Sorry to hear this, my friend. I know he will be very much missed. You and all the Hill family are in our thoughts. Hope to see you at a race this season...........
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Sorry to hear this, my friend. I know he will be very much missed. You and all the Hill family are in our thoughts. Hope to see you at a race this season...........
Ron, we are very sorry to hear this sad news. He will be missed by many I am sure and remembered by many more.
David Van Weele
So sorry for your loss Ron
I am so very sorry to hear this. Stay strong Ron.
Sorry for your loss.Condolances to all of the Hill family.
I am sorry for the Hill family loss. My condolences to the family. I am glad I got to spend a lot of time with Russ at the DePue renunion. We had a lot of fun.
Condolences to the Hill family, sorry for your lost Ron. May he rest in peace.
Russ Hill
Ron--
I'm glad I met your brother at the 2007 Racers Reunion. He seemed to be enjoying it.
Rest in peace RUSS.
Bruce
Sorry for your families loss Ron, I met your brother at Depue for the first time at the first reunion, great guy, Steve
Ron:
As others have mentioned, I also met Russ at the first DePue reunion, as well as you. Nice to get to finally meet and see folks you have heard your whole boat racing life about.
I really enjoyed, and will miss, the few times he and I bantered back and forth on the "Pepper" thread. I would have like to have had the opportunity to visit with him about his days and experience's with the Meyer/Drake Offy engines, as I have always been a big fan of that type racing, both dirt and hard surface track. I can't imagine how much pleasure (and probably headaches also) that must have given him to be involved with many of those great drivers of that time with those engines.
RIP Russ....
Bunker, Broc, Ron, Marlee, Chad I join the others that mourn the loss of Russ. I was only around him briefly, but he was one of those guys that has an impact that lasts forever. God bless the Hill family and may Russ rest in peace. I talked to Ron a couple of weeks ago about something else, but I asked about Russ, and he said there was not much time left. I told Ron that I wanted him to sign a picture I had taken of him at DePue in 2007, but I felt uncomfortable about asking about it now since things had gotten worse. Ron told me "Send me the picture, and I will get it signed. Russ likes the boat racing stuff, and he will sign it." Very regrettably I let the Thanksgiving holidays and business get in my way. It's not that I regret missing a chance to get Russ's autograph to go into my collection, but that I wanted his autograph for him to know that he was still in the middle of boat racing, and admired for his skills. I wanted Russ to leave us knowing that he was very highly thought of amongst boat racers. I suppose he knew that anyway.
Rest in Peace Russ.
So sorry to hear of your loss, we will keep the Hill family and Russ in our prayers
Ron, marlee, chad...sorry to hear......spent the last half hour looking at the "hill family thread" some great history...great times and wonderful merories......................john
Thanks for that wonderful photo, Ron.
Ron, Bunker, Chad and Marlee,
Our sincere condolences to you and your families. Dad and I enjoyed visiting with Russ on many occasions when we started coming back to the races. You will be in our thoughts and prayers.
Rest in Peace Russ....
Steve, Lane and Family
Just letting everyone know, Funeral services for Russ Hill will be held on Sunday, January 5, at 2 pm at, 3821 Warner Avenue, Huntington Beach, California 92649, the Huntington Harbor Yacht Club. 714-724-1226. It's open for anyone to attend.
Sorry to hear about your brother Ron. I never met Rus but enjoyed his post on this site. He had a certain flair coupled with intelegence. I think it must run in the Hill family.
DB
I think it must Dabull. They could not have gone this many decades at the forefront of racing without that flair coupled with intelligence. Joe Rome and I often speak about the fact that stopping of to visit with Marshall Grant on the way to the 2007 DePue Reunion and meeting Russ Hill were both were the price of admission even if nothing else happened. I had the pleasure of being there when Russ Hill and Joe Rome met one another. We all had pleasantries all around, then I had to wander the grounds with my camera while Russ and Joe manned their stations at the VFW Hall in DePue sitting in folding chairs, with arms, cokes and stuff resting on a folding table and telling people how to register for the reunion.
