[TAC] K8DD remembered

[Mike Zedan]

Hi Ian:

That is a great remembrance of Hank.

I've been turning over a way to relate my feelings about Hank, but having a terrible time doing so.  Just tonight, in responding to a letter from my kids, it came together, as inadequate as it is.

Here's what I wrote to them:


You know, I've been thinking a lot about what made my relationship with Hank so special.  He certainly had friends with which he had closer relationships, for much longer than he knew me.  What made my relationship with Hank so good for me is that his knowledge level of radio technology, and the working of Ham radio was more than superficial.  He had an in-depth grasp of things.  To top things off, he never acted as though I were someone who was taking time away from his other relationships.  This was built into his personality deeper than anyone I've met in a very long time, if ever.  My recent thoughts have likened knowing Hank with meeting, and getting along with, someone who is a celebrity.  Despite living the life of a celebrity, because of circumstances or just plain innate personality, he had this marvelous way of making those with whom he was interacting at a particular time feel as though they were his main interests.  He was a friend (in every sense of the word) to anyone who didn't come off as a insufferable idiot.  Even with the latter, he managed (without conscious thought) to avoid coming off as a snob, as some of us are wont to do.


Take Care, Ian,

MikeZ


Hank Kohl or K8DD as he was known by many of us, was my best friend, a 
willing accomplice, and a father figure rolled into one. When he moved 
to Lum, it became easy to spend many days together goofing off, playing 
radio and eating Schwan's Ice cream bars. We would go to Radio club 
meetings, contest, work on antennas, go on dx'peditions and more. During 
our many trips out to dinner, Hank and I would sit and talk about radio 
while our wives would roll their eyes and talk about what ever it is 
that wives talk about. He was never bored and always had some sort of 
project to work on. Even if we really didn't accomplish much at all 
during a visit, just being together, playing radio and doing nothing in 
particular, truly were some of the best times of my life.

Hank selflessly gave a lot of his time to various amateur radio groups 
and was always a welcome guest at club meetings and gatherings. He made 
many friends all over the country and the world, and looked forward to 
going to Dayton every year to see many of them face to face. You could 
always call him up and ask him for help with something and he'd drop 
what he was doing to give you a hand no matter what it was. If you 
needed help with a computer or anything related to amateur radio, he had 
the answer or could help you find out what you wanted to know. No matter 
how simple your question was, he never treated like you were stupid even 
if you probably should have known the answer.

Hank loved to laugh and there were many times when we would end up 
laughing so hard, tears would come to our eyes and our sides would still 
hurt the next day. I'm sure a couple of you guys remember the 'sending 
of the sweepstakes exchange challenge' between Hank and Marty (K8MV). I 
can't think of any other time in my life when I laughed so hard AND 
wished I was wearing a gas mask. There is a reason one of Hank's 
nicknames was 'the divine wind'.

Hank and I were constantly joking around. It was common to give each 
other a hard time if one of us messed something up. I knew exactly what 
he meant when he would grunt the words "Uh huh". Sometimes he would just 
let out a big sigh, look at me, push up his glasses with his middle 
finger and grin. If I made a comment about his age he would say "Keep it 
up and you won't make it to be this old". Sometimes people would ask us 
if we were father and son. Hank would look at me, shake his head and say 
"If he were my son he wouldn't have lived this long". If you made the 
'mistake' of asking him "How are you?" he would quickly respond and say, 
"Great, fine, wonderful, superb, stupendous, fantastic. If I was any 
better I'd be twins." Many people would laugh, some would looked 
confused and overwhelmed, and others just didn't quite know what to say. 
No matter how people reacted, Hank didn't mind, he just loved to 
interact with the people he'd come across everyday on his way through life.

I'm sure Hank would want me to share a favorite saying of his his, which 
he truly believed.

“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of 
arriving safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in 
sideways, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming ‘Wow 
– what a ride!’”

Henry my friend, I'll see you again someday. I look forward to sitting 
around, having a beer and playing radio with you, Buck, and our other 
friends that make it there before I do. I know it may sound cliche' but 
I couldn't have asked for a better friend and mentor. I miss you 
terribly and I was very fortunate to have you in my life. When you 
passed you left a hole in many of our hearts that won't easily be 
filled. 73 OM, good luck in the contest and good dx.

Ian - K8MM

p.s. I want to thank everyone that sent me email and wished me well as I 
deal with this tremendous loss. Many of you that have been through this 
before understand the ups and downs one goes through. The pain doesn't 
lessen but intervals of time between moments of tears becomes longer 
everyday.
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