John Slater Helfrich

HELFRICH, John Slater, 79, died suddenly on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Mr. Helfrich was born in Baltimore, MD, a son of the late Dr. and Mrs. William Goldsborough Helfrich. He graduated from Gilman School in Baltimore and from the University of Richmond (B.A., 1969) and Virginia Commonwealth University (M.Ed., 1974). Mr. Helfrich’s passion and first career was education. He taught at Boys’ Latin School in Baltimore, St. Christopher’s School, served as principal of Our Lady of Lourdes School in Henrico County for five years, and was vice principal of the American Community Schools of Athens, Greece, from 1978 to 1980. He also was an adjunct instructor in the VCU School of Education and enjoyed teaching at the Osher Institute at the University of Richmond. In retirement, he rekindled his passion for education by teaching high school English at the Benjamin and Lillian Rochkind Yeshiva of Virginia and the Shaarei Torah of Richmond Virginia. His second career was in sales and marketing. He was a major accounts representative for Ikon, Inc. as it became a Fortune 1000 company, and for Oce, USA, a Dutch company. Both companies distributed and leased office equipment. Mr. Helfrich was a member of St. James’s Episcopal Church, where he twice served on the Vestry. He was a Mayor of West Avenue, a member of the Westwood Club, the Maryland Historical Society, the Richmond Symphony Council, the Richmond First Club, the Focus Club, the Breakfast Club, and other organizations. He was devoted to friends and family. He was proud of his Maryland colonial roots. He loved good books, crab cakes, current events, a good vacation, old cars and an ordered life. He volunteered whenever sought out. Mr. Helfrich was, at one time, the youngest school principal in the Commonwealth of Virginia. His advisor at VCU, Professor Robert Fleming, author of books on creativity, called him “one of the most creative people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.” That ability demonstrated itself in his teaching; his toasts, gifts and poetry, his cooking, home renovations, salesmanship, his watchwords “Make it special!”, his last-night-of-the-vacation events, and his whole approach to life. He is survived by his daughters Elizabeth Keating Helfrich Debelak (Daniel) of Ewing, NJ and Dr. Katherine Harwood Helfrich Doss (Justin) of Richmond, and three grandchildren, William Harwood Doss, Hazel Keating Doss, and Jonathan Echols Debelak. He is also survived by his former wife, Jane Vaiden Hutton of Williamsburg, and by his brother and sisters, Deborah Helfrich Coleman (Timothy) of Lexington, KY, Sarah Helfrich Stewart (Creston) of Bozeman, MT, and George Vernon Helfrich (Joy) of Bald Head Island, NC. He is also survived by seven nieces and five nephews, five grandnieces/nephews, and four godsons. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother William Goldsborough Helfrich (Franky) and a nephew. A memorial service will be held at 11 am on Monday, April 20, 2026, at St. James’s Episcopal Church, 1205 W. Franklin Street, Richmond, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 4217 Park Place Court, Glen Allen, VA 23060.