ARRL Southeastern Division Vice Director Sandy Donahue, W4RU of Dothan, Alabama, passed away on May 4, 2009, he was 63. Sandy, an ARRL Life Member, served as Vice Director since January 2002 and as Georgia Section Manager from 1997-2001. In his professional life, Donahue worked at a television station in Atlanta for almost 25 years before retiring.

Licensed for almost 50 years, Sandy received his first call sign, WA4ABY at age 15. Exhibiting a lifelong commitment to public service throughout his amateur career, he always supported the ARRL and the Amateur Radio Service. Sandy was a fixture at every major hamfest in Southeastern Division -- and many across the country -- as well as many of the smaller ones in his area, promoting the ARRL. He spent his last weekend of May 2-3 at the Birming Hamfest 2009.

Former Southeastern Division Director and current ARRL Honorary Vice President Frank Butler, W4RH, appointed Donahue as an Assistant Director in 1982. "We spent hours and hours together at the ARRL table at so many hamfests and conventions," Butler recalled. "Sandy became my Vice Director in 2002, and in the next six years, I got to really know him. Over the past 26 years, we must have sold more than $100,000 worth of ARRL books, study guides, operating aids, pins, patches and stickers. Sandy was always promoting the League to hams, encouraging them to become active members of the ARRL. He took great pride in the number of people who joined the ARRL through him."

Butler said that after a hard day's work at the ARRL booth, "all Sandy ever wanted was a good dinner! He loved to eat, and he showed me many fine places to do that, from Atlanta to Birmingham, to Orlando to Miami! I'm glad we got to do that again the last weekend of his life, at the BirmingHamfest 2009."

Current ARRL Southeastern Division Director Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, fondly remembered Donahue: "I was happy to say that I spent this past weekend with Sandy where he spent the last day of his life doing what he loved -- in the ARRL booth, representing the ARRL at the Birmingham, Alabama hamfest, catching up with old friends. Sandy was, as usual, in rare form all weekend, joking and having a good time."

Sarratt said that on Sunday, May 3, "Breakfast began with Sandy surrounded by a group of friends, where he, as usual, did his dead level best to get the best of me with a joke. On this occasion, he managed to succeed, and, in fact, he continued to enjoy this until we parted ways at the conclusion of the hamfest. Sandy could relate to all hams, both old and young. He and his sense of humor will be sorely missed."