Henry "Dusty" H. Helbling

Dusty Helbling was born in April 21, 1934, in a farm house built by General Booneville, which was remodeled in 1932 and used as the club house for Rolling Knolls Country Club. Dusty died October 12, 2023. His dad, Henry W. Helbling was the Golf Pro there for 7 years. His mother, Daisy D. Helbling played a round of golf as time would allow, and always took Dusty with her. So the story goes that he has been swinging a golf club since he was two years old.

In 1942 the Helbling family moved to Fort Worth Texas. His interest in the WW11 air planes grew when he was allowed to set in the seat of one of the planes there. When he returned to FS, he saved his money and paid for some flying lessons and acquired his pilots license.

Other interests were developed, while living in Fort Worth--during his high school days. After school, he started traveling to amateur rodeos, around the three state area. He began participating in rodeos all over the United States, during his days off with the FAA. He also worked with ABC Wide World of Sports, did some P.R. and was a cartoonist for the Rodeo Sports News.

He attended Fort Smith Junior College for one semester, then joined the Air Force and began his training as a Radar Aircraft Controller. When his 4 year tour ended, he pursued his dream of becoming an Air Traffic Controller and then he retired with 31 years of service as an air traffic controller with in Fort Smith.

Dusty has a son from a previous marriage, James H. Helbling and a daughter, Beverly D. Helbling Klein. Beverly passed away in 1988, Leaving behind her five year old daughter Susan E. Klein, of the Ft. Smith area. After retirement, he changed his hobby from his love of antique cars for which he owned several, to collecting radios, and was the co-founder of the Ft. Smith Antique Radio Club. Among other hobbies, Dusty loved working with leather making tools. He made beautiful belts, wallets, purses,book covers and briefcases.

Dusty had been involved in mandatory education of the handicapped and was a speaker before the legislature, for the handicap youth in Arkansas . The Kennedy Foundation asking him to organize Special Olympics in 13 counties in NWA, He served as the Director for the first 12 years of that program.

Dusty's father Henry Helbling encouraged his interest in antique golf club collecting, and as a result, he began collecting golf clubs and put together a traveling golf exhibit to include about 25 showcases and over 1500 golf related items. He and his wife, Jean, were featured at golf tournaments, and several PGA Golf and charity events. He thoroughly enjoyed hosting a one hour special on Fox Network pertaining to the history of golf and sharing his golf collection with them. After the seven year tour with the exhibit, he settled in at the Wiederkehr Winery and opened his Golf Museum. While there, he wrote about golf history for several golf publications, and received an International Award for the Preservation of Golf History.

When the golf museum closed, he began research for the Trail of Tears routes, for around 20 yrs.---Most of that research went to the National Park Services, Sequoyah National Research Center, Cherokee Nation and Seminole Nation for the preservation of their history.

The things he was interested in and promoted, allowed him to be involved in some very unique situations to meet TV and movie stars, Hall of Fame inductees from baseball, football, and golf and even two Presidents of the United States. His life has been interesting to say the least.

He is survived by his wife, Jean Helbling of 39 yrs. of Ozark, a son James H Helbling and a granddaughter Susan E. Klein of Ft. Smith, a sister Judi Jo Sabin of Huntsville AL, and two step sons Marc and Shawn Richardson of OK.

He is preceded in death by his daughter Beverly D. Klein and his parents Daisy and Henry Helbling, of Fort Smith.