Although not a frequent poster to this list, Chuck HIll certainly
loves his Vanagons and other weird German cars.  I had heard from
some other contacts that his health was not good and surmised
that  it may have been why a few emails I'd sent him had gone without
a response.

Last night, I caught the tail end of the lead story(even eclipsing
Iowa State hiring a new football coach) on our NBC affiliate KWWL
Ch.7 in Waterloo, about the Cedar Valley Hospice program and thought
I recognized the man sitting in his bed.  Once they mentioned the
name Hill and his farm, it clicked.  Even if I hadn't known him
casually, it would've been a very moving piece about how and what the
Hospice organizations do for the dying.  My mother benefited from
their services in California a decade ago.

Chuck has cancer and although I didn't hear where it started, it has
spread to his spine.  His wife is by his side and his 3 sons are
taking care of the farm (that's been in the family for 150 years).
One of the sons moved back home from Colorado to be there.

Perhaps Chuck's most recent public appearance(that I was aware of) in
the Vanagon community was a fall bus campout in Decorah Iowa in 2004
that Jim Fritz organized. Among the luminaries attending were Joy
Hecht, Darrel Boehler and Bud Premack, along with a bunch of other
Vanagon, Eurovan and loaf/splittie types.  It was a great fall weekend.

   My intention is to find out from the family what, if any, sort of
contact would be appropriate, since the email doesn't seem to be
getting through and that's understandable.  If the Vanagon list
wishes, I could keep everyone abreast of the situation.  Please keep
Chuck and his family in your thoughts and prayers throughout this
holiday season.

DM&FS

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