Bad News Regarding Charlie Spratt

I just received some very bad news regarding Charlie Spratt. This is a very
tough letter to write.

If you don't know Charlie Spratt - he has been a soaring contest CD
(Competition Director) at many soaring contests around the USA over the last
few decades. He did a great job running soaring contests and has always
been fun to be around. He also enjoyed spending time with "soaring kids" at
contest. He would take kids with him on his soaring contest trips. He is a
great story teller and I very much enjoyed reading his book about his
soaring contest adventures.

After reading the note below, if you are like me, you will want to contact
Charlie, but not know what to say. I'm sure you will agree that sending him
any e-mail or card would be deeply appreciated by Charlie. Please do so
immediately.

Please also say a prayer (or many) for Charlie.

Below is the note I received this morning from someone close to Charlie.

Sincerely,

Paul Remde
__________________________________________________ ________

Hey,

It is with deepest empathy that I file this update.

Dr. Hart met with Charlie, sister Townley, and brother
Julian this morning. I was not in attendance ( I visited
yesterday morning and will be there tomorrow morning).

The brief version is that Charlie has been in hospital for
over two months, the new kidney has not every functioned
to minimal expectations, attempts to properly connect the
kidney to the uterer with a stint have failed, seemingly
endless procedures are fruitless, has not been able to
eat solid food for most of the last six weeks, is sore all over,
unable to walk without assistance, almost unable to even
hold a phone to his ear for a conversation, and has
generally atrophied to what might be a permanent bed
ridden state.

Charlie has decided to go home and will, either tomorrow
or Saturday. I may be wrong, but it is my understanding
that his last dialysis will be before departing hospital. He
will be at home in Hospice care.

Charlie is going home to die and the doctor thinks it may
be two to three or four weeks; these things are almost as
hard to forecast as Charlotte weather.

As close as he is to his family, Charlie has as long as I have
known him (22 years) considered the Soaring Community
his extended family, and the coming of Spring has always
gotten his juices flowing and heart pumping looking forward
the Seniors at Seminole Lakes, Bermuda High (Chester), Perry,
Mifflen, Cordele, Minden, Uvalde, Harris Hill, Montague, Caesar
Creek, Ephrata, many others, and end the season at New Castle
before hibernating into Charlotte. He and I would spend hours
discussing benefits and short coming of different sites, and
more importantly, you the Soaring Family. He will miss you most
of all.

I am sorry for those of you who have not been in touch with him
recently, as I am unsure how much energy he will have in responding
to your calls. I'll be going out again on Tuesday for my On week at
NetJets.

Contact information:

Email ( this might be best as time is short)

Home address:

1431 Montford Drive
Charlotte, NC 28209-3032

Phone: 704-523-2548 ( I'll try to set up a head-set phone if he thinks
it would be beneficial ).

Ciao,

Gale

Well Rats.

I never met Charlie, unfortunately. My first SSA Convention was in Dallas
where Bob Wander took over MC duties, and we all wrote notes of
encouragement to Charlie as he started this battle. I always enjoyed his
articles in Soaring, however it wasnt too long after I joined up that he
had to quit. He's truly a major player in US Soaring history. We'll all
miss him. Im glad that he gets to choose how and where. Not all of us will
get that luxury.

Thanks for passing this on Paul.
-Tony Condon
Cherokee II N373Y

Charlie has been my hero ever since I started soaring some 15 years
ago, and I have had the honor of competing in several contests with
Charlie 'at the gate'. There are many fine CD's out there, but
Charlie was unique. I'm looking at my copy of 'See Ya At the
Airport', and that's the way I intend to remember him.

TA

I worked at 4 or 5 contests with Charlie. It was always fun to listen
to him tell stories about the contestants when we were alone in the
office.

I remember one contest in Albert Lea, MN. It was about 9:00 in the
evening of the first day of the contest. Of course the scoring
software was not playing nice. We just could not get the results we
knew we should be getting. I was working at the computer and Charlie
was reading the paper. A contestant came into the office and asked
how the scoring was going. Charlie never even looked up from the
paper but said, "just great". When the contestant left the office I
commented that I was studying at the foot of the master. Charlie just
remarked, "What good would it do to tell him the truth, he would have
just gotten upset. I know you'll get the scores out by morning, you
always have."

Charlie, you are one in a million and I am glad for the time we spent
together.

Well, I for one am not ready to accept this.

Matt Michael

On Apr 3, 1:12*pm, "Paul Remde" wrote:
I just received some very bad news regarding Charlie Spratt. *

snip

I'm not a contest pilot, but it's hard anyone in soaring to NOT love
Charlie . . . I'll never forget the blowing-up-my-dad's-boat story
from one of the conventions. I knew then we must have been adolescent
soul mates.

At 17:12 03 April 2009, Paul Remde wrote:
I just received some very bad news regarding Charlie Spratt. This is a
very
tough letter to write.

