Thread: In memory of racers no longer with us:

  1. #211
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
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    Default Bill Boyes, Jr.

    I lost Bill Boyes last week, we'd been friends for sixty years. Back in '63 I named his boat "Mother Please", this is Jimbo driving the "Mother Please" at Modesto.

    The taped on numbers is Bill at San Diego, spring of 1963.
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  2. #212
    Team Member Master Oil Racing Team's Avatar
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    I just saw this. I'm very sorry to hear that Bill has passed. God bless him and his family. I didn't really know Bill, although I talked to him on the phone on several occasions thanks to BRF. He had gotten in contact with me during the time Vapor Trail Joe, Jim and Sean McKean and others were testing the "Hotfoot" and planned to go to the kilos near where Bill lived. I forget the name of the reservoir now. Bill was wanting to know if I could help donate anything for a fundraiser for the kilos and I sent him a binder with a bunch of the Autograph collection I had up to that point. As it turned out, I called him from a drilling location to say my mother in law had passed and I had to cancel my flight. Turned out the weather cancelled the kilos and Sean and Billy had to go back home before they even got there. So I never got to meet him in person, but I thoroughly enjoyed the talks we had. Bill may have even been the one to deliver our first DeSilva A/B runabout to us. He couldn't remember the year, but he met my Dad in San Antonio, Texas to bring him a DeSilva runabout. I wasn't there, but Bill remembered it clearly. We only ever had two, and the second one was used. Bill was working with Ralph and Bill so 99 percent chance that he delivered our first new real raceboat we ever had at the beginning of 1966.

    Rest in Peace Bill.



  3. #213
    oldalkydriver
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    Default Racers no longer with us

    I live in the Philippines and it is very difficult to keep up with things that I did as a kid. From competitive roller skating to racing outboards, and my love of poker. It seems that every time I log onto a site, I read about people you know, passing. Today I logged on to BRF to find out that Bill Boyles has joined the rest of the racers on the big lake in the sky. Although I did have contact with him in the last 50 years, he was still part of my racing memories. A few weeks ago, I bought an airline ticket back to California. I decided that I would stop by and see George May. He told me a few years ago, that he had some pictures of John Toprahanian, my dad, and others. Even a few of me! So this time I was going to make time and visit him. George helped me a lot when I tried to return to racing. Looking through the Internet, I came across the following:

    George M. May, Jr, USA Veteran / San Diego, CA, 03 OCT 14

    The family of George M. May Jr. has invited the Patriot Guard Riders to be present to honor their hero for his service to his country. It will be our privilege to do so.

    George served his country in the US Army during WWII. Having lost an eye in a childhood accident, George was not allowed to deploy overseas so he served his country in another capacity; he was in charge of the motor pool and later in the Military Police transporting foreign POWs within the U.S. George was stationed at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. During World War II, more than 100 units, nearly 275,000 men received their training at Camp Atterbury, and thousands more, who received their initial training elsewhere were sent there for advanced training. The base also served as an internment camp for approximately 15,000 Italian and German prisoners of war. At the time of his discharge in 1946, George had attained the rank of Sergeant.

    After the war and even though he obtained certification as a Master Aviation Mechanic, with much persuasion, George joined his father in the restaurant business. May’s Cafe in downtown San Diego was his vocation for over 30 years. His avocation was speed – planes, motorcycles and boats.

    In the early years, George was an active member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the formation of the San Diego Aerospace Museum. He was a longtime member of the civilian Air Force Association. The fact that he had only one eye never deterred him; he was a private pilot and started his powerboat-racing career in San Diego in 1951. As a member, and later commodore, of the Pacific Powerboat Club, his hobby became an obsession and in later years a part-time vocation.

    In 1964 George was the APBA national champion in the F-racing runabout class. On February 17, 1965, he set the closed course world speed record for this class on Mission Bay. It was a record that stood for many years. That same year he was elected to the Gulf Marine Racing Hall of Fame and in 1966 was inducted into the San Diego Hall of Champions. While actively racing and after his retirement from the restaurant business in the late 70’s, he was an APBA referee in the following categories: Stock outboard, Modified outboard, Outboard Pleasure Craft, Inboards and Unlimited Hydroplanes, including the original “Thunderboat” regatta here in San Diego in 1964. In 1985, Vapor Trails Publications honored George as Referee of the Year.

    George was predeceased by his wife in 1994. He is survived by his two children, one grandson and his wife, and his good friend and PGR Member, Ron Lebow.


    Shocked, I decided to log onto BRF and see if there was a posting. After going through "Racers No Longer With Us" clear back to January 2014, not one mention! Can anyone tell me why nothing had been posted about one of the best 'F' Runabout drivers in California, not to mention his Refereeing? Maybe no one in Southern California knew or remembered him? We are a dying bread.

  4. #214
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
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    Default Pete DeLackner

    Ron,

    My father passed away from pneumonia and its complications Friday morning.


    We will be having his funeral tomorrow at Rhoton Funeral Home (at 12:15 pm) in Carrollton, TX and he will be buried at DFW Military Cemetery (at 2:30 pm).


    If you have time I would appreciate some of the stories you have of your time with him and any pictures that might be on your site. I will be going through his pictures over the next few months and will share some back with you.


