THOMAS MEYERS PASSES AWAY
July 2008—Thomas Myers was the co-captain on George Roberts Fountain, Smooth Ride. Together they fished Division 7 and the Yamaha Professional Tour. He succumbed to cancer on Tuesday July 1st. He was 54.
While fishing the opening event of the 2007 Pro season in Key West, Tom complained of being ill while in line waiting to weigh. George, the Captain and his best friend, did not like the look of things and brought Tom directly to shore. They packed their gear and headed back to Panama City Beach. Where they took Tom directly to the hospital.
The prognosis was not good. George immediately took Tom to a hospital in Houston. Tom had brain cancer. Over the next few months he went thru treatment and at one point George informed me that he was doing a lot better and wanted to get back on the trail. They planned on fishing the Nationals. It was his last event.
Tom was a boat captain for many years and was George's superintendent at CW Roberts Contracting. According to George, "He helped me build my business and was like a brother to me. We did a lot together including fishing." He was strong willed, determined, and had a wonderful sense of humor. Tom lived long enough however to see his daughter Makenzie marry George's son Blake.
Our sympathies go out to the family and friends. His wife, two daughters, one son, two brothers, and a sister survived Tom.
A memorial service will be held on July 8th at 2 PM at Gulf Breeze Baptist Church.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society, 2012 A Lisenby Avenue, Panama City, Florida 32405 in the name of Thomas H. Meyers.
BILLY SCOTT HEWETT DIES IN FISHING TRAGEDY!
June 2008—Billy Scott Hewett, of Supply, North Carolina, was the 728th person to join the SKA in 1991, its founding year. Scott passed away on Saturday June 21st while fishing the Jolly Mon King Tournament. He was doing what he loved. You may remember Scott fishing a boat called the Judy Bee. His new boat he entered into the event was called the Spring Run, a Class of 23 competitor. He was also an avid golfer.
Scott was 62 and had retired from ADM of Southport after 33 years of service as a chemical operator. He was a U.S. Army Veteran. His mother, grandmother, wife, daughter, granddaughter, and brother survive him.
The family has requested memorials be made to the Long Bay Artificial Reef Association, 3928 Cross Street, Bolivia, North Carolina, 28422.
There are still over 70 charter members fishing with us this year. Scott was in a very elite field.
LARRY FOWLER ... A GIANT IN OUR SPORT!
June 2008—Larry Fowler passed away on June 10th after a long bout with cancer.
Larry was a giant in our sport, both behind the helm of his Heather Renee Hydra Sports, and in front of the participants of his Frantic Atlantic Tournaments he did for many years out of his Blue Marlin bar in Little River, South Carolina.
Larry was my friend as he was to so many of the competitors who fish SKA. He never asked for respect, he earned it. You could also say he was an SKA founding father because he was one I could always turn to for advice. Did we argue and fight, you bet. Some were hum-dingers. But it was good because it made both of us stronger.
Remember those Frantic Atlantic bid Calcutta's? They would start on Tuesday night at the Blue Marlin where Larry would auction off half the field in the tournament. If you didn't want your boat someone else would bid it up. But if you did, it usually ended up costing you a lot of money. Some fetched over a grand. Half the money went to charity, the other half to the winners. On Wednesday night he'd do the other half of the field. Large crowds gathered and it was a hoot. We never missed it.
His tournaments were the benchmark for others to follow. He was a visionary, always ready to be innovative.
Two things set Larry apartÑhis credibility and his loyalty. When Larry told you something you could take it to the bank. His loyalty to our sport was impeccable. Throughout the 90s Larry fished a Hydra Sports and they, in turn, supported his events. As boats got larger Larry stuck with the same brand even when the product needed tweaking. By staying loyal all those years, when FLW came along, Larry was finally rewarded, not only representing Hydra Sports but Chevy Trucks as well. He earned it and got it! He called me when it happened and told we what he was doing. I was truly happy for him and told him so. You see, his loyalty to the brand meant more to me than him moving to the FLW.
