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VAC MEMBERS BILL GALLASH AND ELTON STARTT PASS AWAY |
Posted on 07/25/2012 |
The Virginia Anglers Club lost one its most beloved and respected members, Bill Gallasch, on Tuesday, June 26th. Bill was 99 years old at his passing and the eldest member of the VAC. The VAC ironically received word of Bill’s passing at the June, 2012 Membership Meeting. Although not a founding member, Bill joined the Club in the year of its founding, 1961, and was voted into Life Membership. Bill’s legacy of entries in the VAC catch records cover thirty-five years and includes sixty-three catches that include a nice mix of twenty-three fresh and saltwater species. These entries were caught in Virginia, North Carolina or Florida. Bill’s entries from Florida were from the Keys, the North Carolina catches were out of Oregon Inlet and his catches in Virginia were from local rivers, the Bay and the Eastern Shore. Not only a very active angler, Bill expanded his hobby of fly tying into a flourishing business, “Bill Gallash Flies”. Bill would receive a request for some flies for species of fish for which flies were not commercially available. He would ponder the request and then tie and deliver a group of flies that had never before been fished. These unique, custom made flies worked very well. Over the years, many Club Members or their guests at the annual banquet have won a “Bill Gallasch Fly Box” containing a dozen or so of Bill’s wonderful creations. The flies in the fly boxes now more highly treasured now that Bill is no longer with us. Over his life time, Bill tied flies for numerous Club members and also for world renowned anglers like Joe Brooks, Lefty Kreh and Bing Crosby. As Bill’s mobility, hearing and eyesight declined in is later years, current Club President Glenn Carter made sure that Bill was included in as many angling events and was carried to as many Club meetings and Banquets as Bill could manage. Glenn’s devotion to Bill made it possible for many more members of the Virginia Anglers Club to get to know Bill and respect his lifetime of angling achievements. Bill’s son Bill (William F. Gallasch) and his wife Ceci graciously opened their home to members of the VAC to come and help Bill celebrate landmark birthdays and most recently, the 75 Anniversary of his marriage with wife Katherine. It is with great respect and affection that the Membership of the Virginia Anglers Club accepts the fact that Bill has pulled lines for the last time.
Virginia Anglers Club Member Elston Startt was 87 years old when he passed away on 24, 2012. Perhaps not known to many members, Elston joined the VAC in 1999 and maintained his membership for the following thirteen years. Elston chose the opportunities the VAC offered for good fellowship and for the freely shared angling information such as how and where to catch various species of fish. Like Bill Gallasch, Elston was a decade’s long retired employee of the Dupont Company’s Spruance Plant located in Chesterfield County. With Bill and Elston pulling lines for the last time, the Virginia Anglers Club has, within a couple of days, lost it two eldest members. |
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Est. 1961
