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the Helmericks Boys
are
wilderness bred: tough, capable, and
confident. Northern Alaska is their home, and they have a
strong heritage of Arctic knowledge and outdoor skills, besides being
topnotch in both work and academic endeavors. (Are we parents
proud or what?)
Photo at
right taken August, 2000.
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Aaron, Jay, Isaac
Derek
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The Foursome in days past:
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Boys in 1982
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Boys camping 1989
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Biking
winter 1992
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Boys
summer 1994
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Derek and
Beth
Son No. 1...(written in 2003) Derek graduated from the
University of Alaska Fairbanks
(UAF) in 1996 and is currently working as an engineer for the Alaska
Department
of Transportation in Fairbanks. He has worked in mining engineering,
surveying, hydrology, and various environmental sciences, and
claims he is still wondering what he wants to be when he grows
up. He is also a highly skilled taxidermist and
the main contributor to the many mounts in the family's museum
(see the Museum page, linked from the Photo page.) Derek married the
girl
of his dreams, Elizabeth Tallman, on January 1, 2004. When not
busily building on their new home in Fairbanks, they can be off
most anywhere in Alaska conducting field work, or enjoying their
favorite outdoor activities such as snowmachining or kayaking.
Beth has a civil
engineering
degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) and practices
the management and environmental side of engineering in her position
with
URS Corp. Beth's many talents include cooking, carpentry,
and
car mechanic, so she has no trouble keeping busy between those field
trips.
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Derek kayaking on the
Colville River
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Derek
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Derek ready to fly wild-life survey
in cub
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Beth
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Beth & Derek
Wed
Jan. 1, 2004
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Derek & Beth
Feb, 2004
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[Additional updates for all the kids are in the family newsletters each
year.]
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2007
UPDATE:
Derek
is now a registered professional engineer (#11547) in the State of
Alaska! He is currently employed by Arcadis-us in their Alaska
office as field environmental engineer. One of the more interesting
aspects of this job is the varied work and extensive travel
opportunities. Currently, the project taking up the majority of
his time involves environmental compliance oversight for the oil
exploration work being done in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
(NPR-A). As with all North Slope work, this means working a "2-week on
/ 2-week off" schedule. Although being away from home in
Fairbanks for
two weeks at a time is difficult, it is countered by two weeks at
home. This is one of the main advantages slope workers have with
this type of schedule. Beth
is employed by Watterson Construction, and currently working as a construction
manager on several 100 million dollar projects for the military.
This
happy couple continue to build and develop on their property outside of
Fairbanks, including beautiful landscaping with creative
flower covered rockeries, new trees, and a vegetable garden. Their
orchard isn't doing as well as hoped since the local moose think the
trees were planted
just for them to browse on, so a tall fence may be a future project.
Derek's
love of birds is manifested with an
indoor aviary boasting numerous bird species including his special bred
zebra finches. |
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| Beginning the
landscaping. |
Adding flowers. |
2008 UPDATE:
Derek and Beth maintain their lovely home
on the outskirts of Fairbanks, while continuing with their various
engineering jobs. Derek has worked mostly on environmental
compliance oversight for several different oil
exploration projects, and Beth continues her job with Watterson
Construction. A new venture for them has been purchase of some
new land in Washington State for developing as a winter get-away.
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Jay and Amy
Son
No. 2...(written
in 2004)
Jay is a full-time
employee and special
projects engineer for the Geophysical Institute at the
University of Alaska in Fairbanks, where he also earned his
Master's degree in engineering. He loves mechanical
things... and is our rocket scientist (literally), having designed
and built rocket payload systems for real rockets for
UAF and even NASA. Jay married Amy Jane Wilcoxson in August, 2000, and they live in
Fairbanks. Amy completed her degree in photo journalism
at UAF spring 2002. This active couple is enjoying their second year in
their
new house purchased in 2002, and are busy parents
with Natasha Joy, now a year and a half old, and Melody Hope, three
months old.
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Amy
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Amy and Jay
Wed Aug., 2000
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Jay
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News Alert: (Feb. 2003)
Natasha
Joy arrived January 11, 2003 at 5:17 P.M. into her Daddy's ready hands,
weighing 7 lbs 14 oz. Jay, Amy and baby were home the evening of
her birth.
