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Raymond P. 'Ray' Bilger Coopersburg, PA QCWA # 22190 Chapter |17|224| |
Raymond P. Bilger, 91, died Thurs. Jan. 7th at his home in Coopersburg.
He spent 43 years with the Reading Railroad, including Conrail and SEPTA, as a train dispatcher and assistant chief dispatcher. He was a past president of the Reading RR Retirees. He was a radio amateur HAM). His W3TDF activities included serving as past president for 10 years of QCWA Chapter 17, a member of DLARC and the Radio Club of America.
He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII as an electronic technician on USS LSM 483 in the Pacific.
He was a member of the LSM/LSMR Association, the American Legion, and the Reading Company Technical and Historical Society.
He was also a member of the Houseman Masonic Lodge 211(671).
He is survived by his children, Judy (Gene) Appel, Jill Conroy, Barry Bilger, Debbie (Gary) Schultz and Susan (Charles) Gallen-Harris; 18 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren and 4 great great grandchildren; sister, Marie Blum. He was predeceased by a son, Raymond E. Bilger and grandsons, Tyler Schultz and Daniel Heard.
Services will be held 7:30 PM, Mon. Jan. 11th at Jeffrey A. Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, 135 W. Pumping Station Rd., Quakertown. A calling will precede the service from 6:00-7:30 PM.
Memorial contributions can be made to St. Luke.s Hospice, 801 Ostrum St., Bethlehem, PA 18015
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It is my sad duty to report that Ray Bilger / W3TDF became a Silent Key this morning at 91 years of age.
The end came peacefully while surrounded by a cadre of loving family members taking turns caring for Ray over these past many weeks while under acute hospice care.
Ray's operating and contest skills, salty humor and wit, as well as his decades of Membership in the Delaware-Lehigh Amateur Radio Club, The Quarter Century Wireless Association, The Radio Club Of America, and legendary record-breaking performances in the PAQSO Party, will be long remembered by hundreds of friends whose lives were improved for having known him.
Ray was President of Chapter 17 (EPA) Allentown/Bethlehem for many years, and was currently serving as its VP. Ray operated in the PAQSO Party just this October, and was still making new 2m EME JT65 contacts in December.
He was humbled by the wonderful publicity regarded him published in the August 2015 issue of CQ Magazine on pages 22 - 28.
It was my honor to be among those who learned a thing or two from "da Grump."
Tentative arrangements are scheduled for Monday evening at Naugle F/H in Quakertown from 6-8pm.
With a heavy heart,
de Pete / NL7XM
SK
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From www.qrz.com:
Competing with W0RSJ -'Bill' for Grids on 6M. Here list what I need in the East.
EN-14, 16, 17, 24 and 72, 83, 92, 94, 95
EM-81, 87, 97, 98 (Bill has 465 Grids, 3 ahead of me!)
Well known as 'DaGrump', specially on PA-QSO Parties.
First Licensed = July 1946 = Previous calls W3LGN, W2YBL, both of which are available.
I was original Trustee for W3GS, for QWCA-Chapter 17.
Previously 2 years in Navy as Radioman and Radio Tech, USS LSM 483
Main interest = 160M & 6M, and 2M EME, ARRL CW SS, PA QSO Party.
91 years young and still active, but no more climbing.
I am proudly a Great-Great Grandpop 4 times over. (It wasn't all my fault)
Member; ARRL, QCWA, RCA, Delaware-Lehigh ARC.
President of Reading Railroad Retirees, (Worked R.R. 43 years)
Operated Portable in 19 different counties in 23 years in PA QSO Party.
Have held 17 different County records at one time or another, since 1988.
I now have a Dentron MLA-2500 (modified) on 6 meters DX & WSJT-modes, 400W,
462 total Grids, (incl 266 in USA/48).
2M - EME includes 17 el. 2M5WL & 900W from LunarLink LA-22, have 48 Countries (w WAC), and 169 initials
