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Riders in the Sky
 Roger
D. "Doc" Adams
Alabama Ranger No. 1 |
Roger
D. "Doc" Adams
Alabama Rangers #1 October 16, 2001. Dear Cousin LaVance, It is with a sad heart I take pencil in hand to write. Our good friend Roger D. "Doc" Adams passed away Friday, October 12 unexpectedly from a heart attack. His service was yesterday, Monday the 15th in Double Springs, Alabama, and he was laid to rest with full Cowboy Honors in a small country cemetery there next to his Father. Doc is survived by his wife Greta, his mother, two stepdaughters and a son in his immediate family and hundreds of others in his Cowboy family. I have been asked by the Alabama Rangers to write a memorial to my friend Doc for the Ranger News, and while normally I am seldom at a loss for words, Doc’s sudden death has left me pretty much in shock and speechless. I may need your help on this one. I don’t know how I can ever put into a few words what a true friend and bunkhouse mate Doc has been to me and many others over the years. He threw a pretty big loop. As you know he carried Alabama Ranger badge number one as one of the club’s original founders, and was serving faithfully and dutifully as out current club president as well as our SASS Territorial Governor at the time of his death. Doc pretty much is the Godfather of Cowboy Action Shooting in Alabama, and several other clubs as well as the Alabama Rangers took their first steps under Doc’s helpful guidance. Also respectfully referred to occasionally as "The Big Tater" out of tongue in cheek reference to his leadership style, Doc never hesitated when it came to helping another shooter or shouldering the workload for this or any other Cowboy Shooting organization. There probably isn’t a single member of our club that has not been personally helped by Doc at one time or another, and his friendly easy-going manner made new members feel at ease very quickly. Now that he has gone on to the Big Round-Up In The Sky, those of us left behind are going to miss him very much. But while we do miss him we all know in our hearts that he would want us to continue on without him and keep the spirit he kindled in all of us alive. To continue that true Cowboy Spirit that the good Doctor loved so much, the Alabama Rangers are dedicating our eighth annual Dixie Shootout in November in his honor. I guess it is about time, and if I know Doc Adams, he’ll be watching over all of us from the higher ground and probably be enjoying a few laughs at our expense. As he used to say, "It’s the Cowboy Way," and that pretty much says it all. So come on down and help us celebrate his memory. Doc never really cared if we didn’t have the biggest shooting events, but he dang sure insisted they be fun. Well, I'm gonna have me a big time in memory of Doc and also a "few" in his honor. He leaves behind badge number one, some empty boots to fill and a heart full of memories in all of us. I don’t know how I’m ever gonna write a fittin memorial. Maybe there really ain’t no need for one. Hope to see ya soon. Take good care and God Bless.Your Cousin, |
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Ace
High Al
Alabama Rangers The Rangers lost a good friend and compatriot with the passing of Alan D. Levine alias Ace High Al. Alan left us on March 2, 1999. He is survived by his wife Susan; sons, Bret Levine and Paul Silver; daughters Eve Borkenhagen and Mindy Planer; grandchildren, Austin and Dani Planer, Eric and Justin Silver; mother, Julia S. Levine; brother, Dr. Richard L. Levine and many, many friends. Alan was the Rangers second President. He served from December 1995 to December 1998. Al's service helped the Rangers become a better organization. Alan was known as Ace High Al in the Rangers and he was Ace High. Alan was someone you wanted to know and be around. He was a modern Renaissance man. Alan's interests were varied. He could talk about guns, art, cigars, golf, or what was going on in the world. When you talked with Alan, you always came away from the conversation a better person. Alan would listen when you had a problem and help you work through it. He was able to give you advice that was reasoned and insightful. Al always had time to help everyone. The Rangers will miss Alan, but he will continue to be in our hearts and minds. Tribute from "The Ranger News" March 1999 (author unknown) |
 Ace
high Al
Alabama Ranger |
 Jim
Marshall
North Alabama Regulator |
Jim
Marshall
North Alabama Regulators Our December shoot was overshadowed by our loss of a Great North Alabama Regulator, Jim Maudsley, aka Jim Marshall. Jim had been a member of the Regulators for several years. I've had the pleasure of being on the same posse with Jim on many, many occasions. Jim was an asset to any posse. He never had to be asked to help, when he saw a job to do, he did it. He will be missed by all. I've never heard an unkind word spoken about this man. He was a friend to every shooter. After a unanimous vote by the club to send flowers, it was suggested by Two Ponies that we give an annual award in honor of Jim. This also was unanimously accepted by the club and details will be worked out at a later date. Jim, you will be missed but not forgotten! |
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Harry
Drago