She continues to bring joy to all who have
been blessed to see or hold her. What a wonderful
gift from God!
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Jay
holding Natasha
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Natasha Joy
6 days old
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Amy and Natasha
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Jay & Amy have their
own 2003 newsletter if you care to read it.
Click: HERE
Easter Day 2003
Picture: 
Natasha Spring 2004
Picture: 
If
you would like to view more pictures of Natasha click HERE.
(Click on individual pictures to view
enlargements.)
News Alert:
(July 2004) Melody Hope arrived June 28,
2004.
She weighed 8 lbs 4 oz. and looked much like a chubbier version
of her sister Natasha at the same age. Jay, Amy and baby were
back home from the Fairbanks Birth Center the afternoon of her
birth. Another wonderful gift from God!
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Melody Hope:
newborn
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Melody kissed
by big sis Natasha
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If
you would like to view more pictures of Natasha,
and new baby Melody, go to the link that takes you
to Jay's family albums by clicking HERE.
News Alert:
(May 10, 2006)
Elisha Peace was
born on May 7, 2006. He weighed 8 lbs. 14 oz.
and was 21.5 inches long. Big sisters Natasha and Melody were
amazed with his little tongue, nose, fingers, eyes....and all the rest,
so very perfect. Thank you, Lord!
 
I'm out!
| Mom and Dad (Amy and Jay) have posted more
pictures on their own
website. To go view them, click HERE. |
May 16, 2006: The cutest Trio you ever saw!
2007 UPDATE:
Living in Fairbanks, Jay,
Amy and
children, Natasha (4), Melody (2 1/2), and Elisha (8 months) stay as busy
as ever. Jay finished a new fenced yard last year that
opened up a whole new play area for the children. Never a dull
moment in this household! Big excitement for Jay this year was
the acquisition of a snowmachine so he could occasionally get out and
"play" with his brothers on sled-riding escapades.
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2008 UPDATE:
The family is
growing-up rapidly as all do. Jay and Amy's "Cute Trio" are quite
the 3 musketeers. Natasha (5) started home-schooling this
fall
and Melody (4) is close behind. Elisha (2) is sure to keep the
pot boiling as most 2 year olds do.
Below is a rare shot of the three
sitting still:
Work and home
life stay busy as ever for Jay and Amy. Jay moved up into a managerial
position in the Geophysical Institute at the University and Amy keeps exceedingly busy
with home, kids, homeschooling, and her writing projects. They were
able to enjoy some travel together this year with a trip to Bermuda
where Jay gave a presentation at a big electronics conference.
Jay has also made his annual trip to Antarctica to service his
equipment for a big NASA project down there.
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Isaac and Crystal
Son
No. 3...(written in 2003)
Isaac is an employee of Alaska
Airlines, working as
Ramp Service
Agent in Anchorage, Alaska, and also attending the University of Alaska
Anchorage, where
he is pursuing a Bachelor's degree with a double major in Aviation
Administration and Professional Piloting. Isaac
married Crystal Blish
on February 21, 2004, adding another girl to the family. Since Isaac
is an outdoor enthusiast who loves to hunt, hike, ride snowmobiles, go
boating, or tackle any adventure that presents itself, Crystal married
into a very active lifestyle.
This couple have a townhouse in Anchorage, and rent rooms to
brother
Aaron and cousin Nick.
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Isaac
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Isaac repairing
boat engine
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Isaac on
Arctic Ocean
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Crystal
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Crystal & Isaac wed
Feb. 21, 2004
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Crystal & Isaac
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2007 UPDATE:
Isaac and Crystal continue to live in
their Anchorage townhouse, which Isaac has been refurbishing as time
allows. Isaac has his degree in Aviation
Administration and Professional Piloting now, plus has moved up into a management
position with Alaska Airlines. His new job is still based at the
Anchorage airport but it entails a lot of traveling as he trains
new employees at many other of Alaska Airlines' stations. Crystal is
now
working in a medical billing office as a billing clerk and is working
toward getting her CPT coding license.