    Hope you are well,


    Bart de Lackner

    6/16/2015

  5. #215
    Team Member Master Oil Racing Team's Avatar
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    Bart, very sad to hear of your Dad's passing. I have a lot of stories about Pete to tell. Ron knew him years before I did, and Pete was the spark and champion for the much beloved 36 runabout.

    The last time I saw him was at the 2006 Lone Star Reunion in which Ron also attended. When Ron and Pete start talking....all you can do is stand around in a circle and listen. That was a great time.

    Your Dad told me he had taken more pictures than I had. I challenged him. I told him to start posting them. He said he would, but didn't know how. He told me he would get his daughter, and I guess your sister to show him how. A couple of years passed and I called Pete. We talked for awhile and I told him "you said you have more pictures than me, but you haven't posted any yet". Pete said he was still waiting for his daughter to teach him. I was kind of worried then that he didn't have the ambition to do it. For a couple of years now I had been planning on calling Pete to a challenge, but I didn't. Now it's too late. Always remember......don't put things off. I regret not talking to Pete once more.



  6. #216
    Team Member Gene East's Avatar
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    R.I.P. Richard "Rich" Wiesenberger May 14,1931 - Aug. 23, 2015
    Rich was a member of the Quincy Welding crew during the early '6o's
    He worked in the shop and drove A & B runabouts

  7. #217
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
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    Default Bill Giles One of Great Ones in Boat Racing







    In case you didn't know. Bill passed on Wednesday. Too many silent props.
    Ted




    Hi
    Yes Giles passed away last night He went to hospital yesterday to get ready for his second
    operation He had one aneurysm fixed a couple of months ago and they were going to fix the other one today
    Evidently they found him on the floor of his room unresponsive and tried to revive him
    and weren't able to The aneurysm had burst and his chest cavity filled with blood
    Sad day Saw him at Taunton a couple of weeks ago and he seemed to be doing good
    Glasses







    So very sorry to learn.

    From: mike petty [mailto:bmh20h@att.net]
    Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2015 1:09 PM
    To: Ronald Lietha; Burt Holfs; Charlie Willams; Dan Crummett; David P. Van Weele; Dan Parker; Frank Erion; Steve French; Cooper Jess; Vernon Barfield; Jeff Ruth; Jay Walls; Karen Cadle; Tim Kurcz; Art Kampen; Kevin Mcafee; Rc Howie; Steve Roskowski; Ralph Cook; Ron Hill; Jeff Ruth; Lyle Mason; Jason Sumrall; Alan VanWeele Cell; Alan Owen
    Subject: Bill Giles Race Boat builder



    To all the boat racing community , today I have some very sad new. Long time boat racer, boat builder and great friend to our sport passed away this morning. Bill Giles has been suffering with hart issues for the passed few years and his last surgery did not go well. He will be missed dearly. I have the misfortune of saying I have the last Bill Giles boat ever built. Everybody who met Bill Giles liked him and we all will miss him. Race in peace in Paradise Lake, Bill.
    Last edited by Ron Hill; 10-22-2015 at 04:27 PM.

  8. #218
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
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    Default Peter Rothchild "Thunder Balls"

    http://obits.ocregister.com/obituari...&pid=175322126

    I just learned, today, the Peter Rothchild had passed.

    More than 30 years ago I made him propellers for his twin engine diesel powered Offshore Boat, we went 92 MPH and APBA with the help of Mercury Marine kicked the diesels out of Offshore Racing.

    Larry Smith and Pete were partners in the first Thunderballs that won the APBA Offshorse National title...Long before Larry Smith built the Scarab Boats.

    Rest in peace, my friend.

  9. #219
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
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    Default 2014 Jet Boat National Champion

    I heard, today that Mark Yunker was killed at Parker SCSC boat race.

    RIP!
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  10. #220
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
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    Default Carl Meyers, Passed Memorial Day 2015

    I just got word that Carl Meyers has passed. He was a good friend for 40 years or more. He sponsored me in A Racing Runabout and B Stock Runabout. I broke the A Racing Runabout Kilo record with Carl's boat and engine in 1966. My dad and I built him a new boat in the spring of 1967, and Carl broke my record.

    Carl and his wife were taking my boats to the Beaver Falls, PA, 1965, when they were involved in a major head on. As Carl recuperated, in 1966, he let Roy Miner drive his B Runabout in the Needles, Marathon Nationals. Roy won.

    Carl was a fireman in California and he also had a gardening service. He was my parent's gardener for many years.

    I was his Best Man in his last wedding, 1973...His 5th or 6th wife. He and his last wife lived together for almost 40 years.....

    Sometimes it take awhile to figure things out!

    In the spring of 1963, Carl and I went up north to race...I raced C-D Runabout and C-D Hydro. I told Carl, damn it, when you go up north to race, start behind the "LOCAL" hot shot or they will DQ you for jumping the gun. Well, I won CU, DU, CSH and DSH. Carl got DQ'd both heats in BU, even though he won by a mile...I just said, "Damn it, Carl, I told you.." Did you notice I started behind Rucker every heat???

    Rest in peace my friend.

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