Obituary of George Helmel

It is with sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our father George Alexander Helmel on February 4, 2024 at the age of 91.

George was predeceased by his parents Alexander Petrovich Helmel and Eleanore Helmel (nee von Althann) as well as his ex-wife Ingrid Mondor (nee Albers).
He was the beloved father of Sylvia MacLeod and Jacqueline Beaven (Gary), a cherished grandfather to Jason (Jennifer), Grant (Janice), and Mitchell, and adored by his twin great grandchildren, Alexander and Rita. He was a proud brother to Gerhard Helmel and uncle to Alex, Sarah and Elizabeth.

George was born in Dnipro, Ukraine in April 1932 and moved to Germany in 1943. He immigrated to Canada, on his own, at the age of 21. It wasn’t long before he found employment at Canada Packers where he worked as a research chemist for 34 years. George was a valued employee known for his strong work ethic and dedication.

George was an avid sports fan his entire life. His first love was soccer, and he was rarely seen without a soccer ball at his feet as a young man in Germany. Once in Toronto, George took up the game of tennis and it quickly became one of his greatest passions. He spent hours on the court, every day, well into his 80’s, lining his bookshelves with trophies. He also volunteered every summer for 21 years at the Rogers Tennis Cup, reluctantly retiring at age 85.

George was down to earth, a man of great conviction, with a sharp mind who loved a good debate and a good joke. He enjoyed playing games, with chess and cribbage being two of his favorites.

In accordance with George’s wishes, his final journey will be one of quiet reflection, as his family honours his memory in a private gathering on Feb 7 th , 2024. George will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew him.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to Dr. Asha Gupta and the palliative care team at Trillium Health Partners (Queensway) for their kind and compassionate care.

If desired, in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada or Tennis Canada:
https://www.heartandstroke.ca/donations
https://www.tenniscanada.com

Please feel welcome to leave condolences for the family in the online memorial guestbook.