Former ARRL First Vice President and WECA member Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML (SK)

Outside of his League activities, Mendelsohn was active both as the Communications Director of the New York City Marathon and, along with his wife Heidi, W2MLW, as the Game Day Frequency Coordinator (GDC) for the New York Jets. The November 2007 issue of QST featured Mendelsohn on its cover, along with an article about him and the GDC program. Mendelsohn was inducted into the CQ Hall of Fame last week for his contributions to the ARRL, the New York City Marathon and the National Football League. Read more here

Photo Gallery - please click here and go to the bottom of the page.

Funeral Arrangements:

Visiting on Friday, May 25th from 2pm to 4pm, Saturday from 6pm to 9pm.

Service on Sunday, May 27th at 2pm.

Basralian Funeral Home

559 Kinderkamack Rd

Oradell, NJ

201-261-0222

40°57'35.67"N,  74° 1'54.95"W

KC2GWK - Milton Galamison has become an SK

WA2ELE - Dick Meirowitz has become an SK on January 16, 2011

Richard's Obituary

Richard L. Meirowitz passed away January 16, 2011 at the age of 79 after a long illness. He was born in Pittsfield MA. On February 20, 1931. Richard graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1954 with a BSEE degree and a MSEE degree in 1956. He had a 50 year career as an electrical engineer, he also held US patents . He retired From ITT aerospace in 1999 and then continued working as an engineering consultant for several companies. He had many hobbies but his favorite was amateur radio (WA2ELE). He was actively involved in Army MARS and conducted numerous radio seminars. Richard is survived by his wife Mary, 3 daughters Diane Meirowitz (Mark), Laura Josphson (Jim) and Linda Todisco (Tony) and 5 grandchildren Kevin, Brittany, Amy, Thomas, and Rachel. He will be missed by his loving family and friends. Richard's Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday at 11:00 AM at Scarr Funeral Home Inc Route 202 Suffern burial will follow at Cemetery of the Ascension in Airmont NY.

KD2SQ - Tom Kirchoff has become an SK

N2NQY - Jeanne Raffaelli has become a silent key 

N2NQY - Jeanne Raffaelli became an SK on April 26, 2010. Jeanne was a WECA member for well over 20 years who contributed countless volunteer hours to the club and was perhaps best known for her organization and leadership in the many "WECAfests" held until 2002. Jeanne is survived by her husband Tom / WB2NHC (our Emergency Services Director) and their two grown children who are also Amateur Radio Operators.

Jeanne's obituary was in the Journal News on Friday, April 27, 2010 as follows:

K2ZVI - Nick Gallo became an SK on April 1, 2010  

 Former WECA President Paul Vydareny / WB2VUK has become a Silent Key

Paul S. Vydareny, 65, life-long resident of Tarrytown, passed away on October 23, 2009. Paul was born in Tarrytown on June 1, 1944 to Paul and Julia Vydareny (nee Vavra). He was a graduate of Sleepy Hollow High School Class of 1962 and The Stevens Institute of Technology. His hobby was as a Ham Radio operator and he was a long time member of the American Radio Relay League. Through his good work and constant efforts he held an esteemed position in this organization. Paul worked for ABC in New York City as an electrical and cable technician. He was predeceased by his parents and is survived by his brother John David Vydareny.

Visitation was Tuesday, October 27, 2009 from 4 to 8 P.M. at the DWYER & VANDERBILT funeral home located at 90 North Broadway Tarrytown, N.Y. 10591, 914-631-0621.

The memorial service was on Friday, 11A.M. at The Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow, NY. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in Paul's name to The American Heart Association, Heart Gifts Processing Center, PO Box 3049, Syracuse, N.Y.

Condolence cards and notes may be sent to:

John Vydareny

259 North Washington Street

Tarrytown, NY  10591

XYL of Doug Troughton / N2RDF passes away on Saturday, March 3, 2007

Gloria Troughton, XYL of Doug / N2RDF passed away quietly on Saturday, March 3, 2007. Many WECA members have probably heard Doug on the repeater over the past few years on Mondays or Thursdays when he travels between Allentown, PA and his home in Manville, Rhode Island.

