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Audus Winzle Helton |
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October 5, 1922 ~ December 15, 2016 |
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December 29, 2016 |
Audus Winzle Helton, 94, Bonners Ferry, passed from this
world on the morning of December 15, 2016, with
his wife, Chris, by his side, as she has been
for the almost 39 years of their marriage. There
will be a private family service, as per Red’s
wishes, in January in Bonners Ferry.
Audus was born on October 5, 1922, in Bethel,
Oklahoma, to Leonard Huston Helton and Berniece
Gladys Wright Helton. Two years later, his
brother Cecil Houston Helton joined the family.
They lived in the southeast Oklahoma hill
country, where Leonard farmed and trapped for a
living and were part of a large extended family.
Unfortunately, Leonard passed in 1930, due to a
burst appendix, leaving Berneice as a single
parent to two small boys.
They eventually left Oklahoma to live with
relatives in Arizona for a while and then moved
on to the Merced/Modesto area of California when
Berniece remarried, to a man who offered a less
than stable family life.
Red graduated from LeGrand Union High School in
LeGrand, California, in May 1940. He went to
work in various places, staying in the Arizona
area, and was later employed by the U.S. Civil
Service from 1941 until 1943, when he was
inducted into the U.S. Navy.
He served as an Aviation Radioman Seconnd Class,
and received an honorable discharge in December,
1945.
With the assistance of the G.I. Bill, Red was
able to enroll in Ohio Wesleyan University in
July of 1944, while still attached to the U.S.
Navy. He took courses from the University of
Akron at the same time, and earned his Bachelor
of Arts degree in June of 1947. A Masters of
Science degree, also from Ohio Wesleyan, in
botany followed in June of 1949. From there, Red
came west to Oregon State College (now Oregon
State University) at Corvallis, Oregon. In May
of 1951 he was granted his Doctorate Degree
(Ph.D.) from the Plant Pathology Department,
with his thesis on the Chemotherapy of Stone
Fruit Virus.
During this same time, he married Adeline
Rebecca Waller of Akron, Ohio, on October 26,
1945. They moved to Moscow, Idaho, when Red
began his career at the University of Idaho in
July 1951 as a plant pathologist with his
specialty being diseases of stone fruits.
Consequently, he traveled extensively throughout
the state, assisting orchard growers with their
various fruit tree problems. And the Helton
family was expanding with the addition of five
children born between 1952 through 1963. In
1986, Red retired from the University of Idaho
after 35 years of service.
Red always carried a camera around his neck, not
only to document whatever may be happening in
the fruit orchards, but also taking photographs
of family, friends and the great outdoors. When
he moved to Idaho, he fell in love with this
great state, and spent as much time as possible
out in the mountains, be it camping, fishing,
hunting, or horsing in the backcountry – and all
the time that camera was working overtime!
He instilled in his children a great love for
the outdoors, and especially for all that is
Idaho. These slides became the basis of his
eldest daughter’s program called “My Father’s
Idaho,” which is an on-going project and may be
viewed on her website
www.MyFathersIdaho.org.
Unfortunately, his marriage ended in divorce,
but then he met, fell in love and married his
current wife, Christina Rasa Griska, on July 29,
1978. They have both enjoyed the outdoors,
especially their time spent in the Clearwater
and Lochsa country, but especially in Red’s
beloved Selway Bitterroot wilderness.
Many happy years were spent exploring these
wonderful wild places, mostly on horseback, be
it just a summer camping trip or a serious
hunting expedition. All of the children were
included in these trips and have many happy
memories of their times out in the hills with
their father. And that camera kept on clicking
away!
In 1995, Red and Chris moved from Moscow to
their current home outside of Bonners Ferry,
where they concentrated on gardening,
establishing yet another small fruit tree
orchard, and exploring Boundary county and all
it had to offer to two people who loved being in
the woods more than anything else.
Around 2001, Red gave his early slides to his
eldest daughter, Becky, and she created “My
Father’s Idaho,” and has put on programs
throughout the state.
Unfortunately, age does catch up with everyone.
Red suffered a stroke in December, 2013, but had
a remarkable recovery. He always tried to make
light of things – saying that life was difficult
enough and he was trying to cheer people up and
make their lives a bit happier.
He will be greatly missed by his family and
friends.
Red is survived by his wife, Christina, at the
family home on the North Bench; his children,
Rebecca "Rifka" Ann Helton of Moscow, John
"Johann" William (Susan) Helton of Boise, Kathy
Annette (James) Cooper of Pullman, Washington,
Thomas Michael (Jeanne) Helton of Coeur d’Alene,
and Carolyn Suzanne (William) Hicklin of Viola,
Idaho, and his grandchildren; Mathias Helton (Shruti)
Morache of Kirkland, Washington, and Crystal
Dawn (Chadwick) Berry of Boise.
Charitable contributions may be made to My
Father’s Idaho, P.O. Box 8594, Moscow, Idaho
83843, or to the charitable organization of your
choice in Red’s name. |
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