| RIP Ken Rose [message #214625] |
Tue, 16 July 2013 16:00  |
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Richard RV
Messages: 631
Registered: July 2012
Location: Full-timer for 12 years, ...
Karma: -17
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Senior Member |
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I was checking out something on the GMCMI web site about the upcoming rally, when I saw the notice about Ken Rose passing away in March of this year. I don't recall seeing anything about it on the GMCnet, so I'd like to take the opportunity to relate a little story about my one and only encounter with Ken Rose, and how I feel a personal sense of loss that I'll never have the pleasure to see and thank him again.
A week before Christmas I was leaving the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy in NY and heading for Phoenix, AZ to spend Christmas at my brother's place and work on my coach over the winter. The trip was enjoyable and uneventful until a steel parking post bit the side of my coach at a gas station in Seguin, TX late in the afternoon on December 23rd. The post bent my driver's side front bogie arm out and ripped into the lower fiberglass panels just ahead of the leading wheel. It was entirely operator error. Sigh. 
I was now close to pegged on the despondent scale. I was going to miss Christmas, my bogie arm was bent to hell, and I would be facing a _big_ bill to get the coach road-worthy again. With Christmas Eve the next day I figured I was screwed and would be unable to find a repair place to fix my coach until after Christmas. Christmas would probably entail being towed to a yard and spending the night in the coach.
Enter the Black List. I had met John Sharpe at the GMCMI rally in Amana the previous Fall and called him up to ask for advice and if there were any nearby repair places he knew about. He told me he'd make a couple of calls and get right back to me. Within fifteen minutes he's back on the phone and informed me that a couple of people would be calling me. Jim Rountree called while John and I were still on the phone. I explained the situation and Jim said drive slow and come on over, we'll take care of it in the morning. So that's what I did.
The next morning, Christmas Eve, four guys are on Jim's driveway at 8 am to help - Jim, his son-in-law, Ken Rose and his son-in-law. It was clear that I was in the presence of two senior GMC guys who had literally seen and done it all. Within about two hours, with the help of a honking big steel pipe, a Porta Power and the judicious application of bodyweight, the bogie arm was back in position. Ken showed me how to scribe a line on the tires and use a tape measure to determine the toe-in and whether we had nailed it. When I say we, I mean they, and nailed it they did. Dead on.
I very much appreciate John's triage skills (he should be an ER doctor..."Your arm's been ripped off? Eh, no biggie, see it all of the time. We'll get you patched up in no time."), Jim's hospitality and rallying the troops skills, and Ken Rose for calmly fixing me up and getting me back on the road. Since that time I've run across Ken Rose's name in a lot of places and always he was spoken of with admiration, respect and love. I totally understand why.
And I did make it to Phoenix in time for Christmas. A very big, heartfelt thank you to the denim angels that visited me the day before Christmas.
Ken Rose is wearing the dark blue shirt. A real gentleman, and he will be missed. Thanks, Ken. Rest in peace.
Richard
'77 Birchaven TZE...777;
'76 Palm Beach under construction;
‘76 Edgemont waiting its turn
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| Re: RIP Ken Rose [message #214626 is a reply to message #214625] |
Tue, 16 July 2013 16:06  |
Otterwan
Messages: 946
Registered: July 2013
Location: Lynnwood (north of Seattl...
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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The perfect tribute. Well done.
1977 Birchaven, Lynnwood WA - "We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us."
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