Donald Helman

Helman, Donald L. "Don"

passed away peacefully on September 8, 2025, at the age of 78.

Don is preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Dorothy Helman. Don is survived by his son, Donald Helman Jr. (Jennifer); stepdaughter, Destinee Swanson (Eric); brother, Terry Helman (Sue); sister, Sandra Durrant; and his grandchildren, Richard Helman (McKenzie), John Helman (Ashley), and Jack Swanson.

Born into an Army family, Don spent his childhood living in various posts around the US and recounted fond memories of his time living in Okinawa and Panama. Shortly after graduation from high school, he followed in his family's tradition of service and enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served a tour in Vietnam.

After his military service, Don went on to earn a bachelor's degree in chemistry from George Mason University. He began his professional career and worked for several biotechnology companies in the Washington, D.C. and Chicago, IL areas. He co-founded and owned a company in Chicago that later merged with a company in Tampa, FL. And so, in 1985, Don and family relocated to Brandon, FL. Don would remain in the Tampa Bay area for the final 40 years of his life.

Later in life, Don embraced a second calling and began a new career as a high school chemistry teacher. Over the years, he taught at several schools in Hillsborough County, inspiring countless students with his love of science and his patient guidance. He retired from teaching in 2020.

Sports were always an important part of Don's life. He rooted for the Steelers, Pirates and Seminoles. In his youth, he was a talented bowler, played baseball and football, and even boxed. When his son chose soccer as his primary sport, Don dove in wholeheartedly, learning the game and coaching Don Jr.'s teams for many years. He coached Destinee's soccer team with the Brandon Area Youth Soccer League (BAYSL). As his passion for soccer grew, he accepted the opportunity to become the first girl's commissioner for BAYSL's youth soccer program. In this role he started the girl's traveling program at BAYSL by working with neighboring leagues and he expanded opportunities for girls' soccer in Brandon. His commitment deepened further when he introduced TOPS (The Outreach Program for Soccer) to Brandon, creating opportunities for children with intellectual, emotional, or physical disabilities to play the game. He made one last return to BAYSL to coach his then five-year-old grandson's team for a year. And once he became a high school teacher, he also served as the head coach for the Spoto High School girls' soccer team, shaping the lives of many young athletes with his dedication and encouragement.

Don will be remembered for his service to community, his commitment to education, his devotion to family, and the countless young people whose lives he enriched through teaching and coaching.

No funeral services are planned, and the family will be holding a private celebration of life. If you wish to honor his memory, the family requests that you consider making a donation to the Alzheimer's Association (donorservices.alz.org/).

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