Lawrence J. Helmer didn't mind serving his country when the government ordered him to remain on his job with a valve manufacturing company in Cincinnati during World War II.
He understood his job assembling machinery was needed for the war effort. But he resented the loss of control and vowed he would someday be his own boss, said his daughter, Patricia Quast of Villa Hills.
After years of back-breaking work, the Covington native with an eighth- grade education accomplished his goal. He founded Helmer Oil Co. in 1946, a business that he operated for 21 years - mostly in Florence.
Mr. Helmer, of Florence, died at his daughter's home Friday after a five- month struggle with lung cancer. He was 76.
Helmer Oil Co. was more than his livelihood.
"It was kind of a statement of himself and how he dealt with other people," Mrs. Quast said. "He wanted to provide people with personal service and he prided himself on that."
Mr. Helmer got into the oil business in 1946 when he bought a dilapidated gasoline truck and a list of customers from another man for $2,000.
Mr. Helmer ferried gasoline from plants on the Cincinnati side of the Ohio River back to Constance on the Anderson Ferry. He delivered the gasoline in buckets to people's homes.
A representative of Texaco was so impressed that he offered Mr. Helmer a distributorship, Mrs. Quast said.
Mr. Helmer bought property off U.S. 42 in 1954 and operated initially out of a barn, later building a bulk plant. He also purchased gas stations and leased them to operators.
Mr. Helmer owned half a dozen stations in Boone and Kenton counties at one time. He sold the business to Texaco in 1967 because of heart problems.
Mr. Helmer's wife, Frances Ann Helmer, died Dec. 4, 1986.
Besides his daughter, survivors include sons, David Helmer of Hebron and Dennis Helmer of Florence; sisters, Mary Schmidt of Villa Hills, Frances Grogan of Ft. Wright, Agnes Staverman of Erlanger, Dorothy Voskuhl of Crescent Springs and Evelyn Couch of Edgewood; brothers, P. Joe Helmer of Ft. Wright and Ed Helmer of Piner; and eight grandchildren.
He understood his job assembling machinery was needed for the war effort. But he resented the loss of control and vowed he would someday be his own boss, said his daughter, Patricia Quast of Villa Hills.
After years of back-breaking work, the Covington native with an eighth- grade education accomplished his goal. He founded Helmer Oil Co. in 1946, a business that he operated for 21 years - mostly in Florence.
Mr. Helmer, of Florence, died at his daughter's home Friday after a five- month struggle with lung cancer. He was 76.
Helmer Oil Co. was more than his livelihood.
"It was kind of a statement of himself and how he dealt with other people," Mrs. Quast said. "He wanted to provide people with personal service and he prided himself on that."
Mr. Helmer got into the oil business in 1946 when he bought a dilapidated gasoline truck and a list of customers from another man for $2,000.
Mr. Helmer ferried gasoline from plants on the Cincinnati side of the Ohio River back to Constance on the Anderson Ferry. He delivered the gasoline in buckets to people's homes.
A representative of Texaco was so impressed that he offered Mr. Helmer a distributorship, Mrs. Quast said.
Mr. Helmer bought property off U.S. 42 in 1954 and operated initially out of a barn, later building a bulk plant. He also purchased gas stations and leased them to operators.
Mr. Helmer owned half a dozen stations in Boone and Kenton counties at one time. He sold the business to Texaco in 1967 because of heart problems.
Mr. Helmer's wife, Frances Ann Helmer, died Dec. 4, 1986.
Besides his daughter, survivors include sons, David Helmer of Hebron and Dennis Helmer of Florence; sisters, Mary Schmidt of Villa Hills, Frances Grogan of Ft. Wright, Agnes Staverman of Erlanger, Dorothy Voskuhl of Crescent Springs and Evelyn Couch of Edgewood; brothers, P. Joe Helmer of Ft. Wright and Ed Helmer of Piner; and eight grandchildren.
