FROM Bill and Eileen TO You

Ron:

Here is the notice I have been trying to put on BRF for several days. Hopefully you will be able to get it up for me. I was trying to put it on the "Boat Racing Encyclopedia" Forum, as I felt that was where it should be. Just can't figure out why I can post on the other forum and not the one I am trying to put this on. There are LOTS of thing I do not understand about computers though.

Bill


Those of you who either raced yourself or spectated, especially in the Midwest, DePue APBA Nats and Alexandria, La. NOA World Championships in the mid to late 60's, all of the 70's, and a good part of the 80's, will surely remember the name Stanley Leavendusky, Jr., AKA "Butch". He came by his boat racing talents naturally as the son of Stan Leavendusky Sr. Stan Sr. was a champion in his own right having won the C Racing Runabout APBA Championship in the early 60's. Stan Sr. was also a very talented motor builder and built many C Service motors that Butch campaigned, and also the C&D Flatheads that he raced early in his career and also later the C&D Konigs that Butch ran towards the end. Stan Sr. also built engine for others, and Rex Hall, presently the GRM motor dealer learned much about motors in Stan Sr's basement shop. In addition Stan Sr. furnished all the pistons used in the Flathead motors put out by Quincy Welding. He also furnished pistons for the Konigs during that same time.

Butch won the APBA 500CC Runabout Championship in Ackworth, Ga. in the early/mid 80's and hung up the helmet and life jacket several years later. He also was a many time National Champ in C Service Hydro and Runabout in APBA and a World Champ in NOA in the same classes.

During recent years Butch has fallen on some difficult times health wise, first about 12 years or so ago with several Heart surgeries, then later on with a couple of Strokes, a torn rotator cuff injury spring of 2013 as a result of a fall caused by dizziness brought on by the strokes, and most recently a 36 day hospital visit that ended Christmas Day when he got home from esophageal tumor surgery. The surgery was only supposed to have him down for about 7-10 days but complications developed from the surgery based on previous medical problems requiring a longer stay than anticipated.

I am writing this post now that he is home to inform any of his former competitors or friends that I am sure, based on several phone conversations I have had since he got home, that he would take kindly to best wishes from any of these old friends that would like to send a card or give him a call. Contact information is below.

A word of caution if you call him. Please respect his sleeping hours from about 7:00PM in the evening to about 7:00AM in the morning. If he sound a little "cranky" if you call him, just remember that is a genetic condition inherited from his Dad, Stan Sr. I am sure those who knew Sr. will understand what I am talking about.

The prognosis is good and from what I am told that his Dr. passed on to him, all the tumor was able to be removed. He may possibly have to do some Chemo/additional treatment, but now is just working to get thru rehab. He has lost a lot of wgt,(which we all need to at present age) but is able to enjoy three good meals a day for the first time in at least a year.

Contact info is as follows:

Stan Leavendusky Jr. (Butch)
15500 Dusky Lane
Alexander, Ar. 72002 Phone 1-501-580-7823

Thanks and please contact him if you would like, I am sure he would be appreciative.