Department Chaplain

Thomas E. Helmantoler

Thomas E. Helmantoler was born September 24, 1946 to John and Thelma Helmantoler in Peoria, Illinois. His father was a submariner during WWII and returned to California with his family in December 1951, settling in Encinitas, California. Tom graduated from San Dieguito High School in 1964 and began college at Palomar College in San Marcos, California. He finished at San Diego State College in 1968 with a B.A. in history, and earned his secondary teaching credential in 1969. He then moved to Julian, California, where he taught high school history, government and economics for 36 years. He earned a master's degree in education from Pepperdine University in 1975. He also coached several sports there for a total of 20 years, and retired to San Diego in June 2005. He was the public address announcer for the Julian High School football games for 32 years, retiring in 2007.

During a side visit to Gettysburg in 1974 on the way to Washington, DC, Tom developed a large interest in the Civil War. While visiting relatives and doing some side interest geneaological work in 1999, he discovered that he had a Civil War ancestor, John Henry Clay Absher (1839-1905) he never knew about. Absher served in the 18th Ohio Infantry and 2nd West Virginia Cavalry. He answered President Lincoln's initial call for troops, enlisting just five days after Fort Sumter was fired upon. In 2000, Tom obtained a medal awarded to Ashber by the State of West Virginia (a medal that his ancestor probably never knew about).

Tom serves as the Commander of Sgt. William Pittenger Camp No. 21 and is a corporal in Company G, 5th California Infantry, Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR). He is also active in the San Diego Civil War Roundtable, Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge and is a Sergeant in the California State Military Reserve.

Tom's wife, Sandy, is also a teacher and works as a literacy specialist for San Diego City Schools.

E-MAIL TOM HELMANTOLER

DONATIONS:
The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is a 501(c)(4) organization and is approved by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as an organization to which tax deductible gifts can be made pursuant to Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code.

CLICK HERE TO HELP RESTORE MEMORIAL DAY!

Copyright © 2006-2009 — Dept. of CA & Pacific, SUVCW
Created 24 Oct 2006; Revised 8 Mar 2009

Webmaster: Tad D. Campbell, PDC

Visit: Norse Highlanders Genealogy