Thomas Joseph "Tom" Helbing

Thomas "Tom" Joseph Helbing, 71, of Indianapolis, passed away on Sunday, September 28, 2014 at Prairie Lakes Health Campus in Noblesville. He was born on September 26, 1943 to Dr. Clarence and Mary "Pat" (Walz) Helbing in South Bend, Indiana.
Tom joined R.Q.A.W. in 1975 and retired as President and Chairman in 2009. He began serving his country in the ROTC in 1962 and enlisted into active duty in 1968, where he served as a Captain during the Vietnam War. He earned his Masters Degree from Purdue University in 1968 in Civil Engineering and carried a Professional Engineering license in several states. He was a consultant engineer for, Nucor Steel, Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Princeton, IN, and Steel Dynamics Inc; he also worked as a consulting engineer for several auto and shipping plants in West Virginia, Indiana, and throughout the mid-west. He worked as a formal consulting agent for Subaru of Indiana, where he had integral role in bringing the plant brought to Indiana and determining the location for it. Tom served as a Ward Chairman for the Republican Party for Lawrence Township, and was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineering. He also served on the Board of Gleaners for 10 years and for the Lawrence Township Board of Zoning Appeals. Tom was very gifted in photography, and had won awards on several of his projects. He married his loving wife, Kathleen, on December 31, 1994, where for 19 years, they had the happiest marriage in the history of marriages.
He is survived by his wife, Kathleen Helbing; son, Timothy "Tim" M. Helbing; brother, Michael (Wendy) Helbing; sister, Mary Helbing Hession; brother, Bill (Beth) Helbing; and several nieces & nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, James Helbing and Christopher Helbing.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, October 2, 2014, at Holy Spirit Parish at Geist Catholic Church, 10350 Glaser Way, in Fishers, with Father Dan Gartland officiating. Visitation will be Wednesday, October 1, 2014 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Randall & Roberts Fishers Mortuary, 12010 Allisonville Road, in Fishers. Burial will be at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery in Indianapolis.
In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer memorial contributions be made to the Thomas J. Helbing Civil Engineering Scholarship at Purdue Research Foundation, Dauch Alumni Center, 403 W. Wood Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, in order to establish a scholarship to provide financial aid for students in the civil engineering program.