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Welcome to the homepage of Munro Publishing. Here you will find descriptions of Ronald Munro Helmer’s two novels, Stag Party and Peddler in the Patch and the full text of his extensive memoirs. The memoirs comprise the following categories:
Ronald Munro Helmer (b. 1924 – d. 2005)
A lifelong Calgarian, Ron grew up in the southwest community of Scarborough. He attended Sunalta Elementary, Central High School, and the University of Alberta where he was the first Engineering student to hold the office of Students’ Union President. After graduating from university in 1946 as a Chemical Engineer, Ron worked briefly for Bird Archer Co., but soon realized he liked to run his own show. Ron then founded Helmer Chemical Company, which later became Tam O’Shanter Industries, Ltd.
Ron’s early success in the oilfield chemical business allowed him to pursue his two great loves: traveling and writing. Over his lifetime, Ron traveled extensively throughout every continent on the globe and wrote detailed, humorous accounts of his journeys and adventures. Of all his traveling adventures, he is probably best known for his 1954, 36-day crossing of the Pacific from Honolulu to Victoria in a 27-foot sloop with New Zealander, Deny Ryan.
In addition to his memoirs, Ron published two novels: Stag Party, an account of his adventures with New Zealand deer cullers, and Peddler in the Patch, a novel loosely-based on Ron’s experiences in the international oil industry.
In July of 2003, while being treated in Calgary’s Rockyview hospital for a broken knee, Ron fell and sustained a traumatic brain injury. After a steady decline of 36 months, Ron finally passed away with his wife Jean at his side, on December 17th, 2005 at The Beverly Centre in Calgary.
If you have any questions about Ron’s writings, or wish to share your private memories of the “irrepressible” Ronald with the family, please send an email to ron@worldlyguy.com.
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