Pete Helseth
October 15, 1956 - May 22, 2022
It’s hard to narrow down Pete Helseth’s life into a few paragraphs. His life centered on basic tenets- love of family and friends, love for the outdoors, and concern for the changing environment.
The younger son of Don Helseth and Lois Smith Coleman, he moved with them and older brother Larry from Phoenix to Denver in 1970. He attended Cherry Creek High School, then upon graduating, left for Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma. One of his favorite semesters there included canoeing with a friend from a branch of the Mississippi headwaters to St. Louis. He earned his degree in Philosophy and moved back to Denver. Eventually, he found himself in construction, and embraced efforts to build sound, sustainable homes and small energy efficient commercial structures. In 2009 he began efforts to earn his MA in environmental management and sustainability. He completed that two years later at Harvard University.
Pete’s family includes his two children, Megan and John, the two most important people in his life. His biggest pleasures included teaching them to ride bikes (later to drive manual transmission), going hiking, camping, and skiing, creating igloos, downhill slides for sledding off the porch, and coaching whatever sports he could, though baseball was his favorite! If he could find a new camping spot or explore a new vista, he enjoyed going and sharing with friends and family. He climbed over a hundred Thirteeners in Colorado (as well as others), later adding in mountain biking whenever he could. One of his favorites was Saddleback Mountain, right out his back door. If he ever needed space, a stretch, or good thinking time, it was his constant pleasure.
Pete’s passion for Clear Creek Open Space led to early acquisitions and planning for the P2P trail as well as numerous other projects now enjoyed by so many. He loved seeing people access and enjoy the outdoors safely. He loved living in Colorado, looking for ways to keep it clean and beautiful while including sustainable living options for his clients.
Pete fought valiantly for his life passions and his own life, losing the final battle May 22, 2022. In the end, he will be remembered for his genuine kindness, his passion for the outdoors life of Colorado, his love for his family, and his work promoting and guiding a sustainable future. He is survived by his wife Mary Lou, children Megan and John, his brother Larry and their family, Laurie, Sarah, and Kim, as well as his mother, Lois. He will be missed.