[CQ-Contest] RE: [FCG] K4OJ SK

[K0LUZ]

I'm devastated.........  I had wished Jim the best in a private message a
few days ago and have been thinking of him,  but not in spectrum of anything
being extremely serious.  This was just something that Jim would work
through and I would look forward to see his smiling face at meetings and the
opportunity to sit down and just chat.

Most of you all ready know this,  but before Jim arrived in Florida,
Contesting in Florida was pretty much unorganized wasteland.  There were a
few of us that worked at it,  but it seemed that we were few and far between
and there was hardly anyone that I knew that was a contester.  I figured
that most hams spent their time at the beach or by the pool and ham radio
was registering a far second in priorities.  Jim changed that,  he started
FCG and I figured he would find 10 people in Florida to join and then it
would fold after some frustrating years.  But it didn't happen as the club
membership today represents.  But in addition to that,  Jim has drawn the
members closer together and I know most of the contesters now.  When I ran
across Jim on the band,  a smiling face went with the call.  He amazed me
and I know there are others who also made the club grow and be what it is
today,  but he was #1.

Helen,  I am really going to miss Jim,  but that is nothing to the grief you
and his family is going through.  I offer most my most heartfelt condolences
and I am really really going to miss him.
Jim,  I miss you already.

73 Red
K0LUZ


-----Original Message-----
From: fcg-bounces at kkn.net [mailto:fcg-bounces at kkn.net]On Behalf Of Ellen
White, W1YL
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 3:28 PM
To: foc_members at yahoogroups.com; FCG; CQ-Contest at contesting.com
Subject: [FCG] K4OJ SK


Dear friends:

In September of 2002 K4OJ sat at this computer and wrote a poignant obituary
honoring his father, W1CW, who had died that very morning.

On this afternoon of February 12, 2004, it is my reluctant turn to sit here
and tell you that Jim did not survive yesterday's surgery.  He left us about
11:30 a.m. this morning following liver failure after the somewhat risky
heart valve replacement.

Just this past weekend he had a tremendous time operating the FOC Marathon
and producing a splendid accounting of himself.  This was just one more
achievement during his lifetime of fun in and service to Amateur Radio and,
in particular, the Florida Contest Group of which he was the first
president.  His operating abilities were manifest and he almost always the
first one to volunteer his help, in spite of his declining physical
abilities.

I know many of you will share my loss.


Ellen, W1YL/4 "ln"


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