[Qcwa] Frank, W8OK, SK

[Gerd & Traudl]

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