JOHN (JACK) WISELEY KA4NCE - SILENT KEY
Jack died on Wednesday the 24th of November 2004 in Florida, aged 84.
Early in 1992 I had a packet radio message from Jim, the sysop of the local Packet Radio BBS, GB7SIG at Blandford to say that he had noticed a bulletin from a US station looking for contacts in the Weymouth area. Jim asked if I would be interested in replying. The station was Jack, KA4NCE from Merritt Island Florida and little could I have known then what was to develop from my decision to do so!
During the summer of 1944 Jack was serving on the USS Melville moored in Portland Harbour preparing for the imminent invasion of France when he met an English girl called Doris at the Dorothy Cafe on Weymouth Esplanade. At that time Doris was stationed at the Ringstead Bay Radar station, part of what was then known as the 'Chain Home' system. They married later the same year and 1994, the 50th anniversary of D-Day was also to be the year of their 50th wedding anniversary. Their return to Weymouth that year is documented here.
After leaving the Navy Jack was involved in Broadcasting and helped set up a local Radio Station. He was also an accomplished musician and composer. Before his retirement he worked at the Kennedy Space Centre and was a member of the team that brought Apollo 13 safely home; for which he was personally thanked by President Richard Nixon. During his retirement he enjoyed Amateur Radio and later computing, whilst watching the Space Shuttle take off from his back yard on Merritt Island! He will be sadly missed by his many friends here in South Dorset.
Geoff Watts, G0EVW - December 2004