K9 Hotel Sugar Sugar. I talked to him almost every night when I lived in Minnesota. The 3913 group. Mike
Clarence E Riley, Jr, K9HSS SK Clarence “Ed” Edward Riley, Jr., age 82, passed away April 20, 2026, at Marshfield Medical Center Park Falls. He was born April 23, 1943, to parents Clarence, Sr. and Luella Riley in Park Falls, WI. He graduated Class of ’61 from Park Falls High School. He served in the military from 1963 to 1967. He married the love of his life Melodi Burnett on April 21, 1973. Together they built a life in Phillips. Ed drove a school bus for the Phillips School District from 1975 to 2019. He also owned and operated Riley’s TV and Satellite Service from 1976 to 2000. He loved fishing, camping, reading, and watching Van Life Videos on YouTube. He loved his HAM Radio as well. Ed was preceded in death by his parents: Clarence, Luella Brumm; foster parents: Elaine and Aubrey Dunn; brother: Ray Riley; sister: Joanne Hamann. He is survived by his wife Melodi; children: Ashley Riley, Joe (Tori) Riley; grandchildren: Collin Riley, Tanner (Kirsten) Riley, Arianna Riley, Ean Riley, Samantha Zimmerman; siblings: Charlotte Ziemke, Delores Johnson; sister in law: Vikki Burnett; numerous nieces and nephews; pets: Wilson, Sunny and Scout; and many HAM Radio friends. A Memorial Gathering will be held Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 11:00 am, at Heindl-Nimsgern Funeral Home in Phillips, WI. A Memorial Service will be held at 12:00 Noon following the gathering. https://www.nimsgernfuneral.com/obituaries/clarence-riley-jr
Ok Ed, been a dam good run. Bamboo wrapped in foil for a yagi, the sterba, your towers and all the variations hanging off of them, the longest homebrew ladder line runs ever, ha ha. The stories; Holy mackerel, working at the girls camp, the gravel truck hitting the tower guy wire, dropping that tower with Don, the concrete truck and big caterpillar dozer to the rescue, green kid going to Detroit, meeting and courting Melody, Joe and the grandson helping with antenna maintenance after age 80, the Saudi operators come from halfway around the world to see your antenna farm, working from the Viet Nam station, climbing on a windy cold day to replace a beacon gone dead on somebody's tower, getting your friends ta help you carry the beer can vertical out to its erection place, lol, double bazookas. So many stories and so many friends, WOW. Good man had a good life. Ed K9 Hotel Sugar Sugar worked and was 3.913
Oh, I miss Ed already. I used to talk to him and the 3933 crowd in the 80's and 90's while a green teenage ham and while AD USAF at Keesler AFB, MS. Ed ALWAYS had an outstanding signal, even here in Alaska. Great life, great ham. Always a gentleman, he welcomed everyone. Miss you, friend.
Just discovered that Ed had passed on. My sympathy to the family and Ham friends. I checked in on 3913 last night. The last time I stopped by was a couple of months ago, at which time Ed's voice seemed to have indicated he recovered from his last issue although weaker. Man, I always enjoyed the informal format of the informal net gathering. I'd say my call and then 'state of Maine' and Ed always acknowledge, "I hear Maine." And he'd make room for me immediately. That's all it took, Ed would ask if anyone would like to work my station, and the fun began: stations from far away as California. That's what I liked about 3913 late at night when Ed and the gang would focus on DX and reporting signal strength and audio reports. Ed was a gentleman who knew how to facilitate as well as entertain with his antenna theory, or perspective on living Life. He gave a lot to Ham Radio. I can only imagine what he gave to his family. 73, Ed, K9HSS.
