Jack D. Fisher, W8MZV became a Silent Key on June 11, 2008
Jack D. Fisher, 88, passed away on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 at his home in Grapevine, Texas. Born in Uhrichsville, OH in 1919, Jack was a long time resident of Canton, OH, only moving to Texas in 2000. Jack proudly served in World War II from 1940-1946, primarily as a captain in the 54th Signal Battalion, stationed in England, France, and Iceland, then continued in the Army Reserves until 1953. He retired from Goodyear Aerospace in Akron in 1984. He was a talented black and white photographer with a keen eye for composition, leaving behind boxes of cherished memories. Since boyhood, Jack was an avid ham radio operator, call letters W8MZV. He continued to "send code" and work the airways on and off until 2005. He was a member of the Quarter Century Wireless Association. He will be greatly missed by those left behind: wife, Dorothy; and daughter, Joyce Ferber of Grapevine, TX and daughter, Susan Fisher; and grandson, Jack Verboski of North Richland Hills, TX; and brother, Roy Fisher of Dennison, Ohio. His parents, Carrie and Jacob W. Fisher of Uhrichsville, preceded him in death. Memorial services will be private and his ashes returned to Ohio.
I found some discussion posts on the internet about my Dad and wanted to add it here.
David Ring
From: David Ring <
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:07:22 -0800 (PST)
Local: Fri, Feb 13 2009 12:07 pm
Subject: Welcome to CFO in memory of W9TO and our brother and sister members who keys are now silent
I am sure that my good friend, the late Jim Ricks, W9TO would have
wanted to send his warmest greetings to all, so in memory of Jim and
in his name I welcome you warmly to what many consider was - and now
still is - the best Morse code radio club in the world. The club at
the beginning included some great operators who were not speedy
operators - like W2LYH Bob McGraw (SK), Tex, W0BMU (SK), and Jack
W8MZV (SK) come to mind. They sent the sweetest bug music I've ever
known. Others like Ira, NU2C and "Slow Hand" Tommy, W4BQF, send the
sweetest machine gun fast Morse, I've ever heard. Some like Ralph,
KM4BI and Hack, K4KP (SK) send with the sweet sound of the cootie key
(sideswiper) the etherial music of Morse. Some of us send in American
landline Morse and International radio Morse, some of us have served
at sea as military or merchant operators, Western Union telegraphers,
Press Wireless telegraphers, and all of us have a burning passion for
the beauty of Morse code.
It is with this rememberance of our founder and those who loved Morse
so who were fellow members, that I welcome you to this group, and I
hope that what we do here and on the air will be fruitful for
ourselves and others.
73
David Ring, N1EA
Arthur
Feb 13 2009, 3:17 pm
David--
When you mention W8MZV, Jack out in Canton Ohio, it brings back memories of
one of the greatest QSO's I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. I was
doing my daily commute home to Wells Me from the Boston area and although I
was /M, this particular day I was just reading the mail. Jack was making
his usual beautiful music and was one-on-one with Art, W1OM who lived on
Cape Cod. Not only did they both have a catchy swing that would set your
foot to tapping, but they put on a show, the likes of which, I've never
heard before or since. Art mentioned one of the great bug-masters of the
past, and proceeded to imitate him to a tee. Not to be outdone, Jack
responded by bringing back from memory and reproducing the sweet sounds that
another equally well-known legend used to make with the key. A few of those
that were copied I had known, but most were before my time. This went on for
a good hour, and although I had worked both of these guys many times and
wanted to jump in, I didn't make even a dit, because it would have been like
breaking a spell. I'll never forget it, and only wish that I could go back
in time and record it.
Discussion subject changed to "[CFO - Chicken Fat CW Operators Clu Re: Welcome to CFO in memory of W9TO and our brother and sister members who keys are now silent" by David Ring
David Ring
Do you recall any of the calls? If anyone has recordings of "The Old Days",
we can post them on a server dedicated to CW recordings for the group.
If so, email me and I will make arrangements to receive the file (or
recordings if on tape or CD).
73
David
Discussion subject changed to "W8MZV" by w...@sssnet.com
w...@sssnet.com
At 03:17 PM 2/13/2009, Arthur wrote:
>When you mention W8MZV, Jack out in Canton Ohio, it brings back memories of
>one of the greatest QSO's I've ever had the
>pleasure of listening to. Jack was making
>his usual beautiful music and was one-on-one
>with Art, W1OM. Not only did they
>both have a catchy swing that would set your
>foot to tapping, but they put on a
>show, the likes of which, I've never heard before or since.
Jack was one of the locals here, and when I got
my General in 1955, and hit the
faster portions of 40M, I noticed Jack and his
boyhood friend Arkie, W8NBK, would
have regular skeds. I had just bought my Johnson SpeedX from Bursteen-Applebee
with paper route money, practiced on it, and
jumped in on their QSO like any pestering
kid... Jack ran a left hand bug, and his
"signature" was "fast dits" and slow dahs...
Very distinctive... left a definite impression on
me, even though, back then, I tried
to imitate the tape at W1AW. (perfect keying was
not the norm then on the bands.):-)
Jack had been a Captain in the Signal Corps
during WW2 and covered most of EU handling
comms at all levels, and later spent a career at
Goodyear Aerospace in Akron. (now a
part of Martin Marietta)
He always had a boyish look even up to the time
he left, and was always laid back and
extremely hospitable. In later years he would
get on early mornings with the 7020 group
and I'd work him from CW/mobile. About 8 or so
years ago he and xyl moved to Grapevine,
Texas to be near their two daughters. He really
didn't want to go, but acquiesced to the demands
of his family. He did get back to hamming in TX,
but due to time difference he shifted to late afternoons/evenings.
By that time, personally I had decided I'd heard
enough "perfect" sending, from keyers
and Keyboards and wanted to go back to pushing a bug. I moved my Keyer paddle
to the side, dug out my TACO "hole in the wall"
bug and practiced 'til I got my bug fist
back. But I did not want to imitate W1AW any
longer, I wanted a signature like Chris, K9AMC, or
Frank, KBØPB. I settled on Jack... fast dits and medium dahs....
In later years I found out what he and friend
Arkie thought of that "kid" that broke in
on them years before. (via a third party, not
Jack) They had said, "that kid's going to
be a good CW op." Coming from Jack, that is one
of the highest compliments I could receive.
Jack had been missing from the air the past two
years or so, and I was about to call him
to check on things, when I got an email from his
two daughters. Apparently he had gradually
lost his ability to put thoughts into fingers,
and did not get on the air but did listen.
He passed on just over a year ago at age 89. I
had never met them, but they said he talked
about me as being a long-time friend and they
wanted me to know. They said he always talked
about coming "back home" to visit, but never made
it. They sent a very recent pix along.
And they added a footnote...."Dad hated Texas!" :-) (I just knew it!)
Perry w8au
