Sandy Helman

Sandy Isadore Helman Ph.D., otherwise known as “Curious Sandy” to his children because he always tried to understand how the world around him worked, passed away on July 14, 2024 at home with his family. Sandy was a very unique individual and will be missed deeply by his family and friends.

Sandy was born May 30, 1939 and raised in the North End of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. His parents, Frank and Lily Helman, emigrated from Eastern Europe to Canada and Sandy was grateful for their hard work and the sacrifices they made to give him and his older sister, Myra, a good life. When Myra married Samuel Schwartz he found a true brother and friend.

Sandy studied electrical engineering and excelled at the University of Manitoba, earning numerous awards and scholarships. He was a pioneer, working on one of the original cardiac pacemakers used in the operating rooms at Winnipeg General Hospital and earning a full scholarship for an M.S. in Bioengineering at Drexel Institute of Technology - one of the first programs of its kind. He received his Ph.D. in Physiology at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI in 1964. While he did his postdoctoral work at NIH and began his faculty career at Tulane University, he spent 41 years doing research, teaching, and mentoring doctoral students as a Professor of Physiology, Biophysics and Bioengineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He studied epithelial sodium transport with a variety of techniques in his laboratory. 

While working on his Ph.D. in 1963, he met the love of his life - Abetta (Abbie) Lee Savran in her parent’s living room one Friday afternoon in St. Louis Park, MN. When he saw her, he knew he was going to marry her and she cleared her weekend of dates to spend it with him. This was only the beginning of a magical life of love, laughter and family. They were married on Nov.1, 1964 in Minneapolis, MN and had two children - David Helman and Deborah Helman - whom they both adored and of whom they were very proud. Sandy and Abbie were not only partners at home, but at work where Abbie played a vital role in his laboratory. The many visitors hosted at the lab were often invited to stay at their home - the “Helman Hotel” - with some colleagues also becoming close friends.

Sandy loved classical music and won a Canadian national piano competition as a young man. As a teenager, he began his life-long hobby of building and flying model airplanes. He also was an amateur radio operator, which he enjoyed doing with his family.

Sandy is survived by his son David N. Helman, his daughter Deborah L. Helman and her husband and his friend, Wayne R. Hayes. He is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews and their families. He was preceded in death by his wife Abetta L. Helman; his father, Frank Helman; his mother Lily (Robins) Helman; his sister Myra Schwartz and brother-in-law Samuel Schwartz; and brother-in-law Bill Savran.

Graveside service for Sandy will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday July 18, 2024 at Mt. Hope Cemetery, 611 E Pennsylvania Ave., Champaign, IL.