Omar Keith Helferich

In memory of Keith Helferich, we honor a remarkable individual whose contributions to the supply chain industry and beyond have left an indelible mark. As we bid farewell, we cherish his legacy, knowing that his impact will endure through the Circle of Excellence Award, a testament to his visionary leadership co-founding it in 1993. Keith’s dedication to environmental stewardship, his unwavering support for underprivileged and underserved communities, and his intellectual prowess stand as enduring testaments to his character. Though he may have departed, his spirit lives on through the countless lives he touched and the lasting imprint he left on the world. Keith will be dearly missed, but his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.

Keith, to a wonderful brother in law, rest in peace

What a full and incredible life! As a lapsed Kentwood Rotarian, I did not have the privilege of knowing him but his record of making lives better for others speaks for itself. He was certainly a man of action…and the world will miss his contributions as well as the Rotary. He is someone that deserves to rest in peace with few regrets.

Godspeed, Omar. You will be missed

Uncle Keith was truly a man of spirt and faith. He was an extension of Grandma Katie and Grandpa Omar. Kind, passionate, caring for others and their Lord. If I recall, his first sail boat was a yellow sunfish. He took me sailing when I was a young man out of high school, it was on his bigger boat in Lake Michigan. When we were getting ready to leave the dock, the dock man kicked us away from the dock, the same time I was kicking off. In the drink I went, down what felt like 30 feet to me. He calmly looked down, ask if I was ok, and sent down the rope ladder, and off we went. Of all the memories growing up, he was always such a calm, gentle and wise man. He walked his life in the way of Jesus. We are here to serve first. He will be greatly missed by those left here on earth, who loved him, respected him, and whom he loved.
The few times I had seen him over the last several years. You could tell, he was so happy and in love with Patricia and their life together and the work they were doing. And always of his family.
He is now and forever living the ultimate with Jesus..

It is difficult to find words which adequately memorialize Keith’s life and legacy, so perhaps some comments and recollections are appropriate at this time. As a brother-in-law and member of the extended Ports family we spent countless hours celebrating holidays, birthdays, tailgates and just getting together. He was also one of my best friends and I always enjoyed deep conversations with him because no subject was treated lightly. Keith had an amazing capacity to ask questions and often I would find myself answering his question without realizing he had asked it. One experience we had together is worth sharing. Briefly, I had purchased a boat in Bay City and took it to Petoskey with the help of a captain. Now the challenge was to get the boat to Grand Haven. Knowing that Keith was an accomplished sailor I called him to ask if he would help. He accepted my plea. We left Petoskey on a calm morning, stopping at Leland for a quick lunch then heading toward Grand Haven. Lake Michigan got a bit angry and we encountered a very stiff following sea then, without any warning, a very dense fog. My new boat was not equipped with radar but I remembered that Keith’s sailboat did not have radar. Immediately my mind was put at ease because for the moment it was enough to just have Keith on board. After 3 hours of going very slowly and blowing the horn almost constantly we reach Grand Haven. Miraculously the fog lifted and we could see the Grand Haven lighthouses and easily took the boat to our destination, our marina. Looking back I now realize that Keith clearly understood that if we could find the lighthouses we had a very good chance of reaching our port, the marina. So it was with his life because he found or discovered many beacons which led to significant accomplishments. One destination he reached now stands out because, at the end of life’s journey, it is the only destination that really matters. That destination is the Lord’s house where Keith now rests in peace and eternal rest. May God bless his soul now and forever.