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Walter H. Schuknecht Scottsdale, AZ QCWA # 36689 Chapter 16 |
Obituary:
Sadly I found out about a week ago that my friend and Elmer Walt Schuknecht passed away. Walt had been battling cancer for about a year. He had been having good results, and thinking he was beating it but unfortunately it was spreading rapidly. When Walt and Wendy found out they expected he'd have a few months, unfortunately, his battle came to a close about 2 weeks after finding out. Walt was a great guy who loved amateur radio and left some footprints which will be hard to fill. I met Walt on the infamous MS Best Dam Bike ride. I got blessed that day with a friendship that would span more than 20 years. Walt loved public service and emergency communications. He would typically shadow the event coordinators for most events. Walt typically had more experience than many of the event organizers, as the turn over in those organizations is horrendous. He stood by to rescue events should the organizers try to drive the event over a cliff. He would gently steer them down the best course of action. Walt worked a lot of events, and I believe that he was a charter member of the Maricopa County Emergency Communications Group (MCECG) when it was formed. MCECG was a novel organization that encouraged hams from across the valley to participate in public service events. Walt helped MCECG establish a strong relationship between the Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management. the ARRL and the hams in MCECG. Those contacts opened doors for Walt to work for FEMA on more than one post hurricane deployment. He always had a good story to tell when he returned. Walt moved up from the District Emergency Coordinator to the Section Emergency Coordinator where he served for a number of years. He was kind enough to make me a DEC and later recommended me for the SEC position. He was generous and well liked throughout the amateur radio community. Walt was soft spoken and friend to all. I would like this to be a thread of remembrance. Tell us of your memories of Walt. I will start it off, he offered to take me up to Scottsdale Amateur Radio Club Field day in Chino Valley, and on one such trip, they left me to work the late shift. We were working out of a trailer and the other guys were down for the count while I was working the event. Over time I had a pretty good pile up going when I smelled that distinctive smell of baking varnish. It was getting stronger with every QSO I was logging. I finally got pretty worried there might be a fire soon and woke Walt and the others up. It was determined the power supply was giving up its last bit of smoke, so they managed to swap it out between Q’s and I kept the pile up going. I hope you will share your stories with the group. Rest in Peace my friend we will miss you. Rick Aldom
*Photo Credit FEMA 10/15/2009
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Atlanta, Ga., September 11/ 2005 -- At the Community Relations Response Center (CRRC), FEMA Community Relations (CR) instructor Walt Schuknecht provides direction to non-career (volunteer) firemen in registration for FEMA DAE employment. Career firefighters will be paid by their employer, as per agreement through FEMA, and those shown here will be paid as a FEMA DAE worker. A total of 3,000 individuals have been trained and processed as of yesterday, and the ones in this photo will be ready tomorrow for assignment to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. George Armstrong/FEMA |