As I circulated back to the VFW Hall the first time, Russ and Joe were like long lost friends. I stayed a little while to check on what I needed to do, then headed out again. Next time Russ and Joe were trading barbs at one another like friends of twenty years could get away with. I kind of joined in a little bit then and got a good taste of the Russ Hill wisdom, wit, and intelligence.
Joe and I talked on the way back from DePue, and one of our main subjects was meeting Russ Hill. We were very glad to see so many of our old friends and return to the town of DePue after so many years, but Russ was something new and we both agreed that it was a shame that Russ Hill and Baldy Baldwin had never met and shared time together. Joe and I would have just sat back and listened.
Yes I agree that the Hill Family has that flair and the boat racing community would not be the same without them.
Stan Fitts
(Died February 18, 2014)
https://mg.mail.yahoo.com/ya/downloa...d=YahooMailNeo
https://mg.mail.yahoo.com/ya/downloa...d=YahooMailNeoStan Fitts, 74, of Framingham, died, Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at the Metrowest Medical Center, Natick after a short illness. Born in Brookline, he was the son of the late Harvey A. and Frances (Ockerman) Fitts.
Mr. Fitts served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.
He was a graduate of University of New Hampshire.
He was the retired President of Clark-Wilcox Co. in Boston and the President of CW Equipment Co. in Framingham. He was a member of the Plymouth Church as well as the Lake Sunapee Yacht Club in Sunapee, NH.
Stan belonged to the American Power Boat Assoc. and served this organization for over 40 years. First as Region Chairman, and then as two term President and later as an active member of the Council. He was the Chairman of the Edgell Grove Cemetery in Framingham and former member of the Cushing Chapel committee during its rehab of Cushing park. Stan was active in SnoCross snowmobile racing as well as Offshore Powerboat racing. Serving the later in an official capacity for many years. https://mg.mail.yahoo.com/ya/downloa...d=YahooMailNeo
He is survived by his brother, Stephen Fitts and his wife Linda of Framingham; his nephew Duncan Fitts and his wife Cheryl, his niece Shelby Gordon and her husband Kevin and 5 great-nephews, Reis, Cole and Cooper Gordon, Tyler and Nolan Fitts.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend his visiting hours at the Norton Funeral Home, 53 Beech St., (corner of Union Ave.) Framingham on Friday February 21, 2014 from 5 – 8 PM.
His funeral service will take place on Saturday at 10 am at the Edgell Memorial Chapel in Edgell Grove Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in Mr. Fitts’ memory may be made to Sunapee Historical Society, P.O. Box 508, Sunapee, NH 03782 or to South Shore Outboard, c/o Giles, 626 School St., N. Dighton, MA 02764
Hi Ron:
Didn't know if you had heard that Art Carlson passed away last Monday evening. Got a call from Bob earlier today, services will be held on Saturday, August 16 at 2pm in Garden Grove at the Village Bible Church. I guess Art had not been in good health for several months -- great guy, sorry to see him go.
Bob Brown
Roy Heagy
Should've got this in a couple of months ago: Someone on the other site (which has a lot of Reg. 10 participation) informed us that old Spokane racer Roy Heagy passed away in May of this year, lung cancer. Roy was one of the Stateline crowd of enthusiastic racers, especially alky racers. I didn't know him at all well, but he was a good guy, fairly quiet and unassuming, but good-natured and with a ready sense of humor. I hope one of his close friends will tell us about him. Last I saw him, late-Seventies, he was trying to get his old FB Konigs to work with Kawasaki 500 pistons, since the Mahle pistons had become NLA.
I'm not sure how many props I sold him over the years. A few years back I bought some 45 parts from him. He always seems to be a hard working, nice man. Sorry to hear of his passing.
Art was an interesting man. I never knew him well. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska. My dad was also born in Nebraska. Art learned wood working skills as a young man and often built model airplanes. He once built an airplane large enough to put his cat on board and pulled it with his bicycle. The plane flew well, but the cat was NOT impressed.
At one time Glastron/Carlson was building 75 boats a week.
As a kid, I thought Art's Stock Outboard Hydros were the coolest things. Great paint jobs, pretty colors, they weren't very fast, but they were pretty!
