Honoring our departed members
Rod England, KB8LSG
Rod England (KB8LSG) lost his fight with cancer. Rod had been an active with the Newark Amateur Radio Association in years past. Rod will be missed.
John Cochrane, W8QQ
John Cochrane W8QQ died of congestive heart failure at his home on Friday morning, March 14, 2003. He was 81. First licensed in 1936 at the age of 15 in Brookline, MA, he was an avid ham all his life. He graduated from Harvard University in 1943 and joined the Navy to serve in the Pacific in WWII. He was instrumental in pioneering the use of early shipboard radar and was proud of his contribution to winning the War. After the war he married his wife Ann, and became a petroleum geologist. They had two children, John Jr. and Susan. John and Ann lived in Oklahoma for a while, and he was later a consulting geologist for a time in Peru, where he was active as OA1E, and also in Greece (but couldn't get permission to operate there). He and his family finally settled in Granville, Ohio, where he became W8ILH and ran his own oil and gas company, Jonsu, which he fondly named after his children. He was active in public service events and a persistent DXer, reaching the DXCC Honor Roll and working DXCC on 7 bands, but his proudest achievement was upgrading to Extra Class at age 78 and becoming W8QQ! He was always a gentleman and role model on the air, usually present in the morning Medicare Net on the 2-meter repeater in Lancaster, Ohio, and participating in the Old Codgers' Nets daily on 20 and 40 meters. He loved to tinker with homebrew and commercial ham gear, experiment with antennas, and operated a very respectable home station. He also loved to operate mobile from his car. John was the kind of Amateur Radio operator who was loved and respected by all who knew him.
Randolph "Randy" (Shag) Smith, N8KBE
Randy died Thursday September 16, 2010 at Genesis Hospital in Zanesville. He was 68. Randy was a firefighter and EMT with the Hanover Volunteer Fire Dept., a member of the IBA, Pirate Radio Club, Trustee for Newark Amateur Radio Association (NARA), NRA, and a Vice Commodore of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Post # 184. He loved to ride motorcycles as he was a Harley-Davidson enthusiast, and enjoyed amateur radio. He will be sadly missed by all that knew him.
Roy G. Bentley, WD8RBB
Roy died on Monday, November 07, 2011, at the age of 79. He was born October 3, 1932 in Neon, Kentucky. Roy was a Korean War veteran who served in the United States Army. He was an Air Force Civilian employee at the former Newark AFB. He worked in many high technology areas including RF & Microwave and DC & Low Frequency measurements within the Air Force Primary Standard Laboratories prior to his retirement. He enjoyed showing up at NARA Field Day and joined in the many discussions. He had served as a Trustee of NARA. He will be missed. Obituary
Dr. Henry Hook, KD8QA
Dr. Hook died in his sleep at his home in Newark on Saturday, February 1, 2014. At the mid-turn of the last century, electronics became strikingly important in the fields of pulmonary and cardiac medicine and Dr. Hook began studying this field as it applied to his practice of medicine. From this interest came the stimulus to become licensed in the field of radio communication. He earned his Eagle Scout award in 1941, was on the camp staff of Camp Falling Rock, and attended the first National Scout Jamboree in Washington, D.C. in 1937. Henry's wish was to have his amateur radio station KD8QA setup for use at Camp Falling Rock for use by Scouts into the future. He will be missed by all that knew him. Obituary
Howard R. Watts, Jr., AB8LW
Howard died peacefully Saturday April 18, 2015, at his home, surrounded by family. He was born January 24, 1924, in the home, to the late Howard R. and Ada D. Watts. He retired from Newark Air Force Base in 1984 after 36 years with The United States Government. Howard was a Past Master Mason of his Lodge 32nd Degree York Cross of Honor. He was also an avid Ham Radio Enthusiast. Howard home-brewed many ham radio projects including a Six Meter 5-element Yagi still in use at one of his many friend's amateur radio stations. He will be missed by everyone who knew him. Obituary
