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Walter A. 'Walt' Dangel Sitka, AK QCWA # 15312 Chapter 92 |
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XYL Marge KL7BYA Q# 15312
Walter Alexis Dangel, a World War II veteran and a Sitka resident for 74 years, died at home Thursday, Nov. 21. He was 98.
Private graveside services will be held today at Sitka National Cemetery, and a Mass will be at 12:05 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, at St. Gregory's Catholic Church. Father Dwight Hoeberecht and Deacon Ron Mathews will officiate. (The family will be available to visit afterward.)
Walt was born June 3, 1921, in Stockton, California, the son of Josephine Versic and Robert A. Dangel, both of whom were born in Ohio to immigrant parents.
While attending Commerce High School in San Francisco, Walt joined the National Guard, and transferred into the U.S. Army before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He spent the next four years serving in Alaska and Europe during World War II.
It was during a short stay in Sitka on his way to serve in Kodiak that he met his lifelong partner, Margaret Claire. Three years later they reunited and married in Kodiak, days before he was transferred to the lower 48, and eventually to Europe.
After his discharge as a corporal, Walt returned to Sitka and his wife and newborn child. Walt and Marge raised six children in a log cabin on Cannon Island . at that time only a short row from town.
Always a busy man, Walt was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus, the Elks Lodge, and an original member of the Sitka Amateur Radio Club. When the Sitka Ham Amateur Radio Klub (SHARK) formed here in recent years, he was made an honorary member.
Walt was proud of the fact that in his entire working career he was never unemployed. In Sitka he worked at the family business, Sitka Photo Shop Studio, as a photo finisher; and also was a longshoreman, scuba diver, assistant fire chief at Sitka Fire Department, and the Civil Defense director.
For some 20 years he was chief operator at the city hydro plant.
Walt was blessed with good humor and a great memory, enhancing a plethora of stories which he was always willing to share. As a longtime Sitkan and veteran, he knew a lot about Sitka's history, including the war years, and could show visitors around the military installations on the Causeway off Japonski.
He had many hobbies and pasttimes, including hunting, model railroading, taking family trips to Glacier Bay and circumnavigating Baranof and Chichigof Islands in the 26-foot converted gill netter Polaris. In later years, he and Marge took many trips around Alaska and the lower 48 in their motor home.
Walt was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret.
He is survived by children Katherine Dangel, Del Norte, Colorado; James Dangel of Sitka; Richard Dangel (Consorcia), now motorhoming in Florida; Ruth Culp (Vern) of Sitka; Patricia Dangel of Granite Falls, Washington; and Christine Dangel, of Davenport, Florida.
He also is survived by 12 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.
The family expressed thanks to their dad's private care givers, and the Home Health Departments of both Sitka hospitals.
From qrz.com
Walter A. Dangel Born June 3, 1921. Radio Call WL7BUS (Novice) KL7BUS of 1324 Cannon Island Dr., Sitka, Alaska. Wife Margaret, call sign KL7BYA and 4 children or more. Long time residents of Sitka, Alaska and living on an Enchanted spot called Cannon Island.
My first recollection of Walt KL7BUS was on the 75 Meter A.M. phone band in 1959 while stationed at Ketchikan Alaska Coast Guard Base. I was a new Coastie and it was a relief to come over to the base amateur facility and fire up KL7CGH with my transmitter, a Viking Ranger which I had shipped up from Seattle. Walt came in almost nightly on the S.E. Alaska chat frequency of 3850 kc, the distances spanned were quite extensive for low power, about 180 miles out to Sitka and at least 300 miles to Skagway-Haines & 220 miles to Juneau.
Dangel used older equipment, the Viking I and a NC183D National receiver. I remember like it was yesterday he advised us a squirrel had taken over the Viking I at one point in the attic and filled it with pine nuts, cones and brush. Mentioning it was quite rustic on the Island and full of tall pines.
Walt was married and his wife Marge KL7BYA was also active on the air. I heard of several instances when the rig was busy and one party would have to wait (smile). Walt was a member of the Sitka Fire Department. He jokingly mentioned his family vehicle as 'The Meat Wagon' a WWII Army ambulance, complete with a white cross painted on the sides.
