I just got word this morning from Mark Hughes that long time modeler, Lafayette Esquadrille club member, flying buddy and great friend to many of us Gary Hajek has passed away this morning after battling many health issues over the years. I believe Gary was 80 years old. We were very lucky to have Gary with us as long as we did. He suffered a heart attack when he was in his middle 50's, and underwent multiple bypass surgery, and recovered from that, but his doctors cautioned him on the condition and to get his affairs in order. But Gary continued to hang around and enjoy life. Then a few years later, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and he aggressively fought that also and put that behind him. If Gary was anything in this life, he was a fighter! He lived about 25 year beyond where the doctors said he would, and I think that gave him great satisfaction! I know his biggest battle that he would have liked to have won, involved the loss of his son who was also named Gary. Gary and his son were both talented hot rodders, and young Gary was building a successful drag racing frame and fabrication business called Hytek Race Cars that was just beginning to reach national prominence, when he was murdered in his race shop one morning many years ago. I had just gotten to know Big Gary through modeling, and had seen his son's business mentioned on national broadcasts of NHRA events. But sadly, the crime was never solved and no one was brought to justice for the tragedy. It hung over Gary like a dark cloud for the rest of his life. It was just a few years ago, also, that Gary lost his wife to a sudden heart attack. I can take some comfort in the knowledge that Gary is no longer in any pain or suffering, and that he is in the company of his loved ones again. He is survived by a brother, a daughter Sarah , who has been keeping us posted on Gary's condition, and some grandchildren I believe.
There are many names in the hobby/sport that people recognize even though you may have never met them. I have long held the belief that there are also many names in the hobby/sport that are not as well known but belong to people that are the foundation of the hobby/sport. Gary was one of those people. Some of you may have met and known Gary from hanging out at the L pad at the NATS or on the contest circuit from as far west as VSC in Tucson and east as Atlanta over the years. I logged many miles traveling with Gary to contests and have many great memories of those times, Gary was a very generous man with his friendship, time and support to many of us. I am especially grateful to Gary for his support of my son Sean from the time he was a very young boy, all the way through his military career and to this very day. I know Sean and I will be forever grateful to him for his friendship. As an example of this, I have a short story. Gary and I met when I was helping to get a new control line club off the ground in the St. Charles area way back when. I had been flying the beginner class, and flying the usual stuff powered by Fox .35s. I had a profile Chipmunk that I had been flying with some success, and Gary often said I should put a better engine "in that thing!" I was in and out of work at that time and new engines just were not in the budget. One day at Buder Park Gary handed me a box with a brand new Randy Smith prepared Magnum .40 in it and said "Here, get rid of that Fox and put this in!" I objected because I could not pay him for it at the time but he insisted, so I installed the Magnum.40, and Gary was correct on it being just what I needed. A month of so later we were flying at Buder one evening and I put up my first flight. I had been wearing a cheap pair of sunglasses I had perched on my head. I went into the wing over and going over the top, I felt the glasses fall off and attempted to catch them. By the time I looked up, the Chipmunk was exploding into incredibly small pieces as it hit the pavement straight in! I could see what looked like a broken crank case laying on the ground, and the thought went through my mind that I had not yet paid Gary for the engine! I was relieved to find out that the broken object was the muffler. The nose section was the biggest piece left and it showed that the plane had hit so straight and square that the mounting bolts had sheared, the engine slid back in the mounts and the mounts had taken the brunt of the impact! I cleaned up the engine, checked it out thoroughly, welded up the muffler, and it soldiered on in another model for many years. I paid Gary for the engine as soon as I could after that episode, (taking the crash and loss if an airplane as a sign and warning!) and I still have it in my collection and it will get used again!
I will pass on information about arrangements and such as soon as I find out about them. Please keep Gary, his family and his friends in your thoughts and prayers.
Dan McEntee
Topic: Remembering Gary Hajek (Read 2124 times)
