Vic was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin 80 years ago today. Vic was a resident of the San Leandro area for 55 years. He enjoyed machine building, wood working, and inventing. He was a long time member of Branch 3, and of Mulford Gardens Association in San Leandro. He was married to Patricia Rivers for 40 years. Vic is survived by Patricia and a step-daughter, three sisters, four brothers, one grandchild and one great grand child.
I first met Vic when he called me (the new Newsletter Editor), and asked if I would like to have some of his yarns of the past for the newsletter. Of course I agreed. The result of that conversation was his tales about the family’s old Fordson, building his own G.H.Q. model airplane engine, and “The Steamer in the Swamp”. Who can forget those tales! Now here is the rest of the story — Even back then, Vic was terribly crippled by his arthritis. He was unable to pick up a pencil or a pen in the normal manner. He had a little ”fence” built at the corner of his work top, and he would push the pencil into the corner and then worry it until he finally had it in his grasp. His writing came to me as large capital letters printed in a childlike scrawl on yellow lined paper. It required about 12 to 15 pages of his writing for each short episode in the newsletter. I would read it through and then call him and we would have a long discussion about details not included in the story. Sometimes I would suggest changes to Vic’s text, and discussion would follow. I consider myself to be a pretty good word-smith, but I met my match with Vic. Usually he won these debates. I don’t think very many of our readers realized what a Herculean effort Vic made for those stories, and I will always admire him for his courage and patience.
Vic, I hope that somehow you are able to read this and therefore know of my admiration and appreciation of you — You will be missed by all of us, but we are glad that you are finally relieved of the pain you suffered for so many years.
By Glen Christoffersen