GOODBYE, DAD
By Jay Smith, Executive Editor | jays@modelaircraft.org
IN MY MARCH 2025 EDITORIAL, I shared that because of my father’s declining health, his ability to participate in the hobby appeared to be at an end. Little did I know when I wrote it he wouldn’t even live long enough to read it. Sadly, my father passed away on February 16. As I wrote this, I was a couple of days away from flying to Florida for his funeral.
I will be forever grateful to my father for my upbringing and for sharing his hobbies with me.
I grew up as an only child, immersed in all of the things that one would find in a hobby shop. That made sense because my father started a hobby shop with a business partner 41 years ago.
Even before the hobby shop, I was flying model airplanes and racing cars and boats competitively. I flew model rockets and built plastic models. I also raced slot cars. My hobby was something my father shared with me, and we regularly talked about our shared interests. We often attended the Southeast Electric Flight Festival together before I came to AMA and, after I was here, I got to take him to Joe Nall Week.
My father nearly left this world 28 years ago when he had a “widowmaker” heart attack. I was in Germany in the U.S. Army at the time. When I boarded the airplane to fly back to the US, I didn’t know whether he was going to make it.
Although his passing has left a void and I will miss our weekly conversations, I remain thankful that I had an additional 28 years with my father. During that time, he referred to each day as a gift.
I will be forever grateful to my father for my upbringing and for sharing his hobbies with me. Rest in peace, Dad!
