Hans C. von Helms of Park Ridge, IL, passed away on January 29, 2020, at the age of 88. Hans was born on February 18, 1931, in Chicago, IL, and is the son of the late Johannes Karl Albrecht von Helms of Hamburg, Germany, and the late Anna (von Ehren) von Helms of Blankenese, Germany.
Hans is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Virginia (James). He was the loving and devoted father to children Laurel (Patrick), John (Dixie), Kirsten, and Susan (Harry). He was the dear brother of Ernst (Ella), Anna (Art) Schmidt, Walter (Holly), Rolf (Lorraine), Paul, Ingeborg (Richard) Heidorn, Helga (James) Conley, and Barbara (Paul) Anderson.
Hans earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1954. Throughout his career he designed machines, gears, pneumatic pumps & cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, and furnaces & ovens. He also performed stress test analysis, flow pressure drop analysis, and heat transfer calculations. His achievements at International Harvester included analyzing the design of a large scale scraper, finding that it would tip in a 90-degree turn, and recommending & making extensive design improvements so that it would not tip over.
Service and Interment were private. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (https://alz.org) in the memory of Hans.
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