After Art merged with Glastron, I always wished I had a High Rider 21 footer, a Glastron Molinari by Carlson.
I know tom has been gone for awhile, but I ran across this picture of Tom that Bunker's wife, Annette, had taken of Tom at Bakersfield about 8 years ago.
Tom was a support of boat racing at the local and national level for many years. He build several very cool Cracker Boxes.
Our true friend Bob "Curly Williams" died yesterday in a very bad motorcycle accident heading home from work.
I truly believe he is in Boat Racing Heaven.
He will be truly missed and my prayers go out to Amy, and his family.
Please see the attached pictures and remember Bob today. He was one of a kind and loved by all.
Sincerely,
<var id="yiv1836640172yui-ie-cursor"></var>Ed SolisPresident
Silverado Framing Company, Inc.6892 Doolittle Ave.
Suite D
Tab Buford passed away Saturday November 8th. Tab was the "B" of B&N runabouts.
Butch passed away yesterday afternoon (Thursday 12-11-14) in his recliner with his dog in his lap and wife by his side.
Funeral arrangements are by Griffin Legget Funeral Home in Alexandria, Ar. They may be accessed and messages posted by Googling the name of the funeral home. Burial is Monday, 12-15-14 at 10:00am.
I will post more about his life and accomplishments in Boat Racing after returning from the funeral.
Bill,
This is very sad news. "Butch" was a great competitor, a very colorful person and a friend to everyone in racing.
No one outside of immediate family knew him better than you, Bill.
Thank you for keeping us updated on Butch's status during his long illness.
You and the Leavendusky family are in my thoughts and prayers.
WOW! I'm totally blown away to hear this. Condolences to the family, and aslo another end to a era for sure. Steve
I'm sorry to hear of "Butch's" passing. I'm sorry I didn't know Butch and his dad better. I like I ran Leavendusky pistons in Harry Bartolomei's B Looper in 1967...I just remember Stan running a "LOOPER". I probably bought more than 100 Leavendusky steering bar pulleys. They were cool little stainless with plastic pulleys. Never had a failure.
Bought my last ones probably 1977, or 37 years ago.
I know I have less tomorrows than yesterdays!
I'm not sure when I met Brian Ewald, but it was probably about 1966 at the Parker 9 Hour. He owned a Grand National boat named "El Cid"...the movie "El Cid" had just come out. I don't really know how long he raced "El Cid". I know his son drove Jerry Gilbreath's MOD VP at Parker about 1985. Brian's daughter. Tracy, married the late Brad Miller about thirty years ago. Brian was an orthopedic surgeon at CHOC Hospital in Orange, not far from my house.
He passed about two months ago!(today is 12/19/14)
MORE ABOUT STANLEY LEAVENDUSKY JR. AKA "BUTCH"
I first met Butch in 1968 in the basement workshop of his Dad's (Stan Sr's) house. He was approximately 25 years old and a very friendly person, completely unlike his father Stan Sr, although I found out later after some time had passed, that Stan Sr's. bark was much worse than his bite. I had brought my "C" Flathead, recently purchased from Bill Seebold, to him for new pistons and whatever else he thought it would take to bring it up to spec.
Butch's personality was infectious, and after leaving the motor off with his Dad, we immediately set off for the nearest bar in Kansas City, Kansas to have a beer or two. This would prove to be something that we both would enjoy in each others company for many years. His dad used to say that I "ruined" him, but nobody
had to convince him to have a friendly brew, and Stan Sr. knew better even though he always wanted to blame it on someone else.
We became very close friends during that time, and I came to appreciate his tenaciousness. He just would not quit, whatever he was doing. I will never forget how many times he had a wire break or come loose on one of his C Service motors prior to the one minute gun, and after the 5 minute gun had fired. Several times he won Championships after having something of the sort go wrong and he would strip the wire with his teeth, use some electrical tape he always had with him, splice it back together, restart the motor, and make a legal start and win the race. He won several NOA World Championships that way, and finished several others that a lesser driver would have just quit and sat in the boat until the tow boat came.