Larry had been ill for the past couple of years. Still, the first part of January I got a call from Jim Ladner, Larry's fishing buddy. He told me Larry really wanted to fish the Pro Tour this year with us and I said yes. Larry, Earl "Radar" Blake, and Ladner showed up in Key West for the Pro opener. It was rough and you could tell Larry was not well, but out they went and their grit and determination was that of true winners. It was the last event Larry fished.
Larry leaves a wife and young daughter. He adored both. He was also the owner of the HD Spokes Motorcycle bar in North Myrtle Beach, which he built after selling the Blue Marlin.
Larry will be enshrined into the SKA's Hall of Fame and the remainder of the Yamaha Professional Kingfish Tour will be dedicated to his honor.
We'll miss you Larry, Rest In Peace.
BARBARA LADNER LEFT HER MARK ON OUR SPORT!
August 2007— It is with heavy heart that I must inform the membership of the Southern Kingfish Association, especially the members from the west coast of Florida, that Barbara Ladner died in a tragic accident this past week. She is survived by her husband Jim.
Barbara and Jim fished with us in Division 6 from the time we started till the turn of the century. They fished a Hydra Sports named Alafia and did very well, including sponsorship from Hydra Sports. Barbara suffered neck problems, which forced her to give up the sport under doctor’s orders. Jim still fishes with Larry Fowler and Alex Leva.
Jim finally retired and he and Barbara bought a summer home in the North Carolina mountains. I believe they were two of the happiest people on earth. Jim was in Beaufort, South Carolina fishing the FLW Pro event with Leva when he got the message.
I will remember Barbara for her great smile, soft voice, bubbly personality and love of being on the water with Jim. She would come to the scale, always proud of the fish her and Jim caught. Some people you meet in life leave a lasting impression, she was one of those. She was a real classy lady. In the past few years, every time I went to a Division Six event, I would look for Barbara but unfortunately only ran into her a few times. Every time I saw Jim however, I would always ask about Barbara. It’s strange that over the years we’ve met so many people. Some forgotten but some, like Barbara, you never forget.
We will miss her. Our condolences to Jim and the entire Ladner family.
TRAGEDY AT PRO EVENT IN LOUISIANA.
 |
L.toR. Jack Wood, Ken Thompson, Ken Upton, and
Dan Upton - Team Donzi - In Key West In March 2007
Where they won the 1st event of the
Yamaha Professional Kingfish Tour. |
June 15, 2007
Fourchon, Louisiana -
Fishermen at the third leg of the Professional Kingfish Tour
at the Kajun Sportsman this weekend were stunned at the passing
of Ken Thompson, Captain Camo, while on the water the first
day of the event. Events were still sketchy Saturday morning,
however it is believed Thompson suffered a massive coronary
while fishing with Dan Upton on the Team Donzi boat. Upon
Camo's collapse, Dan immediately took to the airways for assistance
while teammate Jack Wood administered CPR. Jim Scharfschwerdt
from the Wound Tight fishing nearby immediately came to help
Wood. Jim attempted to recessitate Camo for over an hour until
joined by Captain Ron Hildum and the Sweet Caroline II team,
who are fireman. Team Donzi was fishing around an
oil platform that happened to have a medic on station. They
dropped him to the boat with a fibulator, however all attempts
to save Thompson’s life were in vain.
Camo joined Upton’s team this season after attempts
to develop a new team for his boat, Twice The Ice, failed.
From his inception of joining the SKA, Camo was a member of
the factory Donzi team.
“Camo was a dear friend,” said Jack Holmes after
the first day’s fishing ended to the spectators and
fishermen gathered at the tournament site. “He enjoyed
life to the fullest and I believe the SKA was his real passion.
Camo was responsible for bringing the SKA to Savannah, Georgia
for Pro events. Speaking for the entire fraternity of SKA
fishermen, we will miss him and send our sincere condolences
to his wife and other family members.”
With sad hearts, the tournament participants went fishing
on Saturday. “I knew Camo well enough to know he would
not want fellow anglers to stay on the dock,” Holmes
added. “His team was in 14th place after day one and
nothing would please Camo more than to see the Team Donzi
atop the leaderboard at the end of the event. Whatever happens
you can believe he would approve.”
|
