Silent Keys
In amateur radio, we honor those who have passed on as “Silent Keys” – a reference to the Morse code key that has gone quiet. These operators dedicated themselves to the hobby, to public service, and to the fellowship of amateur radio.
The Rowan Amateur Radio Society remembers and honors our members who have become Silent Keys. Their contributions to our club and to the amateur radio community will not be forgotten.
| Call Sign | Name | Year |
|---|---|---|
| N4QY | Larry Wright | b. 1940-03 - d. 2026-05 |
| KJ4TGS | Carl Stanton Cross | 2026 |
| W4CZJ | Michael Culbreth | 2023 |
| W3OHV | Charles Scheid | b. 1920 - d. 2022-07 |
| KB4QE | Dick Jones | 2020 |
| K4MEW | Marvin Weant | 2018-07 |
| W4TMR | Charlie Klutz | 2018 |
| KA4CMC | Jackie | 2017-2018 |
| W4FQV | Nelson Large (see Harmonics 368) | 2017 |
| K4REQ | Bob Rector (see Harmonics 367) | 2017 |
| AB3X | Drax Felton (see Harmonics 364) | 2016 |
| K4SHU | Clarence B. Beaver Jr. | 1929-12-01 to 2015-08-14 |
| K4AGO | Holland “Bud” Bost (see Harmonics 343) | b. 1929 - d. 2015-01 |
| KG4WAD | Bob Yarbrough (see Harmonics 342) | 2014 |
| N4MME | David Bradley (mentioned in Harmonics 342) | 2014 |
| WB4RGS | Dan Kirk (Harmonics 342) | 2014 |
| KA4MPP | James “Jim” Ivey Morris Jr. (see Harmonics 316) | 2012 |
| K4CCY | John P. Davis, Sr. (see Harmonics 290) | 2010 |
| K4SNF | RARS “charter member” Bill Overman (see Harmonics 278). According to Harmonics Bill was “instrumental in getting this club started again after the old Piedmont radio club became in-operational." | b. 1293 - d. 2009-02 |
| W8ZRI | Jack Barnhart (See Harmonics 284) | b. 1924 - d. 2009-12 |
| KG4UQU | Tom Neill (see Harmonics 273) | b. 1926 - d. 2008-11 |
| N4UH | Henry Elwell (see Harmonics 173) | 2007 |
| K4MHS | John Godwin (see Harmonics 290) | c. 2007 |
| KA4RTJ/N4NOI | Ed Murphy. Ed was a charter member of W4EXU as mentioned in 1981-04 Harmonics | 2007 |
| KB4OEN | Paul Dziezyc (see Harmonics 251 & 252) | 2007 |
| KA4ECM | Millicent Elwell (see Harmonics 240) | c. 2005 |
| K4IRY | Bill Hill (see Harmonics 230) | 2005 |
Harmonics 288 – 2010-05 – has a long list of SKs without a clear date | ||
| WD4FQL | Charles Watson | <= 2010 |
| K4QFV | Susan Bastow | <= 2010 |
KB4HVJ/N4KVH/AE4JB | Don Rollins | b. 1928 d. <= 2010 |
| KA4EVR | Vesper Collins | b. 1920 d. <= 2010 |
| KA4NZU | Robert Steadman | b. 1922 - d. <= 2010 |
KA4MPN/KC4WH/WB4Y | Tom Wale | b. 1934 - d. 2006 |
| K4ZMG | Don Beaver (see Harmonics 231) | b. 1925 - d. 2005 |
| KB4HJB/N4KVF/N4KVH | Walt Bastow (not a member), started the Firecracker Hamfest (see Harmonics 226) | 2004 |
| K4CRP | [John] Curtis Crane (see Harmonics issue 223) | 2004 |
| WB4FOK | Don Freiss (see Harmonics 203) | b. 1921 - d. 2002 |
| K4BEC | H. Grady Withers | b. 1928 - d. 2002-06 |
| KE4S | E. Hobert Wise | b. 1923 - d. 2002 |
| WG3H | James Howell (see Harmonics 199, 200) | 2001 |
| AB4UW | Frank Drennan (see Harmonics 199, 200) | 2001 |
| WA4IAU | Marvin Clark (see Harmonics 181) | b. 1914 - d. 2000 |
| W1YJ | Harvey Adams (see Harmonics 161, 166) | b. 1918 - d. 1998 |
| W4NZJ | Jud Whatley (see Harmonics 160, 166) (Jud was an ARES coordinator in the 1970’s) | b. 1945 - d. 1998 |
| N4NDG | Jerry Grubb (see Harmonics 136, 137) | b. 1942 - d. 1996 |
| WD4KJF | Fred McGinnis (Fred willed his equipment to the club) (see Harmonics 131) | 1995-12 |
| KA4PMU | Gene Winberg (see Harmonics 126,127) | b. 1916 - d. 1995 |
| N4BJ | Jim Torrence (see Harmonics 116, 117) (Jim helped re-activate RARS) | b. 1913 - d. 1994 |
| WA4ADB | Sam Mayfield (see Harmonics 93, 94) | 1993 |
| W4BNU | Barney Dodd (see Harmonics 88) | b. 1909 - d. 1992 |
| WA4IBK | Clyde Merritt (see Harmonics 87) | b. 1929 - d. 1992 |
| KA4GMS | Rolland Gibbs (see Harmonics 86) | b. 1908 - d. 1991 |
| W4LSB | Holly Long (XYL of Herman Long) | 1988 |
| KB4HJR | Dick Cleveland (See Harmonics 53, 56) | 1987 |
| W4ZBY | Charles Welch (mentioned in Harmonics 35, 39, 48, 56) | c. 1984 |
| W4SWR | John Lesley - K4DFI 2026-08-27 | TBD |
| W4EXX | Jesse Clamp. “Older local hams spoke of Jesse in reverent terms as the first ham to successfully build and get a 10-Meter transmitter to work. Not sure, but I always presumed that it was pre-WWIIin the late 30’s. He and Herman Long worked for Duke Power. Many of the W4E__ calls belonged to Duke employees and were probably issued at the same time from the same test session.” - K4DFI 2026-08-27 | TBD |
| W4HKC | Charles (Steve) Stephens. “In 1955, Jimmy Taylor gave me the novice test in Mrs. Stevens attic.” - K4DFI 2026-08-27 | TBD |
| W4EIU | Jimmy Taylor. “Jimmy was a trustee of W4EXU pre-WWII through the club disbandment until letting RARS until letting RARS have it in 1968. He continued to renew it and seemed delighted to have amateurs active again with the historic club call assigned to the group. He even pulled several antennas out of storage and passed them along.” - K4DFI 2026-08-27 | TBD |
| W4EAM | Herman Long (1937 founder) (mentioned in Harmonics 57) | 1973 |
“The CQ has gone unanswered, the frequency silent. But the signals they sent continue to echo in the lives they touched.”
If you have information about RARS members who should be remembered on this page, please contact us.
(Thanks to Mr. J.C. Ludwig for his contributions to this page)