HELTON Jr., William Francis

June 17, 1964 – February 9, 2024

Following a hard-fought battle with cancer, William F. Helton Jr. of St. Bernard, Ohio passed away peacefully on February 9th at the age of 59 years. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 32 years, Sarah; daughters Morgan, Lauren (Jason), and Layla (Corey); grandson Louie; sister Bethany (Kevin); and countless other relatives and friends.

He was predeceased by his beloved sister, Brandy, and his parents William Sr. and Rebecca.

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Bill graduated from Mt. Healthy Highschool (Fight on Owls!) where he cultivated a love for football and rock 'n' roll. In the 80s and 90s, it is quite possible that you shot pool with Bill or that he was the (self-proclaimed) worst DJ at your favorite watering hole - who always remembered and played your song whenever you walked in the door. You might have met him throwing strikes (or the occasional gutter ball) in the WEBN Bowling League or maybe he faithfully delivered your beer for many years. From the 1981 Freezer Bowl to the 2022 Super Bowl, Motorhead was a die-hard Bengals fan. During football season (depending on the decade), you could find him lurking in the stadium with the infamous Rail Gang or getting rowdy outside of his Bengals Bus in Lot D with his Tailgreats.

Bill also took great pride in the St. Bernard community and constantly found ways to give back by DJing at the pool, the German Luau, and various festivals, honoring our vets during Memorial Day flag raising ceremonies, announcing Titan sporting events, and in his day-to-day work for the St. Bernard Service Department for over 20 years.

But Bill's love of football and St. Bernard doesn't hold a candle to how much he loved his daughters. From soccer matches to orchestra performances to beauty pageants – Bill always showed up loudly and proudly for his girls. He passed along his love of music, passion for life, unapologetic authenticity, and ferocious brand of friendship to each of them in their own way.

Yes. Bill lived life to the fullest. Through his nearly 5-year journey with cancer, he never let his condition stop him from having fun, going to shows, and bringing joy (most often in the form of questionably appropriate humor) wherever he went. Bill did not lose his battle with cancer, no. It was just time for a man who fought so hard for so long to get some well-deserved rest.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. So, start drafting your best Bill stories and come prepared for many, many laughs.

Memorial donations may be made to The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) 383 Main Ave, 5th Floor Norwalk, CT 06851 or at themmrf.org.

The family wishes to send a heartfelt thank you to the staff at the Thomas Center and Good Samaritan Hospital 14 CD. Your tender care and genuine companionship have been an indispensable source of strength for Bill and his family through every step of this journey.