Gloria's funeral arrangements will be at The Lincoln Funeral Home, 1501 Lonsdale Ave, Lincoln, RI 02865. The viewing will be on Friday March 9 from 5pm to 8pm with a service shortly before 8pm.

Flowers can be sent to the funeral home, or you may want to make a donation to the American Cancer Society in her name.

https://www.cancer.org/docroot/DON/DON_1_Donate_Online_Now.asp

If you choose the latter, please select a memorial donation and have ACS send the acknowledgement to

Gloria Troughton Memorial

17 Joyce Ann Drive

Manville, RI 02838

Please contact Stan Rothman at WA2NRV at weca.org for further details. 

N2OLU - Fran LaSorsa became an SK on Saturday, June 17, 2006

On October 16, 1981 he married Ellenjane O’Grady Mack. Mr. LaSorsa is survived by his wife Ellenjane and a stepson, Brian Mack and daughter-in-law Donna and a granddaughter Samantha Mack. Also surviving are many nieces, nephews and cousins. His parents have predeceased him.

Mr. LaSorsa worked as a computer-operating technician for Northrop Grumman but was involved with many hobbies, his favorites where candle making, woodworking and being a ham radio operator, his call sign was N2OLU out of Westchester County. He was active in the Westchester Emergency Communications Agency (WECA) holding several posts in the club. He loved working in his workshop fixing things or making furniture or toys. Frank was loved by many as a good husband; good father, good uncle, good friend and he loved being a grandfather. He will be missed.

Friends and family may Visit the Funeral Home (Yannantuono Burr Davis Sharpe funeral Home in the Fleetwood area of Mt. Vernon. The address is 584 Gramatan Avenue Mt. Vernon) on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 from 2 - 4 pm and 7 - 9pm. Mass of christina burial will be held Wednesday at St. Ursula’s Church 10am. Interment will be at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery following the Mass.

Please contact Stan Rothman at WA2NRV at weca.org for further details. 

N2SF - Sandy Fried, SK on Monday, September 13, 2004

A long time member of WECA, Sandy was also for many years  the County of Westchester Liaison to WECA while working in the Emergency Services Office of Westchester County (EOC). He was also a VE and coordinated WECA's VEC efforts for many years.

Holding a Ham Radio license for more than 25 years, Sandy was also an active member of the QCWA.  He ran and participated in many HF, 2 meter nets and public service events. Until about seven years ago, Sandy was an "Elmer to many" and also  taught Ham Radio "technician" classes in New Rochelle, NY at the adult education center.  Sandy also maintained a Ham Radio webpage at n2sf.com

He will be missed by many !

Please contact Stan Rothman at WA2NRV at weca.org for further details. 

Tom Fegan - KB2ZAM became a Silent Key on July 15, 2020

Tom Fegan was the Vice President of WECA (while Richard KC2HZW was President.)  Despite Tom's medical problems, he was active with getting speakers for the General Meetings and programming the computer for the RACES truck.  He also reached out to Simon / KD2DOE as a new member as to how WECA could help more.  Tom encouraged Simon to get involved with our Public Service events and with ARES-RACES to get more familiar with ham radio operations and protocols.  Tom was active with the EastNet Packet system and knowledgeable about its use as an EComm resource.  Simon appreciated his advice on several occasions throughout his membership on the Board as Secretary and now as President.  Very sad to hear he lost his long battle with his medical problems.

Carl Everts / N2VQP became an SK on August 5, 2022

Obituary for Carl R. Everts / N2VQP

Carl R. Everts, 78, of Yonkers, New York passed away on Friday, August 5, 2022.

