Sept. 21, 1932 June 10, 2012
Dwane at 79, passed away peacefully in Bend, Oregon, on Sunday, June 10, 2012.
Dwane was born on September 21, 1932, in Denver, Colorado, to Emerson and Thelma Helbig.
His family moved to Portland where he attended Roosevelt High School. Duane was an All P.I.L. selection in football and baseball and helped lead the Roughriders to two state baseball titles.
Dwane went on to Oregon State College where he also played football and baseball. He played left field on the 1952 Beaver baseball team that went to Omaha for the College World Series. He was selected as Oregon States First Baseball All-American.
Dwane signed a pro baseball contract with the Portland Beavers after the 1952 season and spent four years playing minor league baseball in the Northwest League.
After his baseball career ended, Dwane became a teacher at Corbett High School, and then moved to the New Clackamas High School, where he taught math, science and drivers education. He was also the varsity baseball coach and assisted in the football program. He retired to Fall River near Bend, Oregon, in 1989.
Dwane is survived by his wife, Donna; his children, Doug, Kari Johnston, and Mark; ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Holman- Hankins-Bowker & Waud, 715 7th St., Oregon City, Oregon 97045 at 1:00 p.m., on Saturday, June 23, 2012. Please see waudsfuneralservice.com for more information.
Dwane Helbig
