From: Gerd & Traudl [Schrick@copper.net]
Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2003 3:34 PM
To: AlexCr@worldnet.ATT.net; W8GNV@Juno.com; EdSonny@aol.com;
Jerryrx@erinet.com; Tramho@aol.com; K8JE@arrl.net; K8qoe@aol.com
Subject: Fwd: Frank, W8OK, SK


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>Date: Sat, 31 May 2003 15:23:34 -0400
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>From: Gerd & Traudl <Schrick@copper.net>
>Subject: Frank, W8OK, SK
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>Frank Schwab, W8OK, became a silent key last Thursday, May 29, 2003.  
>At
>age 77, he spent his last days fighting cancer at the Hospice of the 
>Dayton Veterans Center.
>
>Last Sunday, Dale Huffmans column: "Ham hero fighting for his life", 
>was
>totally devoted to Frank.and is reproduced here with Dale's permission.
>
>
>'Ham' hero fighting for his life
>
>By Dale Huffman [From the Dayton Daily News: 5.25.2003]
>
>  Some call him Mr. Hamvention.
>
>Frank Schwab, who uses call letters W8OK, is credited with getting
>Dayton's Hamvention started 52 years ago along with a couple of friends 
>who, like him, were devoted amateur radio operators, known as "hams."
>
>The annual event, which began with a convention of 600 radio operators 
>at
>the old Biltmore Hotel downtown well over half a century ago, has grown so 
>much that last weekend more than 30,000 ham radio enthusiasts from around 
>the United States and more than 30 countries descended on Hara Arena for 
>the 2003 Hamvention.
>
>For the first time since he got the annual event off the ground, Schwab
>was unable to attend.
>
>As the Hamvention activities were going on, Schwab, 77, a retired 
>printer,
>was fighting for his life in the Hospice unit in the hospital on the 
>grounds of the Dayton Veterans Affairs Administration Center.
>
>"Frank wanted to be there. I could just feel it. But he just didn't 
>have
>the strength to go," said his wife of 56 years, Carolyn, of Butler Twp. 
>"He is still alert at times, but is under medication. But he knew the 
>Hamvention was happening, and he asked about it, and thankfully some of 
>his radio buddies came by to see him here in hospice."
>
>Carolyn is at her husband's side as he wages the biggest battle of his 
>life.
>
>"He is fighting cancer," she said. "And then last week he had a heart
>attack. He's dealing with pneumonia and congestive heart failure. We are 
>all doing a lot of praying."
>
>Frank and Carolyn Schwab have 12 children, seven women and five men. 
>They
>range in age from 35 to 54. All are college graduates and in professional 
>careers. And all of them are spending time at their father's side this 
>Memorial Day weekend, in support of their mother who has been there around 
>the clock.
>
>Carolyn, a retired nurse, left the room long enough to talk a bit about
>her husband, and his contributions to the community and the world of 
>amateur radio operators.
>
>"Frank was a U.S. Navy radio operator stationed on the U.S. Ingersoll
>during World War II," she said. "At the end of the war he continued his 
>love affair with radios, and from the first day I met him he has been 
>totally involved in that wonderful world."
>
>Carolyn continued: "Frank is such a family man and so devoted to his
>children and to me. He taught his kids honesty, hard work, loyalty, 
>compassion. And he always has such a wonderful sense of humor about 
>things. I think he is quite an inspiration to his kids and his 30 
>grandchildren."
>
>Schwab has been honored for his ham radio work, and was presented the 
>top
>DX Hall of Fame award 10 years ago. DX is the ham radio designation for 
>long distance, one of the niche specialties in the ham world. Schwab leads 
>the world with radio contacts in 376 countries.
>
>After a tornado ripped through Xenia in 1974, it was Schwab who set up
>communications and kept Xenia in touch with the outside world. And Schwab 
>also is credited with helping establish the Skywarn program, which uses 
>ham radio operators to watch the skies and report conditions to the 
>national weather service during severe weather.
>
>"He is just an incredible man, so devoted to those radios and using 
>them
>to touch lives," said daughter Paula Wathen. "He is very loyal and loving 
>father, and I can honestly say that every value I hold dear I learned from 
>my father, and my mother."
>
>And Dale's condolences:
>.... My heart is with you, the family, the ham operators and all of 
>those
>who feel this loss so deeply.
>Warmly,
>Dale.
>
>73, Gerd, WB8IFM
>