Topic: Ed Sieb, VE2BAQ/VA2ES SK

[W1RC]

Again I must sadly announce another passing; this time it's one of my earliest friends in the hobby, Ed Sieb, VE2BAQ/VA3ES, who became a silent key in Ottawa, Ontario, on Thursday March 20th 2014. 

Eddie in front of his favorite Montreal pizzeria, Pendeli's, pizza and Brio in hand.

I first met Eddie Sieb when he was living in Cote St Luc, Quebec, in the 1970s and attending the Electro Technology Program at Dawson College.  Later he went on to earn his BA from Concordia in Communications.  Over the years Eddie worked at Motorola with Paul Valois, N1ELL (SK), Canadian Pacific, CFCF and other tech companies in Montreal and later in Ottawa.

Ed loved old radios and telephones.  I remember he had a complete PBX switchboard in the basement of his mother's house in Cote St Luc.  I'll bet it's still in his house in Ottawa.

His phonetics were "VE 2 Boat Anchor Quality" back in the day when much of this equipment, now antiques, was still in widespread use.

Ed was a member of the QCWA. Here is his bio:

I lost touch with him after we both