Helmut S. Seaman
February 03, 1929 - June 21, 2016
Obituary
MIDDLETON-Helmut Seaman, died on June 21, 2016 in Madison. He was 87. Born in Heidelberg, Germany on February 3, 1929, he was the son of Sigmund Seaman and Friedel (Hartmann) Seaman. He was married to Mildred Haller in 1961 in Madison. They lived in Madison for many years before moving to Middleton in 2002. Helmut left Germany for the United States as a 12 year old with his mother and sister in September of 1941. After reuniting with his father, who emigrated to the U.S. a year earlier, the family started life together in Ames Iowa. He graduated from Ames High School and received a Bachelor's degree in architecture from Iowa State University. In 1956, after serving two years in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, Helmut moved to Madison to work as an architect at Flad and Associates before working as an architect for the State of Wisconsin. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the supervising architect for at least two buildings on the University of Wisconsin Madison campus. In addition he managed projects on the UW campus in Milwaukee. He was a long-standing and enthusiastic member of the Madison Maennerchor, serving as Secretary, Treasurer, and Trustee. He was active in the Madison Turners and a serious Formula 1 racing car fan. He and Millie loved to travel and traveled extensively. Millie died in 2005. Helmut is survived by his sister Elizabeth Chilton (Roland) of Amherst Massachusetts, by his cousin, Ariane Bruendl (Gary) of West Vancouver, Canada, and by several nephews and nieces in the Chilton, Haller, and Wittmann families, as well as cousins and their families in Germany and Switzerland. A Memorial Gathering celebrating Helmut's life will be held at GUNDERSON WEST FUNERAL & CREMATION CARE, 7435 University Ave., Middleton from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 30, 2016. There will be a time of sharing beginning at 4 p.m. His ashes will be buried next to Millie's in the Saint Luke's Church Cemetery in Plain Wisconsin at 11:00 A.M. on July 1, 2016. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.
Events
Gathering
Thu Jun 30, 2016 @ 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM CDT
Gunderson Funeral and Cremation Care - Madison • 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, WI 53716
Photos
No photos of Helmut have been shared yet.
Memories
RS
Rhonda Seligman
Other •
To the Helmut family. Helmut was a part our decade life at Deiningers restaurant. Every Saturday evening I looked forward to seeing his smiling face and the only thing he ever did to annoy us was " I hate grilled asparagus " and that's just the way Peter did it! Sometimes when it wasn't busy Peter would poach it for Helmet and he would smile! A smile I loved and will never forget a great man I will never forget and a friend i will never forget . Rest in peace Helmut.
AB
Ann C. Bliss
Other •
A man most gracious and generous in spirit and in his presence. He will always have a place in my heart. But I'll still be looking for him in the hallways, and I'll miss him. Ann (Gartzke) Bliss.
LB
Lisa Bu
Other •
I was fortunate to be a member of a 4-people group of friends, Helmut included, who had dinner-and-conversation every Friday for three years. We have very different background and life experiences (2 Germans, 1 American, 1 Chinese), but shared same curiosity and passion about life. It's amazing that we still hadn't run out of topics after three years. Those conversations are what I miss most after leaving Madison.
Helmut always brought a bottle of champagne to each dinner. One time Emy and I exchanged stories about the Remy wine -- Emy's reminiscence from her past as an chemist, and my observation of Remy's popularity in China. At the next dinner, I brought a bottle of Remy to surprise Emy, but found, alas, there was already a bottle of Remy from Helmut on the table. Helmut and I had a good laugh and high-five: "great minds think alike".
You are missed, Helmut. Let me pour a glass of wine to celebrate your life and bless the next journey of your soul.
AB
Ann Bliss
Other •
I wonder if anyone would know whether Helmut had a favorite charity to which I could make a donation in his memory. Perhaps the organization where he adopted his "new" cat? I'm not seeing anything listed in the obituary. I've asked Gunderson and they say the family hasn't provided that information.