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-   -   Very sad news regarding Semroc and Carl McLawhorn (http://www.oldrocketforum.com/showthread.php?t=12829)

Ltvscout 08-12-2013 11:21 AM

Very sad news regarding Semroc and Carl McLawhorn
 
I just received this email from Sheryl...

--
Scott,

Carl had to go in to the hospital last night for emergency surgery (aneurysm in his aorta) and died on the table. Please let everyone know we will ship out orders but it will be a few days.

Sheryl

SEL 08-12-2013 11:30 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ltvscout
I just received this email from Sheryl...

--
Scott,

Carl had to go in to the hospital last night for emergency surgery (aneurysm in his aorta) and died on the table. Please let everyone know we will ship out orders but it will be a few days.

Sheryl


Sitting here absolutely stunned...

S.

Ltvscout 08-12-2013 11:31 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by SEL
Sitting here absolutely stunned...

S.

As was/am I after reading her email.

Scott

kurtschachner 08-12-2013 11:38 AM

Aww geez. I hated reading that.

sandman 08-12-2013 11:38 AM

Oh my God!

I am so saddened to hear this.

I and the rocket community have lost a true dear friend.

Gus 08-12-2013 11:48 AM

Truly terrible news!
Carl absolutely defined the word "gentleman" for me.
Carl and Sheryl were there from the very first moments Emma and I started competing and remained truly wonderful supporters right up until two weeks ago at NARAM When Carl stopped by our tent to give Emma a few words of encouragement. Oh how I will miss him.
Our love to Bruce and Sheryl and the rest of McLawhorn family.
Rest in peace Carl.

Steve and Emma

hcmbanjo 08-12-2013 11:49 AM

I am truly sorry to hear this.
Carl had helped me out many times with custom parts and good advice.

I'll prep a Semroc model and launch it in his honor.

fulldec 08-12-2013 11:56 AM

I am numb, but thank you for passing this message along.

Don

Bill 08-12-2013 12:08 PM

I do not know what to add other than I am honored to have been able to know him. Bye, Carl.


Bill

Royatl 08-12-2013 12:13 PM

I am so going to kick myself forever for not getting to NARAM this year... sigh...

We'll miss you Carl.

jetlag 08-12-2013 12:15 PM

Godspeed, dear Carl.

I will miss you and pray for your family.

A-

bob jablonski 08-12-2013 12:16 PM

Our thoughts and prayers are with Carl. What a major loss.
Mr. Bob
Starlight Dude

rocketguy101 08-12-2013 12:18 PM

This is such sad news...my prayers go out to Sheryl and McLawhorn family. The rocketry community lost a giant!

Rocket86 08-12-2013 12:22 PM

I am so sad to hear this. My deepest condolences to Sheryl and the family. To me they have always been the standard in the industry for quality and friendly, helpful, fast service. We will all miss you, Carl.

mojo1986 08-12-2013 12:22 PM

Such a knowledgeable guy and a real gentleman. Always loved reading his all too infrequent posts here on YORF. I just can't believe he's gone..........

Joe

Blushingmule 08-12-2013 12:26 PM

So sad...

Carl was without a doubt one of the friendliest and most accessible men of all walks of life
I've had the pleasure of meeting. My condolences to Cheryl, Bruce, and all.

Bob

Chas Russell 08-12-2013 12:30 PM

John Dyer of Red River Rocketry called me with the news a few minutes ago. A tragic loss to the hobby and to those of us who counted Carl and family as friends. You couldn't help but feel Carl's enthusiam in every conversation. I did not get a real opportunity to visit with the SEMROC crew at NARAM-55. I really feel terrible about that.

John said that Bruce will take over operations. We need to give them some time and then continue to support them.

Chas

Ltvscout 08-12-2013 12:32 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chas Russell
John said that Bruce will take over operations. We need to give them some time and then continue to support them.

Chas

It's nice to hear that Semroc will continue to operate as a company, but I'd much rather have Carl around...

Initiator001 08-12-2013 12:39 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Very sad news.

It was only a few weeks ago at NARAM-55 that I was talking with Carl.

His enthusiasm for the hobby and what Semroc was going to do in the future was as infectious as ever.

I will very much miss him.

My condolences to the McLawhorn family.

chanstevens 08-12-2013 12:43 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chas Russell
John Dyer of Red River Rocketry called me with the news a few minutes ago. A tragic loss to the hobby and to those of us who counted Carl and family as friends. You couldn't help but feel Carl's enthusiam in every conversation. I did not get a real opportunity to visit with the SEMROC crew at NARAM-55. I really feel terrible about that.

John said that Bruce will take over operations. We need to give them some time and then continue to support them.

Chas


I found a few minutes to swing by the Semroc tent before they took off and chat with one of the nicest families in rocketry. Carl was of course tied up, and I didn't get a chance to connect with him before I had to return to flying. Guess this is a stark reminder that we really need to treasure the time we have with each other, you never know what words will be your last ones.

My heart goes out to Sheryl, Bruce and the extended family.

--Chan Stevens

Sirius Rocketry 08-12-2013 12:49 PM

I got a call from John Dyer this morning telling me the sad news. Evie and I are shocked and saddened that we have lost another member of our extended family. Rocketry has lost another one of the good ones and our condolences to Sheryl , Bruce, Lisa and the entire family. Carl was a great man, and will be very missed.

BrianURocket 08-12-2013 12:52 PM

Thoughts and Prayers to Sheryl, Bruce and family. My re-entrance into the hobby as a BAR was extremely influenced by Semroc. I only e-mailed with Carl, but from all his actions and forum posts, I could tell his true enthusiasm for the hobby. A huge loss to the rocketry community.

