AT LARGE MEMBER NEWS
Introduction by
LCDR Dennis Ruth, USN (Ret.)
The HRC and Pensacola Chapters have been well represented in The
Aerograph. A number of NWSA regional chapters no longer exist and any news
about those members has become a vacuum. In an effort to fill this void, the
‘At Large Member News’ section has been created to provide all members with an
avenue to ‘toot your horn’ and tell fellow NWSA members what you’ve been up to.
If you were a member of a Chapter that has closed and desire to make a
submission, please identify your old Chapter in brackets and submit inputs to
the Editor before the advertised cutoff dates found in the ‘Editor’s Desk’
section of every issue. Below is the first submission for this new section.
[ PACNW ] Dennis Ruth and wife,
Tara, are doing well and we’ve been enjoying our Airstream trailer while
visiting some ‘bucket list’ destinations that we’ve often stated, “we’ll go
back there one of these days.” In February,
Dennis had his aortic valve replaced; the procedure went smoothly. In
Apr. we had a whopping 30-second glimpse of a sliver of the total solar
eclipse, near Bandera, in TX Hill Country, moments before totality set in.
Unfortunately, a meet-up with CAPT Bob Plante wasn’t doable while we were
staying in San Antonio. Fredericksburg, Abilene, Amarillo, and Santa Fe, NM,
revealed a number of places that weren’t on our ‘to do’ list and added interest
while in those locales. Due to a medical issue, a desired stop at the Grand
Canyon West Skywalk had to be placed on hold until our next expedition to the
Southwest takes place. Tara is very adamant that she’ll watch me from afar as there’s no way in
heck that she can be enticed to take an unforgettable walk on the wild side.
Returning to Corvallis at the end of May, we spent the summer working on the
house. In August, we commenced a month-long trip to Glacier and Yellowstone
NP’s, Craters of the Moon monument, and other locales in ID. On the trip,
Dennis reconnected with his former OA Division officer (USS Guadalcanal
72’-74’) CAPT William Madison, USN Ret., at his home in Nine Mile, WA, 50 years
later. Additionally, a visit with LT Robert Weir, USN Ret. (NOCC/JTWC Guam and
CNMOC N312) and wife, Cathy, was made in Lakeside, MT. Several weeks
later, Bob and Cathy visited us at our home as they were taking a vacation in
OR. The RV is getting the
standard maintenance tasks and minor repairs completed before it goes into
hibernation for a restful winter. We're planning our 2025 excursions and
attendance at NWSA #48 is on our calendar.