If you don't know Charlie Spratt - he has been a soaring contest CD
(Competition Director) at many soaring contests around the USA over the
last
few decades. He did a great job running soaring contests and has always

been fun to be around. He also enjoyed spending time with "soaring
kids"
at
contest. He would take kids with him on his soaring contest trips. He
is
a
great story teller and I very much enjoyed reading his book about his
soaring contest adventures.

After reading the note below, if you are like me, you will want to
contact

Charlie, but not know what to say. I'm sure you will agree that
sending
him
any e-mail or card would be deeply appreciated by Charlie. Please do so

immediately.

Please also say a prayer (or many) for Charlie.

Below is the note I received this morning from someone close to Charlie.

Sincerely,

Paul Remde
_________________________________________________ _________

Hey,

It is with deepest empathy that I file this update.

Dr. Hart met with Charlie, sister Townley, and brother
Julian this morning. I was not in attendance ( I visited
yesterday morning and will be there tomorrow morning).

The brief version is that Charlie has been in hospital for
over two months, the new kidney has not every functioned
to minimal expectations, attempts to properly connect the
kidney to the uterer with a stint have failed, seemingly
endless procedures are fruitless, has not been able to
eat solid food for most of the last six weeks, is sore all over,
unable to walk without assistance, almost unable to even
hold a phone to his ear for a conversation, and has
generally atrophied to what might be a permanent bed
ridden state.

Charlie has decided to go home and will, either tomorrow
or Saturday. I may be wrong, but it is my understanding
that his last dialysis will be before departing hospital. He
will be at home in Hospice care.

Charlie is going home to die and the doctor thinks it may
be two to three or four weeks; these things are almost as
hard to forecast as Charlotte weather.

As close as he is to his family, Charlie has as long as I have
known him (22 years) considered the Soaring Community
his extended family, and the coming of Spring has always
gotten his juices flowing and heart pumping looking forward
the Seniors at Seminole Lakes, Bermuda High (Chester), Perry,
Mifflen, Cordele, Minden, Uvalde, Harris Hill, Montague, Caesar
Creek, Ephrata, many others, and end the season at New Castle
before hibernating into Charlotte. He and I would spend hours
discussing benefits and short coming of different sites, and
more importantly, you the Soaring Family. He will miss you most
of all.

I am sorry for those of you who have not been in touch with him
recently, as I am unsure how much energy he will have in responding
to your calls. I'll be going out again on Tuesday for my On week at
NetJets.

Contact information:

Email ( this might be best as time is
short)

Home address:

1431 Montford Drive
Charlotte, NC 28209-3032

Phone: 704-523-2548 ( I'll try to set up a head-set phone if he
thinks
it would be beneficial ).

Ciao,

Gale

Charlie, you're still calling the shots even if it's not what I would
like to
hear.
Bless you old man. You have touched so many lives and have made a
difference. Soaring was changed for the better because of you.
I was really looking forward to calling you after one of those marvelous
soaring days that we have been having during IVSM and bringing you up to
speed about the activities.

Thank you, to all who are taking care of you, both they and you are very
special.

I'll call Tuesday afternoon.
Lisa

On Apr 3, 10:12*am, "Paul Remde" wrote:
I just received some very bad news regarding Charlie Spratt. *This is a very
tough letter to write.

If you don't know Charlie Spratt - he has been a soaring contest CD
(Competition Director) at many soaring contests around the USA over the last
few decades. *He did a great job running soaring contests and has always
been fun to be around. *He also enjoyed spending time with "soaring kids" at
contest. *He would take kids with him on his soaring contest trips. *He is a
great story teller and I very much enjoyed reading his book about his
soaring contest adventures.

After reading the note below, if you are like me, you will want to contact
Charlie, but not know what to say. *I'm sure you will agree that sending him
any e-mail or card would be deeply appreciated by Charlie. *Please do so
immediately.

Please also say a prayer (or many) for Charlie.

Below is the note I received this morning from someone close to Charlie.

Sincerely,

Paul Remde
__________________________________________________ ________

Hey,

It is with deepest empathy that I file this update.

Dr. *Hart met with Charlie, sister Townley, and brother
Julian this morning. I was not in attendance ( I visited
yesterday morning and will be there tomorrow morning).

The brief version is that Charlie has been in hospital for
over two months, the new kidney has not every functioned
to minimal expectations, attempts to properly connect the
kidney to the uterer with a stint have failed, seemingly
endless procedures are fruitless, has not been able to
eat solid food for most of the last six weeks, is sore all over,
unable to walk without assistance, almost unable to even
hold a phone to his ear for a conversation, and has
generally atrophied to what might be a permanent bed
ridden state.

Charlie has decided to go home and will, either tomorrow
or Saturday. I may be wrong, but it is my understanding
that his last dialysis will be before departing hospital. He
will be at home in Hospice care.

Charlie is going home to die and the doctor thinks it may
be two to three or four weeks; these things are almost as
hard to forecast as Charlotte weather.