It was a joy to get over to the base ham-shack and get away from the daily military stress which I didn't cope with very well.
Eventually Walt and Marge were household names and it was enjoyable to chat with them several times a week along with the S.E. Alaska gang which numbered about 8 to 10 persons including Prince Rupert, BC Canada. I had been stationed at Ketchikan for about a year or so and looking forward to a vacation. I told Walt my plight and he suggested I come over to Sitka and spend the vacation there, as they had a bunkhouse close by with plenty of beds. So the eventual day arrived and this C.G. person packed up and got inside of a Grumman Goose boarded at Ellis Air Lines and roared off out of Tongass Narrows, en route to Sitka via marvelous places along the way. In the last presidential election, the term Highway to no where came into vogue, a local issue linking Ketchikan with the proposed airport.
In the flight and piloting out of logging camps and fisheries, approximately 5 or 6 places, scenery which was unmatchable, delivering mail and passengers - I remember the rain on the windshield of the Grumman when we took off at Ketchikan.
My old friend Tom Acord (working for Ellis Air) secured a seat almost next to the pilot, what a joy. Ellis in Ketchikan used a BC610 Army surplus rig at the base and HF out to the planes, 4 and 5 MHZ was the frequency range and it worked very well, I can still hear the hum on the BC610 transmitter. The logging camps were Toke, Kake, Klawock etc. Unusual names. I can still see the mountain ridges we followed out to the Island of Sitka. Logging had swallowed a lot of land too, the barren spots were easily viewed from the air. I imagine the trip was at least 4 hours long and was my second flight experience. The high acceleration into the climb to get out of a narrow harbor was a thrill.
This 17 going on 18 year old was amazed with flight and would never be the same upon arrival from vacation back to Coast Guard Base Ketchikan. The Dangel's were perfect hosts and when I met them and the family, they had a project in progress, a two or three seater out-house, almost completed. Even the kids were pitching in with their help.
Marge has gone now as time catches all of us, she was a respected member of the community and I will miss her newsy letter and home-made cards in the Holiday season. She was ever so faithful.
Darryl Ault, left, president of Sitka Ham Amateur Radio Klub, presents a lifetime membership to
Walter Dangel, who helped found the Sitka Amateur Radio Club, licensed in 1956. (Photo provided)
Old Sitka Radio Club Boosts New One
Created on Friday, 07 April 2017 12:16 By Sentinel Staff
Walter Dangel, who was a founder of Sitka Amateur Radio Club, first licensed in 1956, has joined the SHARKs.
That's the Sitka Ham Amateur Radio Klub, which has been newly established in Sitka, 60 years after Dangel, who came to Sitka with the U.S. Army during World War II, helped set up the first club.
Over the years Sitka Amateur Radio Club has grown inactive, so to help the new one get established Dangel allowed its members to resurrect and make functional the Sitka Amateur Radio Club's two meter repeater.
And although he's 95, Dangel (call sign KL7BUS) still talks on the radio and became a member of SHARK.
In appreciation of his help and interest, the new club presented Dangel with an Honorary Lifetime Membership during the group.s April 2 meeting at the Sitka Fire Hall.
"Walt's a great guy," said Darryl Ault, president of SHARK who helped arrange for the honorary membership. "He has some good stories to tell. about the communications ham radios operators have provided over the years."
"Walt's inspirational, full of knowledge ... a piece of history," Ault said.
SHARK currently has 15 members, Ault said, and is inviting anyone of any age with an interest in ham radio to join in any of the monthly general meetings, held the first Sunday of every month, at 2 p.m. at the fire Hall.
Those who would like to get an amateur radio license or upgrade a current license and have an interest in volunteering in providing additional and backup communication for police, fire, rescue and other agencies in Sitka are welcome to join.
More information is available at sitkashark@yahoo.com and on the Facebook page SHARK-SITKA HAM AMATEUR RADIO CLUB.
W8SU ex W2RIE Below taking off Tongass Narrows for Sitka vacation in the Ellis Air Lines
Grumman Goose. With two forward engines, it was a noisy takeoff. MF/Walt Dangel final.