Desert Messenger

26 www.DesertMessenger.com January 17, 2024 Hams rally in Q too much junk? CLEAN OUT THAT GARAGE List your items in Desert Messenger CLASSIFIEDS Email Editor@DesertMessenger.com or CALL RAIN @ 928-916-4235 STEVE JOHN VONDRACEK Steve John Vondracek 85, of Quartzsite, AZ passed away Friday November 10, 2023, in the comfort of his home with the love of his life by his side. Steve was born September 28, 1938 in Salem, OR to Stephen and Frances (Gregg) Vondracek. He graduated from Kelso High School, Kelso, Washington in 1956.. After graduating from High School, Steve enlisted the Navy to see the world. He chuckled many times that his "sea duty" was spent at North Island in San Diego. "So much for seeing the world," he would quip. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in Dec. of 1960. Steve and Patricia MacNamara were married in 1959; they later divorced. Steve married Sharon Hodges Sherping on July 12, 1975, before moving to Lakota, ND later in the year. While in North Dakota, Steve worked on a small re-mod job for Boeing on the Minuteman Mis- siles. When this was completed in 1977, he was transferred to another re-mod job on the Minuteman Mis- siles at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana. He moved his family to Hayden Lake, ID and made the 350 mile commute on weekends for two years. He said it was like a vacation at the end of ev- ery week. During this time he trav- eled over 20,000 miles on his com- mute home. In the fall of 1979, he returned to the "Big House" at the Boeing facility in Everett, Washing- ton. While in Everett he put his in- spection skills to work on the fl ight line of the 747 and 767 #1 before her maiden fl ight. He remained with the 767 program until his retirement. His career as a Quality Control Inspector started with The Boeing Company in 1961 and lasted for 33 years. He said he thought he would be working on planes when he was hired but was instead attached to the Minuteman Missile program. Most of his career at Boeing was spent in the fi eld working on the Minuteman Missiles in Montana, Wyoming, Missouri, North and South Dakota. Although, he did spend some time working on the PHM hydrofoil pro- gram in Renton, Washington. The last 14 years of his career were spent at the Boeing facility in Everett. Retirement for Steve started on July 1, 1994 when he and Sharon moved to Plains, Montana where they had a home built on the Clark Fork River. Time was spent working in his shop, fl oating the river, fi sh- ing, gardening, riding his motorcy- cle and just enjoying life. Steve also fulfi lled a lifelong dream of becom- ing a private pilot. He purchased a Cessna 150 airplane and spent many hours in the sky. Some of the grandchildren also enjoyed fl ying with grandpa and he never shied away from an opportunity to take friends for a ride. Steve and Sharon also enjoyed fl ying to various places to have a hamburger or just some- where for breakfast. He also made a couple cross country trips, includ- ing a visit to his oldest brother in Michigan as well as fl ying to Cali- fornia one winter while RVing. Snowbirding began in 1998 with the purchase of their fi rst RV. At fi rst it was only for 3 or 4 months to get out of the Montana cold. In 2004 Steve and Sharon moved to Mul- vane, KS to be near family. While there the lure of being nomads con- tinued to call out to them. They sold everything, bought a 5th wheel and truck and took to the open road in 2007. Steve and Sharon traversed the United States and the Maritime Provinces of Canada. While doing this they did a little gold prospect- ing, rode his motorcycle, were sea- sonal employees at Amazon, worked the sugar beets one season and spent 3 summers as camp hosts in South Dakota and Montana. Along the journey they met and became friends with many. In 2016 they decided the full-time nomadic life was coming to an end and settled in Quartzsite, Arizona. Steve enjoyed working on various projects in his "man cave", ie, mak- ing wooden toys, airplanes, pictures on the scroll saw and various project with stained glass. He also enjoyed reading and history. Over the 29 years of retirement he and Sharon visited many museums, continued to ride his motorcycle, hiking in the desert and just enjoying life. Steve is survived by his wife Sharon, sister Frances, sons Dennis (Chris) Burkhart, Randall (Lil) Sherping, daughter Teresa (Alan) Schern- er, daughter-in-law Beth Sherp- ing, grandchildren Austin (Em- ily) Burkhart, Zachary Burkhart, Christian, Max, Noah (Amber), and Hannah Scherner, Trevor (Sonja) Sherping, Sarah, (Nadan) Kulaglic, Matthew (Natalie) Sherping, great grandchildren Payton, Sophia, Ryk- er, Sadie, Landon, and another due in March of 2024. He is also sur- vived by many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Stephen and Frances Von- dracek, brothers Joe and Vern, sis- ters, Josie, Vinus(Cookie), Mae, and son Terry Sherping. Celebration of Life services will be held February 18, 2024, 2 pm at Covenant Lutheran Church 270 E Cowell, Quartzsite, AZ. Memorials may be given to Cov- enant Lutheran Church, P O Box 2820, Quartzsite, Arizona 85346, Salvation Army, Friends of the Quartzsite Food Bank, or charity of your choice., In Memoriam What? Quartzfest© is an annual HAM Radio RV and tenters Boondocking event which is held in late January every year with dates coinciding with the Quartzsite "RV Show." When? January 21st- 27, 2024 Where? 7 miles south of Quartzsite Arizona - on US 95 at La Paz Valley Road, Roadrunner BLM camping. Who Can Attend? ANYONE! If you don't have your Amateur Radio Op- erators License yet, you'll be able to take your Amateur Radio Operators License Exams at Quartzfest© Cost? FREE!!!! Our Annual Amateur Radio "get to- gether" is called "Quartzfest©" and is open to ALL to attend. Quartzfest© is not a club, no offi cers, no budget and no dues..and is absolutely FREE!! During the week of Quartzfest©, RV's are everywhere across the des- ert, as far as you can see..every make and model you can imagine! There are hundreds of groups that meet in Quartzsite every year in dif- ferent parts of the desert who share like interests. Our group, Quartz- fest©, started out in 1997 as just a few HAM RV'ers getting together, camping in their RV's in the middle of the desert..no power, no running water. Solar Panels and Generators are in use everywhere (Porta-Pot- ties are available for our tent camp- ers and day visitors). Quartzfest© is similar to a Hamfest but lasts an entire week and is packed full of scheduled Seminars and Activi- ties. Talks range in topics from Gene- alogy and Crafts for Non-HAM's to Solar Power and Battery Information, Technical information for the seasoned HAM, and introductory information for the new HAM. Also included in the week's activities are VE Amateur Radio License Testing, Antenna Walk- about (touring other HAM's RV An- tenna installations), Solar Walkabout, 4x4 Off Road Trip in the Desert, Pros- pecting, Campfi res (some with musi- cal entertainment), Pot Luck dinner, Hootenanny and lot's more! We Camp on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land which is FREE, but you can only camp there for 14 days at a time. By Kristyn Weed

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