Clyde and I met in 8th grade at Westhaven where, believe it or not, we had Mrs. Zurhellen for English and Science. (We learned more from her in one year than most of us had ever learned in several!) Clyde and I were both into amateur radios (I was WN4BFX), and we each had novice licenses that year, the kind that required at the time only Morse code communication and not 'talking.' We communicated between our houses (a mile or so apart) by Morse code in a way that would make our grandchildren today gasp incredulouslya. It might as well have been the 19th century! Clyde was a very smart, personable guy who served as our Cotton Carnival Prince that year, and he represented Westhaven in the spelling bee, as I recall. Much later, he and I reconnected when he was having a very hard time punching through grief after his wife's death. I hope I was able to help him out a bit, having been-there-done-that myself. He was an utterly nice guy whose recent, sudden death shocked me beyond belief. I had so looked forward to catching up with him in October.
Mark Pilkinton
Clyde and I met in 8th grade at Westhaven where, believe it or not, we had Mrs. Zurhellen for English and Science. (We learned more from her in one year than most of us had ever learned in several!) Clyde and I were both into amateur radios (I was WN4BFX), and we each had novice licenses that year, the kind that required at the time only Morse code communication and not 'talking.' We communicated between our houses (a mile or so apart) by Morse code in a way that would make our grandchildren today gasp incredulouslya. It might as well have been the 19th century! Clyde was a very smart, personable guy who served as our Cotton Carnival Prince that year, and he represented Westhaven in the spelling bee, as I recall. Much later, he and I reconnected when he was having a very hard time punching through grief after his wife's death. I hope I was able to help him out a bit, having been-there-done-that myself. He was an utterly nice guy whose recent, sudden death shocked me beyond belief. I had so looked forward to catching up with him in October.
John Donahoo
In Mak's piece, he writes touchingly about Clyde's grief over his wife's death. They obviously constructed a happy life together. No mean feat.
It is a tender tribute.
Thank you, Mark.