Carl was born in Yonkers, NY, son of the late Carl and Marge Everts (Waipa) on August 27, 1943. Carl was a graduate of Roosevelt High School in Yonkers, NY. He later became an electrician for Local 3 IBEW. Additionally, Carl had a passion for emergency services and dedicated his time as a volunteer EMT, Salvation Army worker, and Office of Emergency Management (OEM) consultant. Furthermore, Carl managed an extensive collection of ham radios (N2VQP) and communication devices while contributing to several radio communication organizations. He will forever be remembered for his years of service to the city of Yonkers.

Carl was a devoted father, who raised three children who will cherish his memory. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

Carl is survived by his wife Jean Everts (Gemignani), sons Leif and Christian Everts, and daughter Janine Everts (Carolini). Carl, affectionately called Pop-Pop, was also the beloved grandfather of Justin, Ava, and Lia. His memory will also be held in the hearts of his daughter-in-laws Sally and Stephanie, and son-in-law Anthony.

Memorial services were held at the Westchester Funeral Home, 190 Main Street, Eastchester, NY on Tuesday, August 9, from 4:00 - 8:00 PM. A prayer service will be held that same evening from 7:30 - 8:00 PM.

Condolences may be sent by visiting Carl’s obituary at: https://www.westchesterfuneralhome.com/memorials/carl-r-everts/4997333/service-details.php

Paul Maytan / AC2T became an SK on on February 4, 2024

Dear WECA members and friends:

Sadly, Paul M. Maytan / AC2T became an SK this past weekend on February 4, 2024.  He was born on 12/31/1934 and was 89 years old. He got his money’s worth!  He was an ARRL Volunteer Examiner (VE) since 1984 for 748 exams.

I have known Paul since December 1993 when I took my Tech license exam with him at the Yonkers PD on Grassy Sprain Road along with his wife Emily, and other VEs who have since passed on. For many years Paul was the former Technical Engineering Director for WECA.  He was also a Technical Director for the Yonkers Amateur Radio Club (YARC) for many years. Until recently, Paul would operate on HF and he would also join the CBS Retirees net at 9am on Tuesday & Thursday mornings on the 147.06 WECA repeater. One of his replies on the net was “Fine Business”!  Paul is predeceased by his wife Emily (AC2V) who was also a WECA member and a VE.

Below is the obit published today February 6, 2024 by Legacy and the Sinatra Funeral Home . There will be two wake visitations at the Sinatra Funeral Home located at 499 Yonkers Ave, Yonkers on February 12 between 2pm and 4pm, and between 6pm to 8pm. The interment service will be the next day February 13, at 12 noon at the Mt. Hope Cemetery on Jackson Ave. in Hastings.

Peter Johnson / N2TFC

2024 WECA Membership Director / CIO

 Paul Maytan Obituary

Published by Legacy on Feb. 6, 2024.

Paul Maytan's passing has been publicly announced by Sinatra Memorial Home, Inc. in Yonkers, NY.

According to the funeral home, the following services have been scheduled: Visitation, on February 12, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., ending at 4:00 p.m., at Sinatra Memorial Home, Inc., 499 Yonkers Ave., Yonkers, NEW YORK. Visitation, on February 12, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., ending at 8:00 p.m. The interment service will be on February 13, 2024, at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Jackson Ave., Hastings-, NY.

Legacy invites you to offer condolences and share memories of Paul in the Guest Book below.

The most recent obituary and service information is available at the Sinatra Memorial Home, Inc. website.

Dr. Richard "Rich" Benda / WB2QJA became an SK on January 21, 2024

Dear WECA member,

Sadly, I report with a heavy heart that this past Sunday, January 21, 2024. Dr. Richard Benda / WB2QJA became an SK.  He had a long and hard battle with Parkinson’s disease.  Know to many as “Rich” or "Dr. Rich", he earned his Ham Radio license in the mid-sixties. Rich joined WECA in the late 70’s and was the former Digital Communications Director for WECA until a few years ago when he and his family moved to New Hampshire.  Rich used to participate in many WECA events including Field Day, but he really enjoyed digital communications with APRS, packet,  and other state of the art communications technologies that are still in use today.

Below is his obituary published on January 22, 2024.