Alabama Rangers #168 Harry Drago, Alabama Ranger #168 passed away on Friday night March 16, 2001. Jay experienced chest pains the Friday before our shoot and went to his doctor who immediately sent him to the hospital. They installed two stints but by the end of the week he was worse and had a heart attack the following Friday. His funeral was Monday, March 19, 2001, and many Rangers went Sunday night and paid their respects to the family. He had a military funeral with Major Montana of the Rangers presiding. Many of us have shot with him and enjoyed his company. I am always at a loss at times like this to know what to write. He was a good friend and good cowboy and we will miss him at our matches. So Long Pard, Doc! |
 Harry
Drago
Alabama Rangers #168 |
 Charlie
Blackfoot
Alabama Rangers |
Charlie
Blackfoot
Alabama Rangers I met Charlie a few years ago at a Trade Day. He came up to me to talk to me about something I was selling. Charlie never met a stranger, so when we started talking it was as though he had known me for years. At that time, I didn’t know that Charlie and I would wind up the best of friends. Charlie kept coming to Trade Day and the more I talked to him the more I liked him. We realized we had a lot in common. He came up to me at Trade Day one morning after missing a few Saturdays and I asked him where he had been hiding. He said he had been going to “Cowboy Shoots”. I asked him what that was and he explained it and invited me to go with him to the next shoot. Well, I put if off for almost 6 months because I knew after hearing Charlie talk about it, I would be hooked. I finally broke down and went with him and sure enough, I was …..hook, line, and sinker!! Charlie had told me how much fun it was, but I never would have believed it was that much fun. We became shooting partners, went to shoots together, and even shared carts. He was always there helping me; telling me what I was doing wrong, showing me ways to correct, and even giving me shooting tips! He always made new shooters feel welcome and would tell them that if there was anything he could do to help, to just ask. Since Charlie and I rode to a lot of shoots together, we had plenty of time to talk. Charlie was very passionate about life. He talked about growing up and about the things he had done and seen. He talked about his family and friends a lot. They meant the world to him. You can ask anyone who knew him; if Charlie told you something, you could bank on it. He had a way of making you want to listen to him and his stories because you wouldn’t want to miss anything. Boy, did he have some stories! But, when Charlie talked about his family, you knew that he loved them as much as any man could. He always told me that nothing mattered to him more than his wife and son. I can only hope that in the time he had with them, they knew just how much he loved them. I believe no one could love his family more. Charlie was a good husband, father, and friend. He will forever be missed by all that knew and loved him. |
 Irish Don
Alabama Rangers |
Irish
Don Alabama Rangers DICK DONNELLY NAVE, JR., died
of a heart attack on Sunday, January 4, 2009. Dick was born in
Brooklyn, NY, while his father, a military doctor, was stationed there
during War World II. He grew up in Troy, AL, and attended Troy
University, Samford University, and graduated from Cumberland School of
Law with a J.D. degree. He practiced defense insurance law in
Birmingham, AL, for 34 years. Dick proudly served his country for 7
years as a Green Beret in the 20th Special Forces Group, Airborne
Division, of the U.S. Army Reserves. He was a life member of the NRA;
member of Steel City Shooting Society; and was an Alabama Ranger
(SASS), where he was known as "Irish Don". His father, Dick D. Nave,
Sr., M.D., preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife of 22
years, Marilyn Craig Nave; two sons, Brett Wheeler Nave, Livingston,
MT, and Kerry Donnelly Nave, Hoover, AL; daughter, Holly Marie Nave,
Hoover, AL; and stepdaughter Daun Rose Sudduth, Hoover, AL. He is
survived by his mother, Ewell Sanders Nave, Talladega, AL; sister,
Carol N. Lambert and husband Dr. Charles R., Talladega, AL, sister,
Sara N. Smith and husband Jack D., Perry, GA; brother-in-law, Stephen
S. Craig, Hoover, AL; brother-in-law, D. Franklin Craig, M.D. and wife
Christy, Burnsville, NC; sister-in-law, Cheryl C. Jacobs and husband
Johnny M., Clanton, AL; two grandsons, Colin Joseph Sudduth and Bennett
Brooks Sudduth and their father, B. Brooks Sudduth, Vestavia Hills, AL.
Known as "Grandy," Dick was very proud of his two "grandboys." He is
also survived by many much-loved nieces and nephews and very special
friends. Dick was a loving, kind, and compassionate man with a very dry
wit and wicked sense of humor, and will be missed every day by all who
knew and loved him. There will be a family visitation on Saturday,
January 10, 2009, from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M. at Southern Heritage Funeral
Home at 475 Cahaba Valley Rd. (Hwy. 119), Pelham, AL. To honor his
wishes, Dick's ashes will be taken in the spring by his family to the
Nave family plot in Mountain City, TN.
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Last Updated 7 January 2009
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