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Bill Heller and His Son (me)
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My dad, Bill Heller, was born in 1927, just two years before the great stock
market crash. "I had nothing to do with that!", he's fond of saying, sometimes
to no one in particular. His creative mind and perspective on life manifested
themselves in everything he did, even where creativity was not called for.
When in the army, for example, his most noteworthy responsibility (when not
on Kitchen Patrol), was writing citations for soldiers who got
wounded or performed valiantly in the war (the Big One, dub-ya dub-ya two).
Yet, because the acts these soldiers performed were mundane if not outright
boring, he would "embellish" stories (often making up new ones), turning
each soldier's performance into a courageous act of honor and valor. This
made him extremely popular among the troops, who were then anxious to get
into dangerous situations, such as digging latrines. A slip of a shovel,
might, for some lucky soldier, earn him a Purple Heart and citation from
Bill Heller, depicting daring attempts of disarming landmines deep behind
enemy lines.
After serving his duty to our country, he decided to use his great creative
gift of fiction to pursue a degree in Journalism from Northwestern University.
But, like most who graduate from the arts, he left college
unemployed and confused, a state he's come to appreciate and even enjoy.
However, his father wouldn't have it, so he put Bill to work in the family
business, Canton Barrel and Bag, collecting debts owed by foriegn
customers who couldn't speak English. His first assignment was Mexico, where he
not only collected the debts, but also befriended the people, sometimes giving
them citations for valiant acts. This led to his illustrious career selling
barrels to wine companies around the world. He eventually ran the company
without parental supervision, and for the next 35 years, he grew the business
with vigor and enthusiasm (when he wasn't sleeping on the couch in his office).
Scenic Canton, Ohio
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In his personal life, he dutifully created a family and housed them
at 4814 Gardendale in scenic Canton, Ohio. But this didn't stop
his creative juices from flowing. For over 35 years, he traveled
around the world, peddling his wooden wares and schlepping his trusty
Pentax 1000 camera. From countries like Colombia, Haiti and Ecuador to
France, Belgium, Austria and Australia, Bill Heller's face remained glued
squarely in the eyepiece of his camera, focused on the people, culture and
landscapes of the world... until they made him go home.
Join me now, as I present the photos of Bill Heller, my dad.
Harbor at Castries, St. Lucia
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Danny (me), 1966(?)
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Two girls going to festival (France)
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Taxi Stand (Sevilla, Spain)
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Danny w/Guinea Pig (1970)
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French Horn Players (France)
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Man and Burro (Italy)
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Town Square (India)
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Old Cart (Spain)
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Loading Milk (Mexico)
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Kids on Beach (Santa Marta, Colombia)
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Communion (Spain)
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S. Fruttuoso, Italy
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Market Day (Latagunga, Ecuador)
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Indian Woman (Bolivia)
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City Water Center
Quezaltenango, Guatemala
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Watermelon Vendor
Istanbul, Turkey
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Ship Captain
Lake Lucerne, Switzerland
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Street Scene
Santiago de Campostella,Spain (1981)
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Boy Fishing (France)
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Citizens of Volendam (Holland)
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Town Center (Belgium)
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Dressed for Festival (France)
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Chaffing Wheat (Spain)
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Mother and Child
Highlands of Ecuador
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Selling Candied Apples
Mexico
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Boy with Cat
Colombia
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Kids on Beach (Santa Marta, Colombia)
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Canal Finish (Belgium)
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Streetsweeper (Spain, 1974)
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Preparing Food for Sale (Mexico)
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Kids at Home (Japan, 1959)
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Going to a Party (Trinidad)
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Going to Kindergarten (Southern France)
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Israeli Army (Israel, 1959)
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Girl Carrying Water (Mexico)
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Flamenco (Spain)
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Bondi Beach, Sydney (1981)
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Just Kids (Mississippi)
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Split Harbor (Yugoslavia)
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Haiti
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