 Richard Benda Obituary

Published by Legacy Remembers on Jan. 22, 2024.

Dr. Richard L. Benda, the oldest of three children, was born in April 1948 in Brooklyn, NY to parents Louis and Katherine Benda.  Richard attended Queens College at the age of 16, graduated in 1968, and went on to graduate with a Doctor of Medicine degree from Virginia Commonwealth University Medical College of Virginia in 1972.
  Richard became a board-certified doctor of Internal Medicine in 1975. Richard was certified with a subspecialty of Cardiovascular Disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine in 1977. He was inducted into the American College of Cardiologists in 1979. Richard was elected as a Fellow of the American College of Physicians in 1982.
  He worked as an internist with a specialty in cardiology.  He began working at Lawrence Hospital Medical Center in Bronxville, NY in 1977 and served as the Director of Medicine from 1993-2003. Richard was a practicing medical doctor for 45 years.
  Richard married Carol Jones in 1972, and they eventually settled in White Plains, NY where they raised their five daughters.  Richard coached every little league and recreation league softball team his girls played on, as well as other teams when the city needed more coaches.  Richard obtained his ham radio license at the age of 16. Known as WB2QJA, he was an avid member of the Westchester Emergency Communications Association (WECA) for about 40 years.
 Richard was very active with St. Bartholomew's Church in White Plains, dedicating his time to the vestry and as an usher.  Richard was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, which stole his retirement and his way of life as we all knew it.  Even while the disease took its toll, he still maintained his wit and his love of medical knowledge.  When his nursing home had covid, and residents were confined to their rooms, he would open his door every now and again to "check in on everyone."  He would always ask to read EKGs and would talk medical shop with the staff.  Richard was finally able to break free from Parkinson's Disease on January 21, 2024. 

   In ham radio “speak”, he is now a silent key, and we bid him a "73", which is a way of saying a warm goodbye.
Richard is preceded in death by his parents and one of his sisters. He is survived by his wife, his sister, his five daughters, five son-in-laws, nine grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, and other family members.  In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Michael J. Fox Foundation in Richard's name.

Regards and 73,

Peter Johnson / N2TFC

2024 WECA Membership Director / CIO

Membership@Weca.Org

KB2O - Dr. Fritz Boigris became an SK in May 2024 as reported by his daughter in Law - Britt Boigris on October 10, 2024.  Fritz was a long time WECA member since 1978, and was a Volunteer Examiner for WECA's Volunteer Examiner (VE) team. He was a resident of New Rochelle and worked as a physician at the Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx for many years.

Obituary for Dr. Fritz Boigris

Fritz Gerard Andre Urbain Boigris, 90, died suddenly on Tuesday morning, on May 28, 2024. He was a husband, brother, father, grandfather. great grandfather, and Ham Radio Operator (KB2O).

He was born in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti in 1934. He was an avid student and loved to play soccer growing up. Fritz graduated from the Faculte de Medicine, and Pharmacie d'Haiti in 1959. He would go on to do his residency in Pediatrics at the Hopital General of Port-Au-Prince. He would marry the love of his life, Marie-Ange Austin in 1961. Less than 2 weeks later, he would move to Montreal to continue his residency, while she settled to work in New York as a nurse. She told him that they shouldn't be apart when she showed up at his door. They would then migrate to the US moving to Providence, Rhode Island, where he would change his specialty to Anesthesia at Roger Williams Hospital, where their 1st child was born, Fritz Jules Boigris in 1964. In 1965, he would continue his residency at Lincoln Hospital, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. While living there, their second child, Stephane Boigris was born in 1967. Fritz would eventually become Chief of Anesthesia at Lincoln, where he would work until retirement in 2004. In the meantime, the family would move from the Bronx to Mt. Vernon until eventually settling in New Rochelle, where he would remain for the rest of his life. Fritz was a fun loving man who loved sports (Tennis being his favorite), music (Classical) and the man loved to dance. He would also heavily get involved in multiple hobby's piano, guitar, photography, languages (he spoke 5). But by far, his favorite was ham radio, where he was like an evangelist in recruiting family and friends to join him in his hobby and he would speak to people all over the world. He is predeceased by his wife of 45 years, Marie-Ange. He is survived by his sons, Fritz and Stephane, his daughter in law, Britt-Mari Boigris, grandchildren, Jessica and Stephane (and wife, Jessica) Hernandez, Marcus, Annika and Thomas Boigris. Great Grandchildren, Midas and Levi Hernandez. His sister, Claudette Charles as well as nieces, nephews and in laws.

