[NSRCA-discussion] Sam Turner

[Ronald Van Putte]

Many of you knew Sam and I'm passing this on to you.

Ron Van Putte


It is with great sorrow I report to you a dear and old friend since I  
was 15 years old has passed away. It is my understanding that Sam  
passed away in Tennessee with his older half brother at his side  
September 8th 2011 at a local hospice at age 62. I have been trying  
to track Sam down for the last year and stumbled upon his younger  
brothers web site. Ronnie gave me his phone number and I tried a few  
times leaving messages for Sam and he never returned the calls, he  
was very sick. Ronnie mentioned that Sam had had a VERY rough time  
the last three years. It seems he got married then divorced, his  
house went into foreclosure and had complete kidney failure. I  
surmise knowing Sam (Rai as the ones very close to him and I knew  
him) his health was the issue that caused this series of unfortunate  
events. It is also my understanding he was awaiting a kidney  
transplant and did not make it in time. Ronnie also mentioned his  
remains were cremated.
When I was about 15 years old I had been involved in r/c for about 2  
years and was having a tough time with success in the hobby with no  
locale guidance. Sam and his family moved in across the street from  
me in Pembroke Pines Florida from Pensacola Florida when I was about  
15 years old (1968). Sam was going to FSU and was about 19 years old.  
He of course was flying R/C also with some success using tube radio  
systems. Obviously we hit it off as friends rite away. His dad  
(Herschel) was the new Chief Controller at North Perry Airport in the  
heyday of student flight training which I was also doing. My dad was  
also a pilot so we all had a lot in common.
In my heart I feel that Sam deserved an ending so much better than  
this. He has gone through many years of personal suffering that many  
of his friends in the R/C world never knew. I have always thought of  
him almost every day of my life and what kind of good kind person he  
was and the deep friendship bond we had when we were youngsters in a  
cow pasture flying models.
Sincerely,
Mark Anton
(386) 205-6027
Lake City, Florida
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