First and foremost, Helms was a Cold Warrior who hated communism and the Soviet Union.

Last year, I wrote for NR on the creation of the Victims of Communism Memorial in DC. Helms played a significant role in its final realization:

One of the most important contributions came from retired senator Jesse Helms, who was an original sponsor of legislation authorizing the memorial. From his nursing home in North Carolina, he signed a letter that inspired a gift of $25,000. “That letter was probably the last official communication of his political career,” says John Dodd, head of the Jesse Helms Center at Wingate University.

It’s too bad that he’s gone, but everybody has to go–and isn’t it kind of wonderful that he died on the Fourth of July?