BEC 08-12-2013 12:59 PM

There is nothing more I can add....just stunned and now treasuring the short time I was able to visit with him at NSL this year (and even more now the two models I got him to sign).

Prayers for all the Semroc family and a promise to support as I can in the future.

EchoVictor 08-12-2013 01:13 PM

Wow, such sad news. Thoughts and prayers with the McLawhorn family today.

Makes me treasure this picture even more...



Later,
EV

A Fish Named Wallyum 08-12-2013 01:15 PM

Worst wake-up news I've had in years.

jharding58 08-12-2013 01:16 PM

There are simply no words.

Vanel 08-12-2013 01:19 PM

Carl was one of the greats of rocketry - his enthusiasm for the hobby, his willingness to go above and beyond for us rocketeers, his encyclopedic knowledge, and his abundant kindness will be sorely missed.

The NASA meteor cameras recorded several bright Perseids over North Carolina last night; not scientific, but I would like to think it was the heavens welcoming Carl. To quote Shakespeare:

"When beggars die there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes."

My thoughts and sympathies to Sheryl, Bruce, and the family.

JumpJet 08-12-2013 01:28 PM

I was very fortunate to spend many hours with Carl during NSL setting up all those old rockets models we put on display. For many of the models Carl pulled out of the boxes he would stop, look at it for a while, then proceed to tell me some type of historical information on the model such as the year it came out, or who the Centuri or Estes designer of that particular model was. He was in fact a big kid in a Candy Store that day. I will truly miss him.


John Boren

Ironnerd 08-12-2013 01:51 PM

Sad news indeed. He shall be greatly missed.

STRMan 08-12-2013 02:12 PM

Here I sit at work at my desk, a 50 year old man, and I'm actually crying because of the passing of a man I never actually met in person. I knew Carl though his postings here, a few emails, and the excellent service he and his family gave me as I became a BAR. I had always hoped to one day shake his hand.

My deepest condolences to not only Carl's immediate family, but his extended family here in the model rocket community.

gpoehlein 08-12-2013 02:13 PM

Sheryl and familiy - I am so very sorry for your loss. I only met Carl twice (once at NSL and a couple years ago at NARAM) - and both times he made me feel like an old friend. I will miss him greatly.

Greg Poehlein

foamy 08-12-2013 02:18 PM

I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but admired him just from my very limited interaction and knowledge of his character.

vade cum Deo.

JohnNGA 08-12-2013 02:25 PM

My Deepest condolences, the Rocket Community has lost One of it's Finest. Godspeed Carl.

John Brohm 08-12-2013 02:43 PM

Landing in New York to be confronted by this news. To say that it's stunning is indeed understated.

We had dinner with Carl & Sheryl the first Saturday night of NARAM. As others have said, there just aren't nicer people or better ambassadors for the hobby than these folks. We've lost one of the modern day giants in the hobby - engineer, mechanic, chemist, artist, Carl was all of these things and more, but I've always thought the thing that really made him special was his ability to treat you like you were his only customer in the world. He just genuinely loved people, and it showed.

At dinner we must have spent close to three hours just talking rockets and the hobby. Everything from why he chose to make kits a certain way, different processes he used in the shop, the plans for boutique motors, and of course the history and connections that always reside in a small community like this. A genuine treasure, he will be genuinely missed.

One of my best and cherished memories is working with Carl and Miss Sheryl to produce the PSC infinity kit. Once the parts were made and the instructions written, my wife and I traveled to Semroc to do the kitting of the first run. An experience that will never be forgotten.

Our hearts go out to Miss Sheryl and family at this time, and we offer our very best support.

SecretSquirrel 08-12-2013 03:24 PM

Our thoughts go out to Sheryl and the rest of the McLawhorn family. I've never met or talked to Carl and Sheryl but it's my understanding they're a class act. I know some of the small manufacturers owe them a huge debt because without their mentorship, they wouldn't exist. The entire rocketry community has been diminished in more ways than we know at the moment. This is truly a sad day for us all.

K'Tesh 08-12-2013 03:27 PM

Godspeed Carl
 
I never got to meet Carl, but he responded to my emails, and was a great source of inspiration... it was Semroc's Cineroc that got me back into rockets.

My condolences to all who knew him.

Godspeed Carl

Bluegrass Rocket 08-12-2013 05:32 PM

Fly High Carl
 
I am shocked like so many. My son Luke and I got to have a few great conversations with Carl at NARAM a few weeks ago. He told a few stories and we got to talk shop about rockets. It was wonderful indeed.

NewWay Space Models would not have happened had it not been for Carl. He helped me in many ways to get the square rockets going. Carl made a bunch of parts and I could call him anytime for advice. He will be more than missed.

All of my family's prayers goes out to Sheryl, Bruce and the rest of Carl's family.

I don't know what I can offer but, if I can help in any way, please let me know.

JStarStar 08-12-2013 05:39 PM

Not to duplicate the thread on the other forum too much, but it is remarkable how many people who you would think would be cutthroat competitors and hardcore rivals have weighed in with heartfelt condolences and warm rememberances.

I think it speaks a lot for people involved in the hobby, their love of it and the general feeling of community and 'paying forward' Carl was so much a part of.

Randy 08-12-2013 05:47 PM

We are very sorry to hear about Carl, our sincere condolences to all the family.

It seems that over the last few years we've said goodbye to several of the truly great rocketeers of our time and all too young to be gone. Eric Gates, Darrell Mobley and now Carl.

Life is often short and can so quickly be gone.

Randy & Verna
www.vernarokets.com

tbzep 08-12-2013 06:12 PM

Stunned truly is an understatement. My condolences.


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