Andrew Patrick "Drew" Hellmuth

HELLMUTH, Andrew Patrick "Drew", 76, of Springfield, passed away February 14, 2022 after a challenging battle with Monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma (MEITL). He was born in Springfield, Ohio on January 12, 1946, the eldest and most handsome son of Andrew L. and Mary Helen (Quinlan) Hellmuth. Drew graduated from Gilmore Academy (Gates Mills, Ohio) where he was a member of the 1964 Undefeated Football Team and obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame in 1968. As a First Lieutenant in the United States Army, Drew was deployed to the Binh Dinh Province in Vietnam from October 1969 through November 1970 as an Airborne Ranger with the 173rd Airborne Brigade (better known as the "Sky Soldiers"). Upon returning to the States, he put his war experience in a box and built a civilian life for himself; family learned decades later he had been decorated with a Bronze Star. He obtained his Master of Business Administration in International Real Estate at Columbia University. However, as destiny would have it, he was reintroduced to a hometown girl, Patricia Agnes Meyer, while visiting home on Thanksgiving and asked her to marry him on that very first date. They were married August 12, 1972 at St. Teresa Church and both returned to Springfield to build a life together. Drew joined Link-Hellmuth Real Estate and invested his professional passion for 50 years as a Broker, Realtor, commercial and residential real estate developer, and educator. He gave unlimited hours to home buyers and sellers, and gave special attention to Realtors, particularly those starting out in real estate. He loved every minute of it. He was a member of the Springfield, Dayton, and Columbus Boards of Realtors, serving as President of the Springfield Board and of the Springfield Multiple Listing Service (MLS), and received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. He was one of Springfield, Ohio's biggest cheerleaders and throughout the years he greatly enjoyed being a relocation specialist and introducing new residents to town. For decades, his favorite day of the week was Tuesday, Link-Hellmuth's Education and Property Inspection Day, when the whole company would meet for real estate education, and then tour newly listed homes in Clark County. He loved thinking about, planning, and building places for people to live, work, and play. He was immensely proud to have worked with countless planners, architects, attorneys, and tradespeople on projects to improve the Springfield, Ohio community. These include Core Renewal, The Riverbend Building, Mercycrest, Kingsgate Commons, North Plum Condominiums, and the Kirby Preserve in Clark County, as well as the Northwest Professional Building in Upper Arlington, Ohio and the Coral Cove Park on Jupiter Island, Florida. He served on the Board of Directors for the Key Bank National Association for thirteen years. He was most proud of his appointment to Conservancy District, a position that he held for over 50 years. He exuberantly applied his creative thinking, planning and execution skills to countless members of the community in so many diverse situations. He frequently counseled young people, "Find something you enjoy, and you will never work a day in your life." Drew was devoted to his family and the community. To him, his family was business and his business was family. As the oldest son, he felt a deep duty and was proud to continue the legacy in real estate and business established by his predecessors on both the Quinlan and the Link/Hellmuth sides of the family. He embodied the work ethic of those who came before him. He was a life-long support to his mother, his aunts Mary Rita Hellmuth and Rosie Kelly, and his sisters, Anne, Beth, and Kathie. He deeply admired his sister, Lou, for her contributions to the Hellmuth family. For decades, he seldom missed watching Notre Dame games with his mother and younger sister, Beth, who was the lens that put his life in focus. He was an advisor, a confidant, and partner to his brothers, John and Robert, and his brother-in-law, Tom Loftis. Drew adored his family deeply. He never missed an opportunity to tell his children he loved them, how proud he was of them, or to thank them for coming to visit. He delighted in his son-in-law, Douglas Bosner, and his daughter-in-law, Caroline Graf, and never wavered in his enthusiasm for their endeavors. He was enchanted by his grandchildren, Quinlan, Rowan, and Sloane, and took great effort to be a part of their lives, even during a pandemic. He was never happier than when all of his children and grandchildren were gathered under one roof, especially in the home he loved so dearly. Drew was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Mary Helen (Quinlan) Hellmuth; sisters, Mary Ann and Mary Beth Hellmuth; uncle, Paul F. Hellmuth; aunts, Mary Rita Hellmuth, Rosie (Quinlan) Kelly, Katie (Quinlan) Kindl, and Ann Marie Quinlan; mother-in-law, Jane Meyer; nephew, Steve Meyer; and several unborn children. Drew is survived by his best friend and wife, of 49 years, 6 months, and 2 days, Patty. As their years together progressed, she became his business partner and most recently, caregiver through cancer and a pandemic. He had two children, Deborah (Douglas) Bosner of Upper Arlington, OH, and Andy (Caroline Graf) Hellmuth of Dublin, OH. He was the "World's Greatest Grandpa" to Quinlan Bosner, and Rowan and Sloane Hellmuth. He is survived by two sisters, Kathie Hellmuth and Mary Lou (Tom) Loftis, all of Springfield, and two brothers, John (Deb) Hellmuth of Naples, FL, and Bob (Linda) Hellmuth of Dublin, OH. He will be missed by several in-laws on Patty's side of the family: Judy Back (Jay) of Tulsa, OK; Jim (Jane) Meyer of Mansfield, OH; Art (Val) Meyer of Kettering, OH; and Mike (Patty) Meyer, Mary Jane (Dan) McHugh, and Janice (Mike) Halpin, all of Springfield, OH. Twenty-three nieces and nephews and their significant others, and twenty-seven great-nieces and -nephews will miss his antics. Drew's loved ones would like to thank all of Drew's family and friends for their love of him and support throughout his life. While perhaps this obituary is lengthy, his family would like to remind all of Drew's gift for long, in depth conversation and also that he hadn't placed a real estate advertisement in the Springfield News-Sun in quite a while. Visitation will be Sunday, February 20 from 1-4pm at CONROY FUNERAL HOME, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30am on Monday in St. Teresa Catholic Church. Donations in Drew's name may be made to the National Trail Parks and Recreation or St. Teresa Catholic Church.