A Hams Elmer !!!
In small Iowa farm town with pop of
about 800 he Elmered 11 persons into
the wonderful hobbly of Ham Radio.
When I was first licensed in 1960 as
KN0CPX a rock bound Novice his home
was always open to myself and everyone
else.
Mr Dougan taught for 30 years in High
schools and retired from teaching in
1976 and moved to Columbia, Mo.
Ham Radio has lost one of the best
"Old Timers".
599 sig reports Mr Dougan
J.L. gave me my novice test after teaching the code, tube theory, and all the rest. I can still remember the day my ticket came, we were both excited! He was undoubtedly one of the best, one of a kind. A gentleman in all he undertook, who strove to impart that in both his school and ham radio students. I still remember the strongest words he would utter when perturbed or upset........."Doggonit" and it makes me say the same to hear of his passing.
I can recall his pipe being stuffed, lit, and smoking around his head,while listening to a QSO, then switching that old porcelain knife switch he used as his antenna change-over switch and coming back to the other ham once again. His pipe would always go out then and it would wait till the next go-round to be re-lit, only to go out once again, a few moments later. It was magic and it was happening right before my eyes! He hadn't been active in the last few years, but he will always be a guiding light to many of us.