GOOD MORNIN' TO YOU THIS EVENIN' by Darryl Widman, KF6DI

Reg, KE6ZQY, was a student of mine. He earnestly wanted to learn. Often, people would hear him say of himself that he hadn't ever finished high school. But that didn't seem to deny his thirst for knowledge -- especially for electronic knowledge, and that centered around Amateur Radio.

Reg was a man of many talents and he often used them to help his fellow man. Those of us in SBARC were recipients of his good deeds. Perhaps, most of us will remember Reg for his talents in the cook kitchen and around the BBQ pits. His food would command applause from the critics amongst us. Many will remember a certain Hamfest a few years ago where Reg did a favor for the workers at the event. He got there earlier that the rest of us and cooked up a bunch of breakfast burritos that really hit the spot. Then, of course, he started to prepare the customary tri-tips and chicken dinner that absolutely knocked them dead.

If you had never ridden with Reg at the wheel before, then you had a real thrill coming. I had the privilige for the first time when several of us went down to the L.A. area for a transmitter hunt. Reg drove us in his van. Dennis, OBB, and I were in the rear seat. Dennis seems to love speed. I can remember preparing for the end. Others in the van must have ridden with Reg before and knew what to expect, but I didn't. He may as well have had a red light on the roof and a siren in the front grill. We were passing them like they were parked. I learned to handle it. We were looking for our turnoff and debated whether the next one was the right one. Then, at the last second, Reg was convinced that we should take the turnoff. It was a tight, 20 m.p.h. turnoff. I knew we would roll over. I could feel it. Here it comes ---- but he kept the wheels on the ground. It was a rather excited group in that van and I'm glad I brought another pair of underwear. Reg, in a "superior-to-thou" attitude, yelled "You guys just don't know how to drive!"

He will be missed. The "never to be seen without his hat on" guy had done it all, and his stories of his past were resplendent in detail. Reg was at home using all kinds of tools and was a handyman par excellent. One feels jealous that he hasn't done many of the things in his life that Reg had. Most of us haven't gone up into the mountains with our spouses to search for wild mushrooms to cook up with our dinner. Most of us haven't experienced the thrill of driving an eighteen wheeler down the highway. Most of us don't cultivate a full time herb garden to provide an endless variety of spices to add taste to our meals. Most of us don't have a grandfather clock in practically every room of the house. And most of us don't live in a house suspended from the sky by an antenna farm on the roof!

Our fondest wishes go out to Nerella, Reg's sweetheart and wife and helpmate. Life will ease after a while, as it should.

73 OM, "Reg" Reginato, KE6ZQY, SK di di di dah di dah