Richard Helmbold

Rick was born April 4, 1947, in Schenectady, NY. Son of Frederick Sr. and Grace Helmbold, Rick grew up in Greece, NY. A graduate of Olympia High School, class of 1965, he was blessed to have made lasting childhood friendships which stood the test of time. Rick was an athlete and was drawn to the sport of basketball. His basketball career spans his entire 76 years around the sun. He played on high-school and college teams and as an adult continued to play in various adult leagues. He had travelled throughout the United States with the Empire Senior Games and was proud for his team to have won several gold medals. When not playing or watching a basketball game, he loved riding his bike, kayaking, boating, working in his gardens, and spending time with his family. I would be amiss if I did not mention spending time with his best buddy Riley dog!
A University of Rochester retiree, Rick was proud of his work and the friends he met along the way. He worked in environmental services and loved talking "bugs." He knew every corner of the hospital and felt a sense of accomplishment when an issue was resolved or better yet prevented. He enjoyed sharing his knowledge to help others and was always willing to lend a hand. He enjoyed teaching others, and he was teaching right up until his last breath. He enjoyed home improvement projects, especially the "demo" and was always ready to go with hammer in hand. When it came to home renovations, a couple of his famous phrases included, "just gut it" and "let's tweak it." A clever-minded person, he always looked for alternative solutions to fix a problem.
A saver, Rick accumulated countless treasures over the years. He cherishes and proudly displays special gifts his kids and now grandkids have made for him throughout his home. A historian, Rick loved learning about our past and especially loved political and sports trivia.
Rick's grandkids were the light of his life. He loved spending time with them and enjoyed special, memorable, and fun adventures with each one. From bike riding to eating ice cream, to reading stories and building forts. He enjoyed attending dance recitals, swim meets, and football, wrestling and lacrosse games. Whatever the event, whatever the occasion, grandpa was there to cheer them on.
How can one capture seventy- six years of life in a few words? When asked what he would want people to know about him, he simply stated, "I'm proud of my beautiful kids and my beautiful family." I've been blessed with a beautiful life."
He lived simply yet richly. To best honor our dad and a life well- lived, please get outside and play a game of ball, take a bike ride, plant a seed to bloom into a beautiful flower, never stop learning and never stop teaching others! We would like to acknowledge and thank his oncology team at the James P. Wilmont Cancer center, especially Dr. Fung and Sue Sargent, NP, for providing kind and compassionate care throughout his journey.
Friends may call 4-7pm Monday September 11th at Farrell-Ryan Funeral & Cremation Services 777 Long Pond Road. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Lifespan www.lifespan-roch.org, Future Care Planning and Trust Services www.futurecareplanning,org, or UR Medicine Hospice www.urmc.rochester.edu/home-care/hospice-care/donations.aspx.