A long time ago, mid 70's, I joined a 4WD drive club when I bought the first 40. A lot of good people, very diverse group, more Jeeps that anything else but I endured the ribbing for driving what they termed a "beer can". One of those people turned out to be a life long friend and a person I reconnected with in the last 2 years. After a long battle with cancer, he died on 6/11.
Ken Sawyer was a unique individual. I didn't care for his language but I respected him for his mechanical knowledge and friendship. A very unique person, no one ever saw him out of character and we always knew what he thought and we always knew who he liked and disliked. There was no on off switch with him and he was always the same. I watched as he built a "fire-breathing" surplus military Jeep from the frame up. It would run! Even hauled it to a tractor pull where he took first place in class using skinny tires.
I stopped by his garage over two years ago and reconnected. It was like old times. The conversation felt like it only took 5 minutes but lasted for more than an hour. I stopped by several times later on and he showed me all the parts and supplies he still had as well as some other things locked away in a safe. I wish I had more time to stay but pressures at home required my presence. I could tell that the cancer was taking a toll on him, he closed the shop and spent most of the day relaxing in his office or siting behind a desk made from a lift. That is where we talked, siting in two well worn chairs as we remembered times past with little talk of his problems.
Sadly, cancer took him at 79. Happily I knew Ken Sawyer and counted him as a friend. RIP
Ken Sawyer was a unique individual. I didn't care for his language but I respected him for his mechanical knowledge and friendship. A very unique person, no one ever saw him out of character and we always knew what he thought and we always knew who he liked and disliked. There was no on off switch with him and he was always the same. I watched as he built a "fire-breathing" surplus military Jeep from the frame up. It would run! Even hauled it to a tractor pull where he took first place in class using skinny tires.
I stopped by his garage over two years ago and reconnected. It was like old times. The conversation felt like it only took 5 minutes but lasted for more than an hour. I stopped by several times later on and he showed me all the parts and supplies he still had as well as some other things locked away in a safe. I wish I had more time to stay but pressures at home required my presence. I could tell that the cancer was taking a toll on him, he closed the shop and spent most of the day relaxing in his office or siting behind a desk made from a lift. That is where we talked, siting in two well worn chairs as we remembered times past with little talk of his problems.
Sadly, cancer took him at 79. Happily I knew Ken Sawyer and counted him as a friend. RIP
