David V. Helsing

David Helsing, 78, of Tinton Falls passed away on October 19, surrounded by his loving family at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank after a brief illness.

Born in Worcester, MA to Gladys and Vincent Helsing, he grew up in Auburn.  Active in his church and scouting, he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and Order of the Arrow. After graduating from Auburn High School, he started college at Worcester Polytech Institute and then served in the U.S. Army where he spent time in Korea. While stationed at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, he met the love of his life, Marie. After the Army, he continued his education at New Mexico State University where he received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering and went on to obtain his M.S. from Purdue University, Indiana.   

He joined Bell Labs in Holmdel, NJ in 1968 as a system engineer where he was promoted to DMTS (Distinguished Member of Technical Staff).  He loved his work with its challenges and stimulation of collaborating with his co-workers. After retiring from the company, he formed his own consulting firm, DVH Associates in 1996 where he continued to do the work he loved into his mid-seventies.

Dave had a true “joie de vivre,” enjoying so many facets of life.  He could light up a room with his huge smile and loud laughter.  He loved to be active and enjoyed tennis, golf, playing ping pong, billiards, camping, canoeing and he especially loved body surfing at the beach.  He had a real love of music and enjoyed singing whether it was with the church choir, with the family on the many car trips they took or singing out loud whenever he went to an Irish concert. He learned classical guitar and played many times around the campfire during family trips and also during Christmas Eve services.

Another great love in his life was food! Whether it was taking cooking classes and trying new recipes, preparing a feast for the family or enjoying a great meal in a restaurant, he was sure to enjoy himself.

He truly was a Renaissance man when it came to all the many things that he enjoyed doing in life. He excelled in his workshop, building furniture and slides for the kids; in the kitchen cooking Chinese, baking bread or making piccalilli from the homegrown vegetables he planted in the garden.  He took landscaping classes which lead to his passion of building a beautiful oasis in their backyard, complete with Japanese-inspired gardens and a fishpond. He loved growing different rhododendrons and at one time, had over 32 different varieties.

But the things Dave cherished most were family and church. He adored his children and was very involved with their upbringing from the time they were born to adulthood. He thoroughly loved being a Grandpa and especially enjoyed watching his grandkids’ sporting events. With Marie, his wife and soulmate, they enjoyed doing everything together including dancing, playing bridge, going on adventures, and traveling around the world. Some of their fondest memories include spending a week on photo safari in Africa, climbing the Great Wall in China, exploring Japan on their own, and spending a week in the rain forest in Costa Rica.

Dave was an active member at Luther Memorial Church, Tinton Falls, since 1980 where he served on various boards and committees, including Youth Leader, Lay Reader and was a member of the choir. He also served as a tutor for Aslan and was involved with the Red Bank Crop Walk for the last 38 years.

He is survived by Marie (nee Bowen), his loving wife of 53 years, his son Derek, Tinton Falls, his daughter Vanessa and her husband Dave Godshalk of Herndon, VA, and his cherished grandchildren, Connor and Cadence. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Tillie Bowen, sisters Christina (Jim) Bergenholtz and Judy (Fabio) D’Este, brother-in-laws Bill (Diane) Bowen, Rob (Sue) Bowen and Rick (Leora) Bowen, cousins Bev and Karen (Don) and a wealth of nieces, nephews and friends. His family was at the center of everything he ever did, and his departure leaves an immense hole in our lives.

A Memorial Service will be held at Luther Memorial Church, 818 Tinton Avenue, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724 on Friday, August 13th at 11 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dave’s memory to Red Bank Crop Walk, PO Box 8022, Red Bank, NJ 07701 or online at www.redbankcropwalk.com (Team Luther Memorial). 

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.