Eric Helming, 1968-2015

Eric Helming, an East Meadow High School teacher whose ability to make people laugh and learn — often both at the same time — made him a beloved figure among students and colleagues alike, died on Feb. 14, of heart failure. He was 46.

His death has had a profound impact on the East Meadow community, where he not only taught for the past 18 years, but lived, with his wife, Jodi, and two sons, Logan, 12, and Payson, 11, both students at Woodland Middle School.

Helming, who taught social studies, was known for his wide-ranging knowledge of not only history, but a variety of subjects ranging from music to popular culture, from literature to television.

But what he was best known for, his colleagues agreed, was making people smile. “If there’s any one word you can associate with him, it was laughter,” said Bob Koleba, who taught with Helming for 18 years at East Meadow High, and played music with him after school hours. “When that guy laughed, you could hear him clear on the other side of the building. That was his superhero power: He could make people laugh.”

Helming’s lighthearted and approachable nature broke down the traditional teacher-student barrier, making him one of the most popular educators in the school. He was declared the school’s Best Teacher several times, based on a vote by students in the yearbook. “Mr. Helming treated his students more like friends,” said Lauren Nissenbaum, 20, who had Helming as a teacher in 10th and 12th grades. “His humor was contagious, and he always made people look forward to coming to class every day. He was one of the most popular, loved, appreciated and respected teachers — and persons — I’ve ever met.”

A proud Iowa native and a lover of Mountain Dew, Helming was born in Davenport on July 7, 1968. He met Jodi, who teaches in the Mineola School District, when the two were working at an Arizona high school nearly 20 years ago. They married in 1998 — the same year they moved to New York together — and settled in East Meadow seven years ago. Their son Payson is named for the Arizona town where they met.

Throughout his tenure at East Meadow High, Helming taught social studies in all grades — nine through 12 — to all types of students — from special education to Advanced Placement.