From the Fringe: Steve Helmbrecht will be missed

Havre lost a great man yesterday, and I would like to personally take this opportunity to recognize what an amazing person Steve Helmbrecht was.

First and foremost, if you went to school in Havre, or on the Hi-Line, played a sport, or had just about any other reason to get your picture taken, Steve was usually the guy. As a professional photographer, Steve did incredible work. Not just from an artistic standpoint, but what amazed me more is just how hard he worked. Steve seemed to be everywhere, from team photos, to school portraits, to senior pictures and family photo sessions, it seemed like Steve was constantly working.

And his work will always be remembered. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in this town, or in our area, who wasn’t photographed by Steve at some point in their lives. 

And because of his abilities and his dedication, Steve built up one of the most iconic businesses in our community. Helmbrecht Studio is a cornerstone business in Havre, has been for decades, and all of us should be grateful to Steve for that. 

But Steve wasn’t just a great photographer who captured Havre through his lenses all these years, he was, to me, an even better person. I will never forget how Steve would always remember my name through my youth and teenage years. When we were growing up, he may have only seen me once or twice a year, but he always remembered who I was, and what’s amazing is, I’m sure it was like that for thousands of others he photographed through the years. 

Then, as I became an adult, I was lucky enough to get to know Steve on a level where I eventually was able to call him a friend and colleague. Whether it was 20-plus years of him photographing my Havre High tennis and golf teams, or collaborating on different things through the Havre Daily News , I feel very fortunate to have been able to spend as much time as I did with Steve. 

And having spent as much time as I did, this is what I will always remember most about Steve Helmbrecht — he was quite simply, one of the nicest people I’ve ever known. Steve was such a genuinely nice person. I never saw him not smile, and I never heard anything but positivity come from him. He was just that nice, and such a good, good person.

Yes, Havre has lost a piece of its soul, in my opinion. Steve was such a huge presence in our community, and I will cherish the fact that I was able to know him for as long as I did.

So to that I say, rest in peace, Steve. Havre will miss you, but, through your incredible work, you’ll never, ever be forgotten. And from myself and all of us at the Havre Daily News, our condolences to the entire Helmbrecht family.