NELLIS-OWNBY ARE AILINGIn the past, it's been this newsletter's policy to acknowledge illnesses and deaths in the Binnacle and Taps List. It's different this time. If this Association has founders, they are Don Nellis and Jim Ownby. There were others that signed on and helped, but if weren't for the organizational skills and enthusiasm of Ownby and Nellis, we may well not be going to Portland this year, or talking about the good times we've had in San Diego, Branson, Norfolk or other places. For those of you who don't know them, Nellis was Weapons Officer from 1963-65. He left Topeka to command a destroyer where he had at least one tour in Vietnam on the gun line. He had a second command and retired as a Captain. Ownby finished out WWII on PT boats and joined Topeka in 1962 as an LDO Lieutenant and was Gunnery Officer. After leaving Topeka in 1965, he fin shed his career as an instructor at Fleet Training Center San Diego, and retired as a Lieutenant Commander. Retiring to the San Diego area, they stayed in touch over the years. Often at lunch, they would reminisce about Topeka and the good memories. At one of these lunches in 1989, Nellis commented about the number of Topeka sailors in southern California and said, "Why don't we have a reunion?" Ownby replied, "Why not?" They brought people like Cass, Reynolds, Judge, and Parkhurst into the fold and went to work, sending announcements to newspapers, and military related publications around the country. They set a goal of having a reunion in two years. Six months later, they were so successful that they shortened the timetable by a year and scheduled the first Topeka reunion in August 1990, in San Diego, hosted by Dudley Casso Nellis was elected president at that first meeting and Ownby was on the Board of Advisors. Nellis remained as Chairman of the Board until the association incorporated two years ago. Ownby remained on the Board until that same time. The rest is history. We've had 13 reunions in 11 cities. We've been on both coasts and in the central states. In August, we'll add Portland to the list and we get bigger each year, with over 1,000 shipmates on our roster. We owe much of this success to Nellis and Ownby. Now they are both ailing, and they would like to hear from you - - their shipmates. For the past 2-3 years, Nellis has had a congestive heart problem, which has slowed him down. Now, he has developed kidney problems. He just recently came home from two weeks in the hospital. Now, he goes back three days a week for day-long kidney dialysis treatments. His heart problem is stabilized, but for the most part, he is confined to the house. Ownby's problems began about five years ago when a growth turned up on a kidney, and the kidney had to be removed. He has been in and out of the hospital since, and this past September, was back with a bout of pneumonia. By December, he could no longer care for himself, and went into a nursing home, where his health continues to deteriorate. He has just recently moved to his son Mike's home in Lakeside, CA. Both Don and Jim would appreciate hearing from you. Don's address is 12735 Abra Dr., San Diego, CA 92128, telephone 858-487-4595. Cards can be addressed to Jim Ownby at 14951 EI Monte Road, Lakeside, CA 92040-2630; telephone 619-443-2761. Jim's hearing has gotten progressively worse in the past few months so it is very difficult for him to talk on the telephone. PORTLAND, OREGON AUGUST 13-16Portland: This is a view we will have at Reunion 03 in Portland, Oregon. Come join us August 13-16 and we will relive again those days aboard Baka Hachi |
