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K4FW Albert R. Kahn

Discussion in 'Silent Keys / Friends Remembered' started by N9AS, Jun 22, 2005.

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  1. N9AS

    N9AS Ham Member QRZ Page

    June 19, 2005


    Obituary: Albert R. Kahn
    July 9, 1906 -- June 15, 2005




    Albert R. Kahn, 98, of Howell Drive, Cassopolis, Michigan, died Wednesday, June 15, 2005, at home.

    He was born July 9, 1906, in La Salle, Illinois, and moved to South Bend, Indiana, in 1912. For the remainder of his life, Michiana was his home.

    In 1937 he married Anne Snyder, who preceded him in death October 4, 2001. He is survived by three daughters, Salley Efremoff (Anthony) of Canton, Ohio, Carol Bieneman (James) of Cassopolis, Michigan, and Kathy Rusk of Kirkland, Washington; nine grandchildren, Anne Elizabeth Efremoff of Canton, Ohio, Cynthia Efremoff Stowers (Jim) of Sterling, Virginia, Alan Efremoff of Charlotte, North Carolina, Charles Bieneman (Ann) of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Jane Bieneman of New York City, Kathryn Bieneman Romita (Jack) of New York City, Robert Irvine (Elisa) of Athena, Oregon, Annette Irvine Swangard (Paul) of Eugene, Oregon, and Jennifer Irvin of Maple Valley, Washington; and eight great-grandchildren. He was also preceded in death by a sister, Dorothea Kahn Jaffe.

    Mr. Kahn founded Electro-Voice, Inc., in 1930 and was president of the company until 1969 when it merged with Gulton Industries. In 1970 he started a radio equipment manufacturing company, Ten-Tec, in Sevierville, Tennessee, with which he remained involved until his death.

    Form childhood on, radio and sound communication fascinated him. At age 12 he joined a boy scout troop and was sent home with a radio to repair. This was the start of his lifelong passion for radio. Around his 13 birthday he received his amateur radio license and upon graduating from Central High School in 1924 began installing and repairing radio receivers. A favorite story from the early years revolves around the legendary Knute Rockne for whom Kahn designed and installed a portable PA system so that Rockne could direct his players from a tower on four different playing fields simultaneously during practice. Rockne dubbed this system his "electric voice." And so, when Kahn incorporated his company, he called it Electro-Voice. The company took off during WW II when Kahn invented and patented a noise-canceling microphone, a technology still used in modern communication and during the Mercury, Gemini and Skylab space missions.

    For decades Kahn participated in the international "ham" radio DX contests, and one year enjoyed the distinction of being one of the first lay persons ever to operate a "ham" radio station from the Vatican.

    Awards over the years that gave him special pleasure included an Army/Navy "E" Award in 1945 for supplying the War Department with thousands of microphones during WW II, and a Silver Beaver award from the Boy Scouts for manning amateur radio stations at international scout jamborees.

    Kahn served for many years on the boards of the Economics Club of Southwestern, Michigan, Shoreline (now Chemical) Bank, and Pawating (now Lakeland) Hospital. He was a member of the Amateur Radio Relay League, the First Class Operators Club (FOC), the Diamond Lake Yacht Club, and was a contributing writer of humorous articles for amateur radio publications.

    A memorial service is planned for Saturday, July 16, 2005, in the Diamond Cove Missionary Church, 22541 Diamond Cove Road, Cassopolis, Michigan. Visitation at the church, scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m., will be followed immediately with memorial services at 4 p.m.

    Contributions in memory of Albert Kahn may be made to Cass County Hospice, 310 East Sherwood Street, Decatur, MI 49045; or to the Michiana Amateur Radio Club (MARC), in care of Noel Kindt (W9EFL), 90888 Bluff Drive, Marcellus, MI 49067.

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    N9AS
    Simpson260
     
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