George Aldrich has left us...

Stuka Stunt Main Forum · 16 of 16 known posts recovered

Jake · Jul 04, 2001 08:05 PM

As I understand it, at around 5:20 PM CST, GMA departed this mortal coil. I am going to cry a long time over this one. He made many people all over the planet happy with his work while he was here. He helped make the world in some manner a brighter and happier place, and not an uglier, darker one, and that speaks well of a man's life. I am more sad for all of us than for him, because we are left behind, and it is up to us to carry on as best we are able. We have a tough row to hoe Guys....

JAK

Scott Riese · Jul 04, 2001 09:46 PM

#1 source

My god was that fast...I hope that we can all express our deep sorrow In ways we can all understand. I never meet the man However, I will ALWAYS look up to him as a
BROTHER of CONTROL LINE God bless and ........sorry
scott

gcb · Jul 04, 2001 10:06 PM

#2 source

I never had the pleasure of meeting George in person but corresponded at various forums on the internet.
One experience that always comes to mind, and perhaps helps define George as a person happened a couple of years ago.
The topic of discussion was competition, and how some folks seem to get wrapped up in it. George wrote, "No trophy is worth loosing a friend over".

God bless him,

George

Garf · Jul 04, 2001 10:59 PM

#3 source

I met George only once. It was at the 97 NATS. He was a very easy person to talk to. We will all miss him.

Phil Brown

The Kiwi · Jul 05, 2001 12:58 AM

#4 source

LAST EDITED ON Jul-05-01 AT 10:40 AM (EST)

> I never had the pleasure of meeting George in person
>but corresponded at various forums on the internet.

He was much the same in person. Totally unpretentious and generally quite gracious.

> One experience that always comes to mind, and perhaps
>helps define George as a person happened a couple of years
>ago.
> The topic of discussion was competition, and how some folks
>seem to get wrapped up in it. George wrote, "No trophy is
>worth losing a friend over".
>
> God bless him,
>
This isn't going to be a eulogy, that should be given by a "close" friend anyway. I knew George for about 40 years and we were friends, but often didn't see each other for years at a time. When first we met, I was about 20, and I looked up to him as a modelling role model somewhat the way I'd used John Wayne's movie character persona as a type of role model for manhood as a teen, when I rejected the negative role model that I'd seen in my own home.

I owe him more than mere modelling help and know-how, but Heaven knows, he offered me plenty of that and charged so little because he knew I never had much to pay him with for the work he did . .

George wasn't close to perfect, and had a normal share of negative feelings that he kept to himself for the most part, so folks mostly got to see his "good side." But he was a good man in just about all of the old- fashioned ethical and moral senses and I respected him. I never got into any deep philosophical or theological discussions with him, but I think he had a christian childhood and a respect for religion, although I can't recall him attending services at any church in the last few years.

For those of you who do have a religious bent, it doesn't seem particularly hypocritical to imagine George in an idyllic hereafter, where the bass are always biting, the McGas 40's never run out of fuel, and the wind never dies completely nor rises enough to disturb a perfect 600 point pattern (oops, not counting appearance and pattern points).

"I loved you, George. Good Bye."

Bill

TigreST · Jul 05, 2001 06:20 AM

#5 source

George Aldrich..........."57 Nobler"..........Say no more!!!!

May God bless you and keep you George.

Tony

geoffgg · Jul 05, 2001 07:02 AM

#6 source

LAST EDITED ON Jul-05-01 AT 07:03 AM (EST)

Thanks Bill

There are people around the world who were touched by George in so many different ways but you've said it all.

Geoff

Lt Col Tom McClan · Jul 05, 2001 08:53 AM

#7 source

The Lord decided it was time for George to come home and teach the angels how to properly fly control line stunt. Watching George do it was truly poetry in motion. I am so thankful that I could call him "Friend" and that I talked to him several times before he died on the 4th. Independence Day is truly that for him. I will miss him and his counsel.
God Bless George.

Lt Col Tom McClain

The Kiwi · Jul 09, 2001 10:26 PM

RE: The Public Services for George #15 source

> I knew George for about 40 years and we were friends,
>but often didn't see each other for years at a time.
>When first we met, I was about 20, and I looked up to
>him as a modelling role model somewhat the way that I'd
>used John Wayne's movie character persona as a type of
>role model for manhood as a teen
>
I recall having been surprised when I was first introduced to him to see how small the age difference between us was, even if I had heard and read about how he had been more than merely something of a prodigy when he had been an adolescent modeller.

