BEULAH, Mich. -- Thomas G. Schoonover, from
Beulah, Mich., died peacefully January 2, 2013.
Tom was born April 19, 1936, in Findlay, Ohio, the son of Ray and Ruth Schoonover.
He is survived by Mary (Heldman), his loving wife of 52 years, son Doug (Lori)
of Grand Haven, Michigan, daughter Annette (David Lean) of Washington, D.C. and
grandchildren, Samantha and Ryan Schoonover.
Tom was a 1954 Liberty High School Class graduate and a graduate of DeVry,
Chicago.
He retired from Harris Corporation in 1995 after a 30-year career in broadcast
sales.
Tom's life-long passion was amateur radio. Licensed as K8BTE in the early 1950s,
he was a life member of the national association for amateur radio, the American
Radio Relay League. Tom was currently serving as the ARRL Emergency
coordinator (EC) for Benzie County, Michigan, and led the Benzie Amateur Radio
Friends (BARF) local ham radio group.
Tom enjoyed time with family snow skiing, water skiing, fishing, barbecuing and
traveling. His other passions were music, golf and outstanding wines of
the world.
In retirement, Tom also became active in the Benzie Sunrise Rotary.
But
most importantly,
All the Michigan locals know that Tom was really born the same year gravel was invented, regardless of whatever fake ID he used. In 2001, Tom was reborn as he was assimilated into the IOOK. Tom was well known for his charisma, his attention to details, and his willingness to boldly go where nobody else dare---by being the resident leader of the BARF group, particularly in managing the group's monthly BARF Breakfast [expletive details deleted].
Thanks
to Tom's mastery of cat herding in his teens, he
was able to guide the tiny Benzie county BARF group into becoming the dominant
regional ARES/RACES group, considered a model for the district.
Tom's belief in bringing yesterday's technology back to life, …today…,
was evidenced in his BARF group being the first in the region to resurrect the
outdated 'packet' mode. While his
love for antiquated slow speed data modes confounded many, nothing less could be
expected by an IOOK VP (sadly, his plans for an American Morse Code weekly NTS
net have not yet been realized).
Tom
cherished his IOOK Vice Presidential duties as he felt it was a way of providing
some 'Ying' to counter the 'Yang' of his long term involvement with so many
brain-numbing TV stations decimating our culture.
He often lamented that being a VP of Harris was nothing compared to that
of the IOOK, and only wished he had achieved the wisdom of the IOOK earlier in
his life.
A memorial service will be held June 15, 2013, at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Beulah, Michigan.
Many thanks to John - KF8KK and HamHock for providing the information above!
R.I.P. Tom!
