Harold Hellbaum
Encyclopedia
Harold Hellbaum was a prominent farmer
, rancher, and businessman in Platte County near Wheatland
north of Cheyenne
who was a Republican
member of the Wyoming House of Representatives
from 1963-1977. He was the House Speaker
during his last two-year term from 1975-1977.
Hellbaum was born in Wheatland to Herman Hellbaum (1892–1970) and the former Lydia Lust (1895–1988). He was reared on the family farm near Chugwater
, where he attended all twelve grades of public school, having graduated in 1944. He later attended the University of Wyoming
in Laramie
. After college, he returned to assist his father with raising wheat
and cattle
and running the Tri-County Elevator
Company.
Hellbaum served on numerous boards and committees, including the Chugwater School Board and the Wyoming State Board of Education. He was a charter member of the trade association
, the Wyoming Wheat Growers Association. He was a board member of the American Heritage Center of the University of Wyoming.
He was first elected to the legislature in 1962 during the administration of Republican Governor
Clifford Hansen
. His service ended when he was Speaker during the administration of Democratic
Governor Edgar Herschler
.
Even after he left the legislature, Hellbaum remained active in Republican politics. He attended several national party conventions as a delegate. When Ronald W. Reagan became U.S. president in 1981, Hellbaum retired from farming to become the Wyoming state director of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service
, a position which he retained until 1994.
Besides his farm and ranch activities, he was also involved in concrete
, banking, and commercial development.
On September 17, 1950, Hellbaum married the former Margaret L. "Peggy" Otis (November 30, 1927 - May 10, 2002).
Hellbaum died in Platte County Memorial Hospital in Wheatland. He was survived by two daughters, Rebecca H. "Becky" Hartmeister of Lubbock, Texas
, and Holly Johnston (born 1955) of Wheatland; two sons, Robert L. "Rob" Hellbaum (born 1958) of Chugwater and Bruce A. Hellbaum (born 1960) and wife Catherine of Wheatland, and six grandchildren, Aftann, 25, (Rob's), Angela, 22, (Rob's), Nathan, 20, (Rob's), Danielle, 17, (Holly's), Paige, 15, (Bruce's), and McKenzie, 13, (Bruce's).
Hellbaum is interred in Chugwater Cemetery.
After Hellbaum's death, three other former Cheyenne-area lawmakers died within three months: Republicans Joseph D. Selby
on April 20 and Larry D. Shippy
on June 8, and Democratic Representative Edwin H. Whitehead
on May 20, 2007.
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
, rancher, and businessman in Platte County near Wheatland
Wheatland, Wyoming
Wheatland is a town in and the county seat of Platte County in southeastern Wyoming, United States. The population was 3,548 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wheatland is located at ....
north of Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
who was a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Wyoming House of Representatives
Wyoming House of Representatives
The Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 60 Representatives in the House, representing an equal amount of single-member constituent districts across the state, each with a population of at least 9,000. The House convenes at the Wyoming...
from 1963-1977. He was the House Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
during his last two-year term from 1975-1977.
Hellbaum was born in Wheatland to Herman Hellbaum (1892–1970) and the former Lydia Lust (1895–1988). He was reared on the family farm near Chugwater
Chugwater, Wyoming
Chugwater is a town in Platte County, Wyoming, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 244.-History:In a 2005 promotion to attract new people to the town, building lots were offered for $100 provided the new owner built a house within a year and lived in it for at least...
, where he attended all twelve grades of public school, having graduated in 1944. He later attended the University of Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
in Laramie
Laramie, Wyoming
Laramie is a city in and the county seat of Albany County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 30,816 at the . Located on the Laramie River in southeastern Wyoming, the city is west of Cheyenne, at the junction of Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 287....
. After college, he returned to assist his father with raising wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
and cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
and running the Tri-County Elevator
Grain elevator
A grain elevator is a tower containing a bucket elevator, which scoops up, elevates, and then uses gravity to deposit grain in a silo or other storage facility...
Company.
Hellbaum served on numerous boards and committees, including the Chugwater School Board and the Wyoming State Board of Education. He was a charter member of the trade association
Trade association
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association or sector association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry...
, the Wyoming Wheat Growers Association. He was a board member of the American Heritage Center of the University of Wyoming.
He was first elected to the legislature in 1962 during the administration of Republican Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Clifford Hansen
Clifford Hansen
Clifford Peter Hansen was a Republican politician from the American state of Wyoming. He served as both the 26th Governor and U.S. senator...
. His service ended when he was Speaker during the administration of Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Governor Edgar Herschler
Edgar Herschler
Edgar Jacob Herschler , popularly known as "Gov. Ed", was the 28th Governor of Wyoming from 1975 to 1987. Herschler built a personal appeal to voters based on charisma, a small-town background, and shrewd political maneuvering to such an extent that he was the only three-term governor in Wyoming...
.
Even after he left the legislature, Hellbaum remained active in Republican politics. He attended several national party conventions as a delegate. When Ronald W. Reagan became U.S. president in 1981, Hellbaum retired from farming to become the Wyoming state director of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service
Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service
Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service was an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture. It administered programs concerning farm products and agricultural conservation...
, a position which he retained until 1994.
Besides his farm and ranch activities, he was also involved in concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
, banking, and commercial development.
On September 17, 1950, Hellbaum married the former Margaret L. "Peggy" Otis (November 30, 1927 - May 10, 2002).
Hellbaum died in Platte County Memorial Hospital in Wheatland. He was survived by two daughters, Rebecca H. "Becky" Hartmeister of Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, and Holly Johnston (born 1955) of Wheatland; two sons, Robert L. "Rob" Hellbaum (born 1958) of Chugwater and Bruce A. Hellbaum (born 1960) and wife Catherine of Wheatland, and six grandchildren, Aftann, 25, (Rob's), Angela, 22, (Rob's), Nathan, 20, (Rob's), Danielle, 17, (Holly's), Paige, 15, (Bruce's), and McKenzie, 13, (Bruce's).
Hellbaum is interred in Chugwater Cemetery.
After Hellbaum's death, three other former Cheyenne-area lawmakers died within three months: Republicans Joseph D. Selby
Joseph D. Selby
Joseph David Selby was a Cheyenne lawyer who served as municipal judge from 1978–1982 and as a Republican member of the Wyoming House of Representatives from District 41 in Laramie County from 1995-1997....
on April 20 and Larry D. Shippy
Larry D. Shippy
Larry Deleo Shippy was a Republican member of the Wyoming House of Representatives, having served in Laramie County District 8, including part of Cheyenne, from 1993–1996. Shippy was known for his efforts to expand the privatizing of government services...
on June 8, and Democratic Representative Edwin H. Whitehead
Edwin H. Whitehead
Edwin H. "Ed" Whitehead was a lawyer in Cheyenne, a former Democratic member of the Wyoming House of Representatives, and an early supporter of John F...
on May 20, 2007.