CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Governor Patrick Morrisey has ordered flags to be lowered to half staff at the Capitol Complex in Charleston and state facilities throughout the state to commemorate the life and service of Walt Helmick. Flags will be lowered beginning at Noon on September 9, 2025, and remain there until sunset on the day of internment.
“I am saddened by the passing of Walt Helmick, who spent many years of his life serving our state,” said Governor Morrisey. “Walt was a dedicated public servant whose decades of leadership – from serving his local community in Pocahontas County to his long tenure in the West Virginia State Senate, and later as our state’s Commissioner of Agriculture – left a lasting mark on West Virginia. His efforts improved the lives of many, especially those in our rural communities he cherished so deeply. I extend my condolences to his wife, Rita, and the rest of his family, along with his friends, colleagues, and loved ones.”
Walt Helmick was born in Webster Springs and received a bachelor’s degree from the West Virginia University Institute of Technology. He began his career in public service on the Pocahontas County School Board and the Pocahontas County Commission. Helmick went on to serve in the West Virginia Legislature for more than 20 years in both the House of Delegates and the Senate. He was later elected as West Virginia’s Agriculture Commissioner in 2012 and served in that position from 2013 to 2017.