Fred,

Vince was one of the unsung heroes of our Club and the hobby. He was around in the early days and took care of numerous Club responsibilities. He handled publicity for a while, and was responsible for the Club Property and Promotions, as well. Vince has told me how he kept everything that belonged to the Club in his garage. He also told me about driving out to Stateline to put brochures in the Nevada Tourist Bureau office there. He and his wife, Bettye, were also Election Co-Chairs more recently.

Vince has been a regular contributor to the CCTN, mainly offering articles on tokens and small town Nevada.

There are a lot of great volunteers who make this hobby, and Club, successful. Many of them stay hidden in the background, just making things happen rather than promoting themselves. Vince was one of those. While I was Secretary and Property & Promotions Director (yea, a little self-promotion here ), Vince was always there with advise and ideas. No, he wasn't announcing them on the Internet, he was whispering them into my ear.

Perhaps it was George's comment that he had died of a broken heart that made you think it was a joke. I, as well as everyone else that knew Vince, can tell you that there has never been a more clear cut case that this is the truth. Vince appeared to lose the will to live after his Bettye died last year.

Recently, at dinner with myself and a few other chippers, Vince looked at Doug and asked him how he was. Doug repied that he was fine. Vince said, "Well, how's your heart?" Doug stated fine. Vince said, "Mine's broken." I will never forget the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice when he said it. He really did have a broken heart.

I am terrible saddened and numbed by the news. However, I'm thinking that I should be happy for both Vince and Bettye. They are together again. What a romance!

Tyrus