Whitey Helland, 74

Frederick "Whitey" Donald Helland, died Sunday, Sept. 28, 2003, in Boise.

Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at Summers Funeral Homes, McMurtrey Chapel in Mountain Home.

Fred was born May 13, 1929, in Aberdeen, Wash., the son of Fred and Ruby (Pitman) Helland. He was the "lucky" brother of ten sisters.

He graduated June 1948 from Weatherwax High School in Aberdeen. He was a renowned football player and continued his love of sports by participating in football, rugby and soccer on the Air Force teams.

Fred joined the U.S. Air Force, serving in Korea and three tours in Vietnam. He retired from the Air Force in 1972, after 21 years of service.

Because of his love for the outdoors he enjoyed working for the U.S. Forestry Service in Idaho from 1973 until April 2003. His greatest loves and hobbies were manifested by his many years of pleasure hunting and fishing with friends and family, his family said.

Fred was a member of the American Legion Post #26, VFW and the Elks in Mountain Home, Idaho. "Everyone will miss his sense of humor found in his t-shirts and bumper stickers and his many wonderful stories," his family said.

Fred is survived by: his daughter Sheryl Davidson from Littleton, Colo., son Rodney Helland from Yuma, Ariz., five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, eight sisters, Arnita Watson of Beaver, Wash., Pat Moulton of Cosmoplis, Wash., Katherine Ward of Olympia, Wash., Judy Engh of Elma, Wash., Carol Camarena of Crescent City, Calif., Colleen Bumby of Beaverton, Ore., Diana Willoughby of Simi Valley, Calif., and Darlene Simmons of Albany, Ore., and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Betty Gordon and Gloria Eisenhower, and son Terry Donald Helland.

Donations may be made in Fred's name to the American Diabetes Association, 1111 S. Orchard, Suite 234, Boise, Idaho 83705.