> George wasn't close to perfect, and had a normal share of
>negative feelings that he kept to himself for the most part,
>so folks mostly got to see his "good side."
> But he was a good man in just about all of the old-
>fashioned ethical and moral senses and I respected him.
>
>For those of you who do have a religious bent, it doesn't
>seem particularly hypocritical to imagine George in an
>idyllic hereafter, where the bass are always biting, the
>McGas 40's never run out of fuel, and the wind never dies
>completely nor rises enough to disturb a perfect 600 point
>pattern (oops, not counting appearance and pattern points,
>make it "645").
>
>"I loved you, George. Good Bye."
>
The chapel at St. Andrews was filled almost to overflowing while George's friends gathered today to celebrate together their joys from having known a unique and irreplaceable individual. There were enough people that I had to miss saying anything to Julie afterward, or to confirm what I had anticipated, which was that the actual funeral had already been held earlier but for only the immediate familiy and closest of friends.

The K.

roymon · Jul 05, 2001 09:28 AM

#8 source

Gezzz fellas, this has been a tough year! I think in the future I will remember the year of 2001 one of the deadliest ones.

Starting with the death of Dale Earnhardt in early 2001, it's been an onslaught. In mid-spring I lost two close friends unexpectedly with hardly a months passing between the demise.

And then I know of other friends who lost close friends as well recently with an uneasy frequency.

Then a number of celebrities; i.e. Jack Lemon, and guitar great Chet Atkins..

And now aviational CL modeling legend George Aldrich. Although I never met the man, I sure can appreciate the 'legacy' of fantastic model airplane designs he has left us.

I hoist a tall, cold one in his honor!!

My condolences to all whom grieve in his wake.

Respectfully,

Paul A. Roy

Scott Riese · Jul 05, 2001 12:59 PM

#9 source

One of the most entertaining viedos that I have is Geroge flying Clock wise and then useing a different plane Fiying Counter clock wise. WOW.... I'll miss you and ALL of e-mails.

bb36dd966 · Jul 05, 2001 02:57 PM

#10 source

I very much have always wanted to met George. I have read several of his articles and once e-mailed him. His answer was great. I am now in the midst of building a Nobler, yellow and black. I am so tempted to paint it all black and just hang it up. But to not fly it would be an insult to George. I have lost a friend I never got to meet. Vaya Con Dios, Jorge.

CML · Jul 05, 2001 04:56 PM

#11 source

I too feel a great loss. After many years outside the sport, I made a recent return. GMA was instrumental in my success. I have had several engine built by GMA and purchased a few more. Whenever I emailed him with a question, I always received a warm response that always helped. George will be missed for sure.

Steve Helmick · Jul 06, 2001 08:46 PM

#12 source

I received the following emailed letter from the Aldrich family. It came as a surprise to me. I feel honored to be among the (deleted) list of email addressees. George and I had some email correspondence about the dreaded Double Star .40 I had him work on, and some other engine questions. Like a good many Texas lads, George was also a bass fisherman, and so we had a common bond there as well as the love of CL and FF, and our country. Tho I never had the chance to meet him, and I doubt we will meet in the hereafter, it is with great sadness that I lose another friend to cancer. I would add that one of George's first problems besides the diabetes, was an imbalance in his "electrolytes". This is something like having heat stroke, where your potassium levels are low. As soon as I heard this, I told George to make sure his doctor is aware that one kind of cancer causes "electrolyte imbalance", and to get that looked into. Don't know if he took heed or not, but I beg you to all watch out for this, as it has taken two friends now.
Snug lines always, to George and all of you, Steve

"Dear Friends,

We wish to thank you for all the beautiful notes
you have sent to
George over the past several weeks and days. Your
kindness has meant so
much to us all. George passed away peacefully
yesterday afternoon, July 4,
2001, surrounded by his family and friends.
Arrangements are being made for
a memorial service here in San Antonio for Monday July
9th at 2:00 pm at the
St. Andrew Presbyterian Church. Another memorial
service will be held in
Muncie, Indiana at the AMA in honor of a lifetime
dedicated to the model
airplane organization.
Again, thank you for all your well wishes.
George's battle with cancer
was difficult but your kindness brought him strength.
We do request that in
lieu of flowers, that donations be made in George's
name to the AMA's Youth
Organization to help keep his passion for modeling
alive for future
generations.

Sincerely,
The family of George M. Aldrich"

Currell · Jul 06, 2001 11:10 PM

#13 source

George always was a gentleman. And he almost always had simple, direct answers to CL-related questions. He could effectively communicate his knowledge to everyone, from newbies to the grizzled oldtimer.

The Nobler was a real leap in CL progress. It was kind of like Bob Beamon in the 68 Olympics, when he long jumped 2 1/2 feet longer than the previous world record.

Every time you fly that N. or Streak, you will remember who designed it.

Currell

Jake · Jul 06, 2001 11:16 PM

#14 source

These airplanes were about 10 years ahead of their respective times (Nobler in 1951, and the Streak in '56). If you stop to consider how young GMA was when he cranked these two out, you really have to realize what a truely gifted genius he was. This says nothing about his motor work, or his records in the C/L Speed area...

JAK