Frederick George Helmsing Sr.

Frederick G. Helmsing passed away on July 9, 2011. He was born in Mobile, Alabama in 1940, and, with the exception of his education, lived in this city his entire life. After graduating from the McGill Institute, Spring Hill College, the University of Alabama School of Law, and New York University, he practiced law in Mobile for more than forty-five years primarily in the areas of complex civil litigation and white-collar criminal litigation. Among his professional associations, he was a member of the Alabama Bar, the Florida Bar, the Mobile County Bar Association, the Litigation and Taxation Sections of the American Bar Association, and the Farrah Law Society. He was also a member of several civic and charitable organizations. He was a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a Fellow of the Alabama Law Foundation. At time of his death, he was a senior partner in the law firm of Helmsing, Leach, Herlong, Newman and Rouse, which he founded many years ago with his brother-in-law, Champ Lyons. He loved lawyers, practicing law, and trying lawsuits. Family was the cornerstone of his life. He was preceded in death by his father Joseph H. Helmsing, his sister Trudy Helmsing, and his father in law, Guy C. Oswalt.

He is survived by his wife of forty-two years, Susan Oswalt Helmsing, two sons, Frederick G. Helmsing, Jr. (Greer), J. Guy Helmsing (Liz), a daughter, Margaret Sue Browning (John), and five grandchildren, Sara Margaret Helmsing, Frederick G. Helmsing, III, Elizabeth W. Helmsing, Joseph G. Helmsing, and R. Guy Helmsing. He is also survived by his mother Gertrude Z. Helmsing, his brothers J. Michael Helmsing (Tallulah), C. Victor Helmsing (Vaughan), his sister M. Angela Helmsing, his mother in law Margaret Sue Adams Oswalt, two brothers-in-law, G. Coleman Oswalt (Louise), J. Harris Oswalt (Dru), two sisters-in-law, Emilee Lyons (Champ), Binky Oswalt and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He loved spending time with his family and his many friends. While he enjoyed many activities, he had a lifelong love of travel, hunting, and fishing. His favorites, in particular, were fly-fishing in the American West and shooting pheasants in England. He treasured the companionship he enjoyed on these many trips. "Big Fred" loved to spend time at his home in Point Clear and at his hunting lodge in Monroe County. In addition to the many trips he took, which were spread over several continents, he loved to talk about traveling, the many places he had been and the ones to which he wanted to go. He was loved and will be missed by many.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Joseph's Chapel on the campus of Spring Hill College on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 11:00 am. The family will receive friends an hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Old Spring Hill Cemetery following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Little Sisters of the Poor, 1655 McGill Street, Mobile, Alabama 36604 or St. Paul's Episcopal School, 161 Dogwood Lane, Mobile, Alabama 36608.