[CQ-Contest] Thank you, Tod Olson

[kzerohb at gmail.com]

Many of you know that Tod, K0TO, has long been fighting serious health issues.  

Tod and I “go back a long way”, our first QSO in 1968 when he was W0IYP and I was KG6AQI.  After my Navy service my new home is in a city neighboring his, and we became fast friends, contesting rivals, and I served as his Vice Director for two terms when he was the Dakota Division Director at ARRL.

I recently sent Tod an email, inviting to go out to lunch.  His response was a little slow (not characteristic), and he shared with me that he couldn’t make lunch with me, as he is in Idaho, in hospice care with Jackie, his wife of 63 years.  In my heart-of-hearts I suppose that this news isn’t surprising, but it’s a shock nonetheless.

Below is my response to Tod’s revelation.

From: kzerohb at gmail.com
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2016 7:22 PM
To: K0TO
Subject: Thank you

Your latest email saddens me beyond words.

Thanks for being my friend,  thanks for being a mentor, and thanks for sometimes being my critic.  Thanks for all those things you’ve done for me, and thanks for all the things I’ve seen you do for our communities, and for our hobby.

Oft times, standing around with families and friends after the padre has spoken comforting words and the “church basement ladies” have served up lunch, we hear comments which start like……

“Do you remember when……”

Tod, my friend, I remember when…..

..... and thanks for all those memories.  

73, de Hans, KØHB
"Just a boy and his radio"™