2008 UPDATE:
Isaac is now
the full-time Station Manager in Adak for Alaska Airlines. He and
Crystal bought a house and moved there in October. This
came after Isaac had worked for a year with a 2-weeks on and
2-weeks off schedule, thus spending half his time in Adak and half home
in
Anchorage. Being away from home
half the time was hard, especially with a baby on the way. Crystal
left her CPT coding
job in an Anchorage medical office in September and joined Isaac
in Adak, but she had to return to Anchorage late October to await the
birth of their baby. Isaac joined her mid-November where they
stayed at brother Aaron's house. Rhianna was born November 16.
Rhianna Belle in Mom's arms.
Rhianna with
Dad.
Rhianna with G-ma Teena
Our sleeping angel, 7 days old
 
Crystal and
Rhianna
Crystal,
Rhianna and Autumn
Three
beautiful Helmericks Girls
on Thanksgiving Day, 2008
Isaac, Crystal, and new baby Rhianna will
return home to Adak the first week of December. Rhianna's Grandma
Teena hopes to accompany them for a visit at their new home, plus get a
little more "Grandma" time in before returning home to the Colville
mid-December.
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Aaron
Son
No. 4...(2003) Aaron is a senior at the University of Alaska
Fairbanks, majoring in computer science and working part-time as a
Resident Assistant (RA) at one of the campus housing units. He
graduates May 9, 2004. His recreational activities include
captaining a intramural football team, and playing on volleyball and
ultimate frisbee teams. Although the "baby" of the family, he is the tallest and most outgoing...always a
positive ambassador for the whole family. He loves being Isaac's
cohort in outdoor adventures, and together they have
conquered many miles and escapades.
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Aaron
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Aaron hunting
caribou
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Aaron |
2004
UPDATE:
Aaron
graduated with honors from UAF on May 9, 2004, with a degree
in
computer science, spent the summer traveling in New Zealand and Figi,
and
is presently renting a room at Isaac and Crystal's house in Anchorage.
He
plans to soon be contributing his computer skills within Alaska's
work-force
full-time.
2007
UPDATE: Over the
past few
years Aaron has tucked
many new experiences under his belt. He worked on the North Slope
in warehousing and
materials receiving for over a year, got his Commercial Drivers License
and drove fuel trucks to deliver fuel across Alaska's northern Oil
Field, got his private
pilot's license, and flew single engine airplanes to and from Alaska
and the
"Lower 48" for his Uncle Jeff. After three years of
soaking up other job skills, Aaron got back into computer or "IT" work
when he accepted a job with Pioneer Natural Resources as their North
Slope Field "IT" Support Analyst. Like Derek, he now works a
"2&2"
shift on the Slope, with Anchorage being his home for R&R. He
shares his apartment with his cousin, Nick Bennett, for now, but
new things are on the horizon since Aaron has asked his college
sweetheart to
marry him. Newly engaged, Aaron and Autumn are busy making
wedding plan, and big changes are ahead for this excited couple.
Aaron
and
Autumn
on their wedding
day,
Aug. 12,
2007
2008 UPDATE: As the
picture above shows, Aaron and
Autumn
were married August 12, 2007. Aaron had purchased a house west of
Wasilla earlier in the summer and the newlyweds were soon settled
in.
Much of our family's annual updates are recorded in the family
newsletter, however, to recap here: Due to both Autumn and
Aaron’s work schedules, their honeymoon to Hawaii was postponed until
December, 2007. Aaron started his own IT consulting company
this year and his main contract is the continuing work as field
technician for Pioneer Natural Resources on the Oooguruk Project, the
same project Teena works on.
Most of his work time
has been divided between Anchorage and the North Slope, however, Aaron did work for
Pioneer in Tunisia in north Africa for 10 days in November. Autumn continues to work in
Wasilla as a case manager for SED (Severely Emotionally Disturbed)
children. She does home visits, works with both the kids and parents,
and organizes any help needed.
Autumn and Aaron took
Crystal and Isaac into their home in mid-October when they needed a
place to stay while they waited for the birth of their new baby. When
Rhianna finally arrived, Isaac and Crystal were eager to get back home
to Adak, but were very grateful for the comfort of the wonderful "home
away from home" that Aaron and Autumn so graciously provided.
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