A “Silent Key” (SK) is a term of respect for a deceased amateur radio operator. The term originated with telegraph operators, continued with early wireless, and now amateur radio operators.
This page is dedicated to honoring the memory of MCWA members who are no longer with us. If you know of anyone who should be included on this list, please let us know by providing his or her name, call sign, and date and place of death (if known).
| wdt_ID | Date | Name | Call | Location | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 08/25/2017 | Chuck Mather | K9HKJ/W9BFW | Woodstock, IL & Sun City Center, FL | Mather |
| 2 | 10/08/2008 | Joe Comella | W9OBY | Woodstock, IL | Comella |
| 3 | 09/06/1997 | Bob McCoy | K9DZF | Woodstock, IL | McCoy |
| 4 | 11/12/2014 | Hymie Fulgrabe | N8HF | Springfield IL | Fulgrabe |
| 5 | 07/21/2015 | Tom Schwar | WB9RFP | East Dundee, IL | Schwar |
| 6 | 04/04/2016 | Ed Stipulin | KB9GIN | Oakwood Hills, IL | Stipulin |
| 7 | 12/28/2016 | Martin Parrish | W9MLP | Crystal Lake, IL | Parrish |
| 8 | 10/04/2017 | Leo "Bud" Hunter | K9GDI | Cary, IL | Hunter |
| 9 | 01/02/2018 | George Hellman | KD9EIZ | Richmond, IL | Hellman |
| 10 | 09/12/2018 | Paul Dumdie | W9DWP | East Dundee, IL | Dumdie |
| 11 | 02/02/2020 | Henry "Hank" Schumacher Jr. | KB9ASC | Wauconda, IL | Schumacher |
| 12 | 06/23/1999 | Bob Nielsen | K9RN | Oak Park, IL | Nielsen |
| 13 | 05/24/2018 | Dan Atwell | WA9WVX | Elgin, IL | Atwell |
| 14 | 08/20/2014 | Penny Staley | K9PLS | Round Lake Beach, IL | Staley |
| 15 | 02/14/2014 | Harold Bocock | W9DIK | Waukegan, IL | Bocock |
| 16 | 10/12/2017 | Neil Kern | W9CNC | Kerrville, TX | Kern |
| 18 | 04/08/2020 | Bill Lieberum | KB9IWH | Woodstock, IL | Lieberum |
| 19 | 06/18/2020 | Joe Szczubelek | K9DMV | Algonquin, IL | |
| 20 | 11/25/2020 | Dr. Richard Gorski | WD9JFA | Rockford, IL | Gorski |
| 21 | 04/16/2018 | Kenneth Hunsaker | KB9JLX | Crystal Lake, IL | Hunsaker |
| 22 | 01/11/2017 | Bruce Raney | K9KYJ | Wauconda, IL | Raney |
| 23 | 01/23/2021 | Steve James | KA9NPT | Marengo, IL | James |
| 24 | 01/11/2021 | Neil Martin | NM9T | Almont, MI | Martin |
| 25 | 07/07/2021 | Michael Miller | KA9DFI | Wonder Lake, IL | Miller |
| 26 | 07/07/2021 | Wasyl Dobrowolskyj | N9CY | Pell Lake, WI | Dobrowolskyj |
| 27 | 09/30/2021 | Robert C. Hughes | W9IET | Woodstock, IL | Hughes |
| 28 | 01/20/2022 | David (Dave) Stump | KD9ESL | Pensacola, FL | Stump |
| 29 | 11/05/2021 | Pete Gedvilas | K9MG | Ingleside, IL | Gedvilas |
| 30 | 05/23/2022 | Bob McGrath | N9NIX | Woodstock, IL | McGrath |
| 31 | 08/24/2022 | Robert (Rob) Leverenz | KA9RBI | Woodstock, IL | Leverenz |
| 32 | 10/02/2022 | Jerry Heien | N9AVY | Marengo, IL | Heien |
| 33 | 01/28/2023 | Bryan Wadsworth | WB9MCW | McHenry, IL | Wadsworth |
| 34 | 02/20/2023 | Kent Berglund | KC9LIF | Cary, IL | Bergman |
| 35 | 12/22/2022 | Paul Colbrook Graham | K9ERG | Summerville, GA | Graham |
| 36 | 07/02/2023 | Vince Arrizi | N9JSI - WV1NCE | Island Lake, IL | Arrizi |
| 37 | 10/20/2023 | Terry Garrett | K9HA | Lake Villa, IL | Garrett |
| 38 | 10/24/2023 | Dr. Donald (Don) Brandeau | K9QID | Crystal Lake, IL | Brandeau |
| 39 | 02/06/2015 | Edward Gilligan, Sr. | KD9FIL | Harvard, IL | Gulligan |
| 40 | 09/19/2005 | Rich Mencel | K9UA | Mission, TX | Mencel |
| 41 | 07/03/2018 | Bob Tirk | KE9FG | Woodstock, IL | Tirk |
| 42 | 09/13/2024 | Cornel Topala | KK9DX | Waynesboro, TN | Topala |