The family will receive friends at the Westchester Funeral Home, Inc, Eastchester on Sunday June 2, 2024 from 2-6 pm. A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday June 3 at 10:30 am at Blessed Sacrament Church, New Rochelle. Interment to follow at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, NY. Please send other remembrances to membership@weca.org to be added to Fritz's memorial.

N2MWE - Kiernan O'Hagan became a silent key on 01/08/2025

Sadly, please see the obituary below for Norm Krajowski / N2GKM who passed away this past Tuesday, March 11, 2025.  Norm was a WECA member since 1986. He was involved in many Public Service events including the NYC Marathon races along with the ARRL Field Day contests over the years. A kind soul who was a very easy person to speak to that had a tremendous knowledge of Ham Radio, electronics, and technology in general. Sometimes he was referred to as “Mr. Ground” as he made sure the Ham Radio equipment was grounded properly at Public Service Events. He will be missed by the many people who knew him.

Norman J. Krajkowski, 80, of Niagara Falls, NY, passed away peacefully on March 11, 2025 in Elderwood at Wheatfield.

Born in Niagara Falls, Norman was the son of the late John and Stephanie (Kusmierz) Krajkowski. He graduated from Bishop Duffy High School and attended Erie Community College.

Norm proudly served in the United States Air Force, dedicating his first year to electronics training in Mississippi, followed by a year at Andrews Air Force Base and another in Greece. He also served on active duty in Thailand, ensuring the proper functioning of electrical components for the B-52s used in Vietnam. Upon his honorable discharge as a Master Sergeant, Norm returned home and began a distinguished career at AT&T as an electrical engineer, following in the footsteps of his father who also was employed in the telecommunication industry.

Norm’s career took him to Attica, NY, then Westchester County, where he enjoyed views of the Empire State Building from his own residence for the last 45 years. After retirement, Norm continued to serve as a consultant at the company’s New Jersey location. He received numerous commendations for his innovative contributions to communication technologies, particularly those benefiting emergency situations.

A lifelong Ham Radio operator, Norm 'N2GKM' was passionate about assisting emergency agencies during crises. He played an instrumental role during 9/11, helping to establish vital communications for emergency officials when other systems failed. He also hosted a well-established Saturday morning Ham radio talk with his fellow friends.

Norm was a 25-year volunteer for the New York City Marathon, a devout Catholic, and a longtime parishioner of Holy Name of Jesus Church in Valhalla, NY. Deeply proud of his Polish heritage, he cherished his family, especially his nieces, nephews, and great-nieces.

Norman is survived by his three siblings, Felicia (Frank) Caputo, Doreen (Sean) O’Connor and Randy (Melanie) Krajkowski; his nieces and nephews, Jonathan (Emily) Caputo, Brandon O’Connor, Justin (fiancé Samantha) O’Connor, Michael Perri, Kristen (Mariah) Ireland; three great-nieces, Maggie, Ruby and Lucy Caputo.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2025 from 10 – 11:15 AM at M.J. Colucci & Son Niagara Funeral Chapel, 2730 Military Road, Niagara Falls, NY, where funeral services will begin at 11:15 AM, followed by Norman’s Mass of Christian Burial at 12 Noon in St. Peter’s Church, 620 Center Street, Lewiston, NY. Interment in Holy Trinity Cemetery, Lewiston, NY. In lieu of flowers, memorial offerings may be made in Norm’s name to a charity of one’s choice.