Gene Tice, W7ZZZ, (formerly W7EOF), was a true friend that I have missed
since his passing in September 1999. He started off in amateur radio in the
mid 1930's, having started in a radio class at Lincoln HS in Tacoma,WA. He
was born in 1918, and was a member of the 1918 Club, having been a past
President, Vice President, etc. I met Gene through the widow of another ham who had passed away, and we became friends, having a common interest in amateur radio. Gene was a CW operator, and had retired from the railroad as a telegraph operator I believe sometime in the 1970's. We both studied together to upgrade from General Class to Advanced Class, and Gene was quite an inspiration to me. He was also an avid computer user, and had 3 computers in his shack, with at least 2 lit up at any given time. I'm sure Gene had many friends that he was acquainted with over the years, whom he had met on the air and face to face.
Gene, you are missed, and it was a good time we had, travelling together to Seattle, on our excursions to pick up some sort of gear at Amateur Radio Supply. 73 OM....
de WA7SON