[Rhodes22-list] Elton

[Rik Sandberg]

Elton Spitzer was a friend and always.... Always a gentleman.


I was just thinking about him the other day when the trophy he presented to
Sandy and I clear back in '02 at the after-race party for winning what we
called the Spitzer Cup Invitational at Kentucky Lake caught my eye. Of
course Elton being Elton he couldn't present the cup (actually a large
brass spittoon) without sneaking out and filling it full of confetti first
so he could dump it over my head. What a hoot!


All afternoon the day before, sailing in a rain so warm you couldn't tell
you were wet. Short tacking out of that skinny little bay we got too far
into because we were both too stubborn to start the motor. The whole time
just talking about sailing and boats and life in general.


Good times.


The last time I saw Elton was September, I believe, of '06. Sandy had had
her stroke and was in rehab. Elton loved Sandy and Sandy loved him. I don't
remember how, but somehow he found out she was in the hospital. He had a
delivery somewhere out near Fargo and made a point to stop on his way
through Minneapolis. Even though she really couldn't talk to him, he knew
just what to say to her and soon they were smiling and giggling like a
couple kids.


Elton was good people and a fine gentleman and I'll not forget him.


Our thoughts and prayer go out to Stan and Rose and their family and all
who may have known and been touched by Elton.


Rik Sandberg & Sandy Johnson

Long Prairie, MN

Formerly S/V Country Rhodes, '95 R22, then S/V Happy Little Girls 2, '82
Pacific Seacraft Flicka,

Now, S/V Happy Little Girls 3, '87 Island Packet 27

On Fri, Apr 22, 2016 at 12:11 AM, Michael Weisner <mweisner at ebsmed.com>
wrote:

> My wife and I had the pleasure of Elton's company several times.  He was
> at home anywhere. He and I talked about anything and everything, especially
> sailing and politics.  He was always welcome at my home and table.
>
> One day, about 7 or 8 years ago, I received a call from Stan. Elton's van
> had transmission trouble and he was attempting to complete a delivery of a
> brand new Rhodes 22.  He wanted to know if my vehicle was available to pick
> up Elton and help him deliver the boat.  He didn't have to ask me twice. My
> wife and I dropped what we were doing and drove to where the van had broken
> down.  We collected the boat and brought Elton some much needed tranny
> fluid to get the van to the nearest service facility.  In what seemed like
> an hour or two, we had unpacked everything, assembled all of the pieces,
> raised the mast and launched the boat. As I left Elton with his empty
> trailer in tow, he was doing what he enjoyed the most, showing off his
> brother's handiwork to the new owners (this was their second Rhodes 22),
> teaching them how everything worked, as they sailed it to their marina.
>
> Elton came by the house a couple of weeks later to pick up the delivery
> trailer with his newly rebuilt transmission.  We talked for hours.  He
> insisted on giving me a folding seat for the cockpit.  To this day, it is
> the most comfortable place to sit. Now, I will think of him every time I
> sit in it.
>
> "I can't believe the news today, I can't close my eyes and make it go
> away." U2. Elton will be missed.
>
> Mike
> s/v Windlass ('91)
> Nissequogue River, NY
>
>
>
>
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