular speaker at the San Francisco Literary Society. He was an active member of the Cogers, an Anglo-American debating society at the University Club in San Francisco. In 1983 he married Anne Langley, a native of England and a gifted artist and flower designer. He is survived by Anne, whom he affectionately referred to as "Queen Anne," her two daughters, Claire and Amanda, and a lively grandson, Alexander. The Memorial Service will be held on May 8, at 4:30p.m., at St Mathews Episcopal Church, I South El Camino Real at Baldwin. San Mateo. 650-342-1481.