Carl Paxon "Bunky" Helfrich

Carl Paxon "Bunky" Helfrich - SAVANNAH - Carl Paxon "Bunky" Helfrich, architect, yachtsman and CNN Original, died peacefully at his home on Hilton Head Island, SC, surrounded by his beloved family, on Wednesday, September 3, 2008. Bunky was born November 5, 1937, in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in Savannah where he first became passionate about sailing and architecture. Bunky graduated from Savannah High School and earned degrees in architecture from the Georgia Institute of Technology and L'Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Fontainebleu, France. He worked for the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers, and then became a partner in the architectural firm of Helfrich, Grantham & Helfrich in Savannah where he was instrumental in the design and restoration of many homes and buildings in Savannah and the Low Country. He was also a partner in Palmetto Bay Marina on Hilton Head. Bunky was with Turner Broadcasting System for 25 years, where he was chief architect and vice president of Planning and Development, also overseeing the design of Turner's business and personal properties world wide. Some of his many architectural accomplishments include supervising the design and construction of CNN's original headquarters in Atlanta, the conversion of the Omni complex into CNN Center, and the consequent master plan for TBS and CNN. He steered the design of the 1996 Olympic Stadium and its later conversion to Turner Field, as well as the construction of Phillips Arena in Atlanta. After retiring from TBS, he became owner and principal in Carl P. Helfrich Real Estate. Sailing was Bunky's great love. He took to the water as a boy at the Savannah Yacht Club where he won many regattas. Other memorable races in which he participated include winning the Miami to Nassau Yacht Race with his father Carl aboard "Geechee" and the SORC in 1982 as navigator aboard "Windward Passage", his twentieth SORC in a row. Over the years Bunky sailed with Ted Turner aboard his many yachts, sailing in four Admirals' Cup regattas, winning the World Ocean Racing Championship on "American Eagle", and their spectacular 1977 America's Cup victory on "Courageous" in Newport, R.I. More recently, Bunky enjoyed racing with Teddy and coaching young sailors in the Y-Flyer and Thistle classes at the Atlanta Yacht Club. Some of Bunky's club affiliations include the New York Yacht Club; Carolina Yacht Club, South Carolina Yacht Club, Atlanta Yacht Club, The Storm Trysail Club, Oglethorpe Club in Savannah, Capital City Club in Atlanta, Sea Pines Country Club on Hilton Head and the Sons of the Revolution. Bunky is survived by his wife Andrea Carter Helfrich, two daughters from Savannah, Holley Morgan Helfrich and Bernice (Bonnie) Helfrich Frady, son Carl Edward (Teddy) Helfrich, currently a Midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland; and two grandsons, Edward Paxon Frady and Steven T. Frady, Jr. Graveside Services will be 10 a.m. Monday, September 8, 2008 in the Greenwich Section of Bonaventure Cemetery. Memorial Services will be 3 p.m. Monday, September 8, 2008 at the St. Luke's Episcopal Church on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Remembrances may be made to St. Luke's Episcopal Church Mission Fund, 50 Pope Avenue, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, the Carolina Sailing Center, a 501(c)3 corporation, P.O. Box 6254, Hilton Head Island, SC 29938, or the WCBS Peachtree Presbyterian Church, 3434 Roswell Road, Atlanta, Ga. 30305 Please sign our guestbook online at www.foxandweeks.com Savannah Morning News September 8, 2008 Please sign our Obituary Guest Book at savannahnow.com/obituaries .