Lawrence J. Helmer didn't mind serving his country when the government ordered him to remain on his job with a valve manufacturing company in Cincinnati during World War II.
He understood his job assembling machinery was needed for the war effort. But he resented the loss of control and vowed he would someday be his own boss, said his daughter, Patricia Quast of Villa Hills.
After years of back-breaking work, the Covington native with an eighth- grade education accomplished his goal. He founded Helmer Oil Co. in 1946, a business that he operated for 21 years - mostly in Florence.
Mr. Helmer, of Florence, died at his daughter's home Friday after a five- month struggle with lung cancer. He was 76.
Helmer Oil Co. was more than his livelihood.
"It was kind of a statement of himself and how he dealt with other people," Mrs. Quast said. "He wanted to provide people with personal service and he prided himself on that."
Mr. Helmer got into the oil business in 1946 when he bought a dilapidated gasoline truck and a list of customers from another man for $2,000.
Mr. Helmer ferried gasoline from plants on the Cincinnati side of the Ohio River back to Constance on the Anderson Ferry. He delivered the gasoline in buckets to people's homes.
A representative of Texaco was so impressed that he offered Mr. Helmer a distributorship, Mrs. Quast said.
Mr. Helmer bought property off U.S. 42 in 1954 and operated initially out of a barn, later building a bulk plant. He also purchased gas stations and leased them to operators.
Mr. Helmer owned half a dozen stations in Boone and Kenton counties at one time. He sold the business to Texaco in 1967 because of heart problems.
Mr. Helmer's wife, Frances Ann Helmer, died Dec. 4, 1986.
Besides his daughter, survivors include sons, David Helmer of Hebron and Dennis Helmer of Florence; sisters, Mary Schmidt of Villa Hills, Frances Grogan of Ft. Wright, Agnes Staverman of Erlanger, Dorothy Voskuhl of Crescent Springs and Evelyn Couch of Edgewood; brothers, P. Joe Helmer of Ft. Wright and Ed Helmer of Piner; and eight grandchildren.
He understood his job assembling machinery was needed for the war effort. But he resented the loss of control and vowed he would someday be his own boss, said his daughter, Patricia Quast of Villa Hills.
After years of back-breaking work, the Covington native with an eighth- grade education accomplished his goal. He founded Helmer Oil Co. in 1946, a business that he operated for 21 years - mostly in Florence.
Mr. Helmer, of Florence, died at his daughter's home Friday after a five- month struggle with lung cancer. He was 76.
Helmer Oil Co. was more than his livelihood.
"It was kind of a statement of himself and how he dealt with other people," Mrs. Quast said. "He wanted to provide people with personal service and he prided himself on that."
Mr. Helmer got into the oil business in 1946 when he bought a dilapidated gasoline truck and a list of customers from another man for $2,000.
Mr. Helmer ferried gasoline from plants on the Cincinnati side of the Ohio River back to Constance on the Anderson Ferry. He delivered the gasoline in buckets to people's homes.
A representative of Texaco was so impressed that he offered Mr. Helmer a distributorship, Mrs. Quast said.
Mr. Helmer bought property off U.S. 42 in 1954 and operated initially out of a barn, later building a bulk plant. He also purchased gas stations and leased them to operators.
Mr. Helmer owned half a dozen stations in Boone and Kenton counties at one time. He sold the business to Texaco in 1967 because of heart problems.
Mr. Helmer's wife, Frances Ann Helmer, died Dec. 4, 1986.
Besides his daughter, survivors include sons, David Helmer of Hebron and Dennis Helmer of Florence; sisters, Mary Schmidt of Villa Hills, Frances Grogan of Ft. Wright, Agnes Staverman of Erlanger, Dorothy Voskuhl of Crescent Springs and Evelyn Couch of Edgewood; brothers, P. Joe Helmer of Ft. Wright and Ed Helmer of Piner; and eight grandchildren.
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