One day in the late 70's or early 80's he was competing in a race on one of our favorite courses, Fort Buhlow Lake in Alexandria, La. He had just purchased a new DeSilva "KR" Runabout, one of the first ones after Bruce Nicholson introduced it, and I do not have enough knowledge to know just what the problem was with it, but it was an evil boat, and one he never was able to master. You could go to a corner and do everything the same time after time, and then that one time you thought you were doing it just like all the rest, BOOM, it would unload you. He had other DeSilva's throughout the years, and that was the only one he had a problem with other than an AmPro boat (MOD) that was a first of its kind that was built for him to run and test. He suffered from what he called DRS, or "DeSilva Racing Shoulder" for many years after he retired from active driving from the strain put on his left shoulder trying to hang on to the throttle and keep from going over or being tossed out.
Back to the story. He was running 500 Runabout, which was the class he really loved and enjoyed competing in, and made the start and got to the first turn in great shape. Next thing he knew, upside down, and boat slightly damaged. They towed him in and two of his competitors, Pete Voss and Bobby Houghkirk came to where he was pitting and offered to help him dry the boat out and put some duct tape on a couple of holes where the water had done damage. He accepted their offer and got the boat out in the rerun of the heat, (he was not the cause of the stoppage so was not disqualified) and BOOM, same thing happened again in the first turn. The boat was damaged a little further this time, but with egging on by Voss and Houghkirk, and some more duct tape, he went out again as he was not the cause of the stoppage, again. Third time is the charm, right. WRONG. This time the boat was not repairable and he did not make any more starts that day. The shoulder hurt him for many years thereafter.
Butch won many World Titles in C Service Hydro and Runabout in NOA and also the 1971 National APBA Championship in C Service Hydro and a APBA National Championship in 500 Runabout.
I have asked his Wife and Stepdaughter to send me some photos Eileen took of him, as she had given him all of the many photos we took over the years. Until I get those please enjoy the few we still have in our collection of him. I think Wayne Baldwin has some photos he could post also and I invite him to do so.
RIP Butch.
Attachment 59050Attachment 59051
I have a lot of photos of Butch, Bill Van. Where do you want them posted? I'm very busy right now, but I will do what I can. I'm glad I called him after his last surgery and you gave me a good time to call. We had a very good visit. I wish I would have done a follow up call a few months later. His and my Dad were also good friends and enjoyed each other's company very much. Butch surprised me turning up at the World Oil Expo in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1975. We had a great time talking boat racing and mostly boat racing friends.
You have done your old pal proud with your stories, Bill.
Does anyone have a copy of the photo sequence of Butch nearly back flipping? The drag of the pipes in the water forced the boat back down and Butch went on to finish the race.
Don't remember where he finished, but it was at or near the front!
That would be a perfect example of how tenacious he really was.
At DePue few years back; Butch told me, he used to frequent a watering hole in Arkansas that had a lot of car racing pictures on the wall. He had the proprietor post large copies of each of the 5 shots; up and back down, to show what REAL racing is about.
Smitty, you are correct when you say "Bill did his old pal proud". I think most people who knew them both would agree, they were more like brothers than just pals.
Thank you Bill for keeping us all posted on his condition during Butch's long illness.
One more "Winner" racing on Lake Paradise!
Gene:
Butch had the photo's you speak of on his office shop wall, and I asked him several months ago if I could have them to post on BRF when he passed. He said OK, but I don't know whether the word ever got to his wife Barbara.
The photos were taken by the brother of another great Runabout driver, Jerry Simison, and perhaps he still has the negatives. I would dearly love to see that 5 photo series on BRF. Something you won't see but once in your lifetime. They were taken at the Memphis race that Marshall Grant promoted.
I have an interesting story that I could tell about that race also, and the trip there, but will leave it for another time.
ADD: Thanks for the thought Smitty. He was more than a friend.
Bill, I will check with Paul Simison to see if he still has those photos and if so perhaps he will allow us to borrow them.
Well, we are in luck if I can do this correctly. The photo sequence is right here on BRF. Joe Rome called this morning and told me how to find it. It is under "Stan Leavendusky in Memphis" if you use the search function. If not, and this link will work, you can get there that way also.