Private graveside services for Dr. Walter Lee (Pete) Helton 87, of Cookeville, Tennessee were held Saturday, January 23, 2021 at Sloans Valley Cemetery in Pulaski County, Kentucky. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Pete, as he was affectionately known, died Thursday, January 14, 2021 at Cookeville Regional Medical Center. He was born on November 5, 1933 in Sloans Valley, Kentucky to N.D. and Dessie Wallace Helton. Survivors include his children Bruce (Jennie) Helton and Holly (Rick) Jarvis; grandchildren Allison (Zach) Ring, Abby Helton, Olivia Turbeville, Brett Turbeville, Olivia (Caleb) Cloud and Rexton Jarvis. A sister Judy Gholson and a brother Jim Helton. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by sisters Edna Beasley and Betty Helton, brothers Clyde and Donald Helton. Extended family includes Drs. Morgan and Plaxedes Chitiyo and their children Simbarashe and Kudawashe and Drs. George and Rufaro Chitiyo. He was a 1949 graduate of Burnside High School in Kentucky at the age of 15; Cumberland College 1951; University of Kentucky, B.S. in Geology 1959; M.S. in Geology 1964; University of Tennessee, PhD in Geology 1967. His professional career began in 1960 as a petroleum geologist with Ferguson and Bosworth Oil Company. He worked two years for the Kentucky Geological Survey. In 1966 Dr. Helton helped start the Department of Earth Sciences at Tennessee Technological University and served as Chairman of the Department from 1967 to 1993. In addition to his professional career, he was a member of the Rotary Club of Cookeville (noonday) for 50 years where he served as past-president, was a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and was chosen to lead the 1987 group study exchange team to Sweden. Pete was also a 50-year member of the Burnside Masonic Lodge. He was a graduate of the Army General School and served in Military Intelligence with the 7th Army Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany in 1955 & 1956. Dr. Helton was listed in Who’s Who In America; was a National Science Institute recipient; honorary Kentucky Colonel; member of the Geological Society of America and the American Institute of Professional Geologists. His numerous honorary society memberships include: Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society; Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society; and Sigma Gamma Epsilon Earth Science Honor Society. In 2014, he was the winner of TTU’s Mandala Award for international activism and friendship. An active member of First Baptist Church of Cookeville since 1966, Pete served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher. He served on and chaired various church committees. His most passionate work began in 1993 with his many mission trips to several countries including China, India, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil, Ecuador, Belize, Mexico, St. Lucia, Uganda, Zimbabwe and the Amazon River basin. He was instrumental in establishing an orphanage in Neshuro, Zimbabwe and volunteered his services as a visiting professor and scholar at Africa University in Zimbabwe. In China, he spent weeks working on conversational English skills with teachers and students as a way to share Jesus. He provided college tuition to adults in Zimbabwe and Uganda. Pete helped construct churches, provided eyeglasses and shared the gospel on his many trips to Brazil, India and China. Among his many works in Cookeville, he mobilized a group that donates to Smile Train, an organization for cleft lip surgery. He was also instrumental in developing financial assistance for a leprosy village in Hyderabad, India. Beginning in 1949 as a college freshman, Pete journaled most of his life. Sharing much of his family history, stories and accounts of his many trips with family and friends. Pete was many things to many people and never at a loss for words. The family request that friends and loved ones continue his story by sharing their memories with them. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Smiletrain.org, Habitat For Humanity, St.Jude‘s Children’s Hospital or Sloans Valley Cemetery Fund c/o Kara Beth Haynes, P.O. Box 655, Burnside, KY 42519. Hooper Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. (931)526-6111 Share thoughts and memories at www.hhhfunerals.com.