As close as he is to his family, Charlie has as long as I have
known him (22 years) considered the Soaring Community
his extended family, and the coming of Spring has always
gotten his juices flowing and heart pumping looking forward
the Seniors at Seminole Lakes, Bermuda High (Chester), Perry,
*Mifflen, Cordele, Minden, Uvalde, Harris Hill, Montague, Caesar
Creek, Ephrata, many others, and end the season at New Castle
before hibernating into Charlotte. He and I would spend hours
discussing benefits *and short coming of different sites, and
more importantly, you the Soaring Family. He will miss you most
of all.

I am sorry for those of you who have not been in touch with him
recently, as I am unsure how much energy he will have in responding
to your calls. I'll be going out again on Tuesday for my On week at
NetJets.

Contact information:

Email * *( this might be best as time is short)

Home address:

1431 Montford Drive
Charlotte, NC 28209-3032

Phone: *704-523-2548 * ( I'll try to set up a head-set phone if he thinks
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * it would be beneficial ).

Ciao,

Gale

I posted this old video of the 1991 Open Class and Motorglider
Nationals at Marfa. It's mostly sort of a home movie, but it has a
scene where Charlie briefly appears, in his prime, in a sort of
"Winged Victory" hat. You can also hear him on the radio, saying
"Stand baaay.... Mark, Good Finish!" if you listen close. I sent him
a copy of it, I hope he can watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj22o8SrF9Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDRDxo9IaL8

Why do these never work? You tube links on r.a.s. always turn out to be
something different from the promised item.


At 06:50 05 April 2009, wrote:
On Apr 3, 10:12=A0am, "Paul Remde" wrote:
I just received some very bad news regarding Charlie Spratt. =A0This
is
a=
very
tough letter to write.

If you don't know Charlie Spratt - he has been a soaring contest CD
(Competition Director) at many soaring contests around the USA over
the
l=
ast
few decades. =A0He did a great job running soaring contests and has
alway=
s
been fun to be around. =A0He also enjoyed spending time with "soaring
kid=
s" at
contest. =A0He would take kids with him on his soaring contest trips.
=A0=
He is a
great story teller and I very much enjoyed reading his book about his
soaring contest adventures.

After reading the note below, if you are like me, you will want to
contac=
t
Charlie, but not know what to say. =A0I'm sure you will agree that
sendin=
g him
any e-mail or card would be deeply appreciated by Charlie. =A0Please
do
s=
o
immediately.

Please also say a prayer (or many) for Charlie.

Below is the note I received this morning from someone close to
Charlie.

Sincerely,

Paul Remde
__________________________________________________ ________

Hey,

It is with deepest empathy that I file this update.

Dr. =A0Hart met with Charlie, sister Townley, and brother
Julian this morning. I was not in attendance ( I visited
yesterday morning and will be there tomorrow morning).

The brief version is that Charlie has been in hospital for
over two months, the new kidney has not every functioned
to minimal expectations, attempts to properly connect the
kidney to the uterer with a stint have failed, seemingly
endless procedures are fruitless, has not been able to
eat solid food for most of the last six weeks, is sore all over,
unable to walk without assistance, almost unable to even
hold a phone to his ear for a conversation, and has
generally atrophied to what might be a permanent bed
ridden state.

Charlie has decided to go home and will, either tomorrow
or Saturday. I may be wrong, but it is my understanding
that his last dialysis will be before departing hospital. He
will be at home in Hospice care.

Charlie is going home to die and the doctor thinks it may
be two to three or four weeks; these things are almost as
hard to forecast as Charlotte weather.

As close as he is to his family, Charlie has as long as I have
known him (22 years) considered the Soaring Community
his extended family, and the coming of Spring has always
gotten his juices flowing and heart pumping looking forward
the Seniors at Seminole Lakes, Bermuda High (Chester), Perry,
=A0Mifflen, Cordele, Minden, Uvalde, Harris Hill, Montague, Caesar
Creek, Ephrata, many others, and end the season at New Castle
before hibernating into Charlotte. He and I would spend hours
discussing benefits =A0and short coming of different sites, and
more importantly, you the Soaring Family. He will miss you most
of all.

I am sorry for those of you who have not been in touch with him
recently, as I am unsure how much energy he will have in responding
to your calls. I'll be going out again on Tuesday for my On week at
NetJets.

Contact information:

Email =A0 =A0( this might be best as
time
i=
s short)

Home address:

1431 Montford Drive
Charlotte, NC 28209-3032

Phone: =A0704-523-2548 =A0 ( I'll try to set up a head-set phone if
he
th=
inks
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0
=A0
=
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 it would be beneficial ).

Ciao,

Gale

I posted this old video of the 1991 Open Class and Motorglider
Nationals at Marfa. It's mostly sort of a home movie, but it has a
scene where Charlie briefly appears, in his prime, in a sort of
"Winged Victory" hat. You can also hear him on the radio, saying
"Stand baaay.... Mark, Good Finish!" if you listen close. I sent him
a copy of it, I hope he can watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ddj22o8SrF9Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DZDRDxo9IaL8

On Apr 5, 5:45*am, Nyal Williams wrote:
Why do these never work? *You tube links on r.a.s. always turn out to be
something different from the promised item.

Nyal, it worked for me. Sounds like a malware issue hijacking your
links.

Thanks, Bob K.