WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #26-33 - 7/23/26: LARRY GISPERT KR4X IS A SILENT KEY Larry Gispert KR4X became a Silent Key on July 15, 2026, very unexpectedly. Larry was 77 years old at the time of his passing. Larry was very active in amateur radio, as a member of Hillsborough County ARES/RACES, and an ARRL Official Emergency Station emphasizing operation on the HF bands. Larry served as trustee of W4RNT, the callsign Repeater Association of North Tampa (RANT) which operates several analog repeaters and a D-Star repeater. Larry served on the Board of Directors and as Secretary of the West Central Florida Group, the owners and operators of the NI4CE repeater system. Larry enjoyed doing CW, and operated on CW for the Tampa Amateur Radio Club during Field Day in the overnight hours every year for many years. Darrell Davis KT4WX, Section Manager of the ARRL West Central Florida Section made the following comments upon the passing of Larry, "I always remember how proud Larry was of his retirement. He used to always say 'Retirement is great. Everyone ought to try it. Every day is like a Saturday." Larry had a strong reputation in the emergency management community of being very knowledgeable and professional, and could cut through the clutter to see the heart of a matter and give you good advice on how to handle it. I will miss Larry's devotion and passion about emergency preparedness." Larry served as a radioman in the United States Coast Guard. Following his service in the military, Larry worked as a marine radio and radar technician onboard vessels that called on the Port of Tampa. In 1981, Larry began his career with Hillsborough County Emergency Management, culminating his service as Emergency Management Director and retiring from that position in February 2011. While working for Hillsborough County Emergency, Larry earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tampa in 1996. To view Larry's obituary, you may go to https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/tampa-fl/larry-gispert-12969893 END OF PRESS RELEASE
