I don't know if any of you remember Ronnie "Dale" Parker who joined the Volks Folks several years ago.  He wasn't a very active member, but he did come to a few meetings and occationally would show up at a cruise-in.  Seems like he dropped in on the last cruise-in we had at Happy Days Pizza on Hwy. 58 and I know he was at the last one we had at the burger place (Backyard Burgers?) on Hwy 58 a couple of years ago.  The last few times I saw him he was driving a type 3 . . . I think he had a couple of them.  I saw him and got to speak to him briefly at Bug-A-Plauza and hadn't seen him since.  I was busy and figured we run into each other somewhere down the road and have a chance to shoot the breeze and catch up on old times.

Dale and I used to work together in the weave room at SI years ago.  The first time I owned Homer the Super Bus, I sold him to a co-worker who installed the type 1 engine and then turned around and sold it to Dale.  I would not doubt that Dale put close to 100,000 miles on him during the 4 or 5 years he owned Homer.  He had been out of work for a couple of weeks and needed some money and since he had gotten a new truck, he graciously offered to sell Homer back to me.  Every time we talked, he always asked how "our" bus was doing.  I always said if I ever did decide to get rid of Homer, Dale would have first dibs.

I found out yesterday afternoon that Dale suffered a heart attack and  passed away last week.  He was a year younger than me.  I wish now I had taken a couple more minutes to talk to him at Bug-A-Paluza.  Rest in peace old friend.   :cry: