Husband, Father, and Scientist
Robert Helliwell 鈥�58
August 7, 2016, in Morgan Hill, California.
Robert Wesley Helliwell was born in 1930 in Minot, North Dakota. He wrote his Reed thesis, “A Photographic Method for Determining Shock Wave Variables,” under Professor William Parker [physics 1948–79], and paid his tuition by working in the summers as a surveyor.
Prior to attending Reed, Robert served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Hawaii. He later told Peter Renz ’59 a harrowing story about confronting and disarming a soldier who went rogue in the middle of the night. “He led his life with great courage and absolute integrity,” Peter says.
After leaving Reed, Robert graduated with a degree in materials science and engineering from Stanford and worked at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii for 25 years before moving to Thailand in 1992. He is survived by his wife, Somjit, and his sons, Martin and Brian.
Appeared in Reed magazine: Fall 2025
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The Lives they Led
Psychotherapist and Illustrator
Lifelong Learner, Teacher, and Community Builder
Working for the Public Good
Prolific Programmer and Transpersonal Psychologist
Visionary and Enthusiast
Tenacious Scholar in an Evolving Field
Physicist, Professor, and Researcher
Never a Follower, Always Charted His Own Path
Builder, Uniter, Mentor
Mother, Baker, Musician
Director of Private Music Instruction at Reed [1988–2010]
Professor of English at Reed [English 1973–78]
Cherished Friend, Daughter, Sister, Cousin, and Niece
French Teacher and Docent
Well-Traveled Economist
Visionary Drummer, Advocate for Tribal Fisheries, and Recognized Authority on Bigfoot
Physician, Neurologist, Teacher, and Advocate
Composer, Arts Administrator, Archivist, and Historian
Award-Winning Musician, Played With Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, and Woody Shaw
Nurturer of Communities
Educator and Journalist
Professor at Dartmouth College and the University of Toronto
Pioneering Cardiologist, Inventor, and Entrepreneur
Beloved English and Piano Teacher
Transcending the Script
Maven of Orchestration
Documenting Justice and Injustice Alike
Acclaimed Blues Guitar and Piano Player
Committed Musician and Teacher
Loved Working at the Bilingual Crossroads in Technology and Publishing
Leading Economist and Respected Expert on Finance
Pioneer in the Field of Alternative Somatic Therapies
Senior News Producer at Reuters
Advocate For Collaboration, Team Building, and Personal Connection
Immigration Law Attorney
Public Health Lecturer
Big Brain, Big Heart, a Lifetime of Learning
Devoted Her Life to Education and Music
Never a Follower, Always Charted His Own Path
Avid Hiker and Chemist
Accountant and Aquatic Traveler
Discoverer of Radiopolarography and Nobel Prize Winner
Poet of the Page and the Skies
Actress and Humanist
Pioneer of Law Technology
Playwright and Provocateur
Scholar of Chinese Culture and Language
Insightful Critic and Dedicated Poet
Venerated Long-Distance Runner
Master of the Ancient Art of Japanese Carpentry
Longtime Programmer and Adventurous Explorer
Activist and Mystery Enthusiast
Advocate for Trauma Survivors
Acclaimed Anthropologist
Pioneering Physicist
Beloved Husband, Devoted Father, Treasured Grandfather, and Venerated Professor
Broadcaster and Outdoorsman
