Dick was born in 1941, and earned his Extra Class license early in life. He had a passion for amateur radio, and joined our club in February 1976. Since day one, Dick was a proactive member, and became Vice President in 1978 and President in 1979. After that time, he wanted to give other members the opportunity to lead, so he graciously stepped down and ran for a Council seat in 1981. He stayed in that position until the end of 1984.
In 1985, the club experienced a rough time – so Dick didn’t waste any time in creating a strategy to turn the club around. His first suggestion was to change the name of the club from the “Carson Amateur Radio Club” to its present name, the “South Bay Amateur Radio Club.” Dick felt the Carson name was too localized, and that a name change to “South Bay” would engender a larger audience. He was right! Shortly thereafter, the membership grew, and as a result, the club was asked to participate in more and more community events and activities. The club received another boost as the 220 band repeater became an open machine in Palos Verdes for the entire South Bay amateur community to enjoy. Field Day became a big part of our yearly event schedule, and we started working with the City of Torrance to support their events.
Dick was re-elected Vice President in 1986 and President the following year. He served as President again from 1987 to 1989. During this time he arranged to have the City of Torrance proclaim Amateur Radio Week from June 20 to June 26, 1988. The club assisted with the Torrance Armed Forces Parade and enjoyed a significantly larger exposure to the community. After re-vitalizing the club, Dick stepped back for several years until his re-election as Council member in 1993.
In 1994, Dick initiated the South Bay ARC Blood Drive which helped the Torrance Memorial Medical Center Blood Bank tremendously. He also became a VE liaison for a number of years, club coordinator for the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, attended Council meetings as always, and so much more.
Dick was always a calm and steadfast member of our club. He was a keen leader that kept everything on track, and beneficial to everyone involved. He enjoyed every aspect of the club, and shared his thoughts and guidance to help navigate the club past difficult times.
Dick, we want to thank you for all of your hard work and continued dedication to our club over these many years. Your suggestions and leadership made a real difference, and set the example for all of us to follow. We will miss you, Dick.
– The South Bay Amateur Radio Club Members
Leave A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.