[GreenKeys] FW: DON OSTRAND - R.I.P.
COURYHOUSE at aol.com
COURYHOUSE at aol.com
Sat Jan 18 03:08:49 EST 2014
Sad to hear of his passing.... Ed#
In a message dated 1/18/2014 1:03:23 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
w7tty at centurylink.net writes:
Date: Sat Jan 18 05:12:07 2014
From: MAIN CONSOLE
To: ITTY, GREENKEYS
Subject: DON OSTRAND - R I P
ITTY LISTENERS AND GREENKEYERS - - -
IT IS WITH GREAT REGRET THAT WE ANNOUNCE THE PASSING OF MR. DON
OSTRAND, CURATOR OF THE MUSEUM OF COMMUNICATIONS, RECENTLY RENAMED
THE HERBERT H. WARRICK, JR. MUSEUM OF COMMUNICATIONS.
DON PASSED AWAY AS A RESULT OF COMPLICATIONS ENCOUNTERED
DURING SURGERY WEDNESDAY MORNING IN SEATTLE.
HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE SANDRA AND THREE CHILDREN. HE WAS 75.
DON WAS A LONG TIME EMPLOYEE OF PACIFIC NORTHWEST BELL, AND AFTER
RETIREMENT REMAINED IN CHARGE OF THE MUSEUM.
ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR THREE LOCATIONS, SPOKANE, WASHINGTON,
PORTLAND, OREGON, AND SEATTLE, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE THREE
LOACATIONS OF THE MUSEUM OF COMMUNICATIONS WAS ANNOUNCED BY H. E.
WARRICK, JR, A PNW BELL EXECUTIVE IN, 1985. UNFORTUNATELY, THE
SEATTLE FACILITY WAS THE ONLY ONE SET UP.
DON WAS A TRULY PEOPLE-ORIENTED PERSON AND ALWAYS HAD A GOOD WORD FOR
EVERYONE. CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL EXHIBITS OF THE HISTORY
OF TELEPHONY, ONE OF THE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY DON AND STAFF
WAS THE ACQUISITION OF A BRITISH PUBLIC TELEPHONE BOOTH AS ONE SO
OFTEN SEES IN MOVIES SET IN BRITAIN.
BELOW IS THE SEATTLE TIME STORY OF SEPTEMBER 8, 1995, DEPICTING THE
AMAZING EFFORTS AND REMARKABLE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION THAT ENDED
UP WITH ONE OF THOSE RED WONDERS SITTING IN A POSITION OF HONOR.
HERE'S THE SEATTLE TIMES STORY - - -
BUT DOES IT TAKE DIMES? -- BRITISH PHONE BOOTH COVERS LONG DISTANCE
TO JOIN SEATTLE MUSEUM
BY JACK BROOM - SEATTLE TIMES REPORTER
THESE DAYS, ANYONE CAN GET A LONG-DISTANCE TELEPHONE CALL. BUT DON
OSTRAND GOT A HOLD OF SOMETHING MORE EXTRAORDINARY: A LONG-DISTANCE
PHONE BOOTH.
OSTRAND, CURATOR OF SEATTLE'S VINTAGE TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT MUSEUM,
YESTERDAY TOOK POSSESSION OF A BRIGHT RED, CAST-IRON ENGLISH
TELEPHONE KIOSK, BELIEVED TO BE AT LEAST 70 YEARS OLD.
ITS 8,000-MILE JOURNEY TO SEATTLE REQUIRED HELP FROM HAM-RADIO BUFFS,
TELEPHONE-COMPANY WORKERS AND RETIREES, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER JOHN
MAJOR, THE ROYAL AIR FORCE, THE BOEING CO. AND A MAMMOTH RUSSIAN
CARGO PLANE.
"IT'S BEAUTIFUL," OSTRAND BEAMED AS THE 8-FOOT-TALL BOOTH FINALLY
TOOK ITS PLACE AMONG THE SWITCHBOARDS, TELEPHONES, LINES, FIXTURES,
INSULATORS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT THAT CROWD HIS SMALL MUSEUM IN THE
GEORGETOWN AREA.
CREDIT FOR THE BOOTH'S PRESENCE IN SEATTLE GOES PRINCIPALLY TO PAUL
TURNHAM, 49, A RESIDENT OF CENTRAL ENGLAND WHO STOPPED BY THE MUSEUM
ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHILE VISITING A SEATTLE FRIEND AND MUTUAL
AMATEUR-RADIO BUFF, DICK BENDICKSEN.
THE TWO MEN DECIDED THAT A CLASSIC BRITISH DOME-TOPPED BOOTH WOULD BE
A VALUABLE ADDITION TO THE DISPLAY, AND TURNHAM SET ABOUT TO PROCURE
ONE.
BACK HOME, GETTING BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS TO COME UP WITH A
SURPLUS BOOTH WAS THE EASY PART. "THEY SAID: `WHERE DO YOU WANT IT?'
SO WE SAID, `WELL, JUST SET IT RIGHT HERE IN THE FRONT GARDEN,' "
SAID TURNHAM, WHO HAD CREWS PUT IT ON A GRASS STRIP BETWEEN HIS
WIFE'S FUCHSIAS AND MARIGOLDS WHEN IT ARRIVED EARLY THIS SUMMER.
THE BIGGER CHALLENGE WAS FIGURING HOW TO GET THE THREE-QUARTER-TON
RELIC TO SEATTLE.
ANOTHER AMATEUR-RADIO FRIEND CONTACTED A NEARBY U.S. AIR FORCE BASE
IN ENGLAND BUT WAS TOLD THE AIR FORCE COULD MOVE THE PIECE ONLY IF IT
WAS OWNED BY THE U.S. MILITARY OR AN AMERICAN MILITARY-SERVICE MEMBER
RETURNING HOME.
TURNHAM WROTE TO AIRLINES AND TO A TELEVISION PRODUCER FOR HELP,
RECEIVING NO REPLIES, BEFORE HE GOT THE IDEA TO CONTACT NO. 10
DOWNING STREET.
"MY FRIEND SAID, `YOU CAN'T SEND A LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER.' AND
I SAID: `WHY NOT? IF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW YOU NEED HELP, THEY CAN'T HELP
YOU,' " TURNHAM RECALLED.
SURE ENOUGH, A STAFF MEMBER IN MAJOR'S OFFICE RESPONDED WITHIN DAYS,
ENLISTING THE COUNTRY'S FOREIGN OFFICE AND CONSULATE IN SEATTLE. THE
WHEELS BEGAN TO TURN.
A ROYAL AIR FORCE TRUCK HAULED THE BOOTH TO AN AIRPORT IN DARBY,
ENGLAND, FROM WHICH ROLLS ROYCE ENGINES ARE SHIPPED FOR NEW BOEING
777S.
A BRITISH FREIGHT COMPANY THAT TRANSPORTS THE ENGINES ON RUSSIAN
ANTONOV 124S, ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST AIRCRAFT, TUCKED THE PHONE
BOOTH IN WITH ITS SHIPMENT OF TWO ENGINES THIS WEEK, TOUCHING DOWN AT
BOEING FIELD YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
TURNHAM WAS ON HAND FOR THE ARRIVAL, BEAMING WITH PRIDE.
THE ONLY DIFFICULT MOMENT CAME AS A CRANE LIFTED THE BOOTH TO THE
SECOND FLOOR OF THE MUSEUM, NOT FAR FROM THE AIRPORT. A STRAP SLIPPED
AND THE BOOTH DROPPED ABOUT 8 FEET, DENTING A DOOR ON THE BUILDING
BUT CAUSING NO DAMAGE TO THE BOOTH ITSELF.
"MY HEART STOPPED," TURNHAM SAID. "I COULD ALMOST SEE IT CRASHING TO
BITS."
TODAY, DIGNITARIES FROM THE BRITISH CONSULATE WERE TO FORMALLY
PRESENT THE PIECE TO THE MUSEUM, WHICH IS OPERATED BY A VOLUNTEER
STAFF OF PRESENT AND FORMER PHONE-COMPANY EMPLOYEES CALLED THE
TELEPHONE PIONEERS OF AMERICA.
THE PUBLIC MAY SEE THE BOOTH, AND THE TELEPHONE MEMORABILIA, ON
TUESDAYS FROM 8:30 A.M. TO 2:30 P.M. ADMISSION TO THE MUSEUM, AT 7000
E. MARGINAL WAY S., IS FREE.
DON - THOSE WHO KNEW YOU WILL SURELY SMILE WHEN YOU COME TO MIND.
REST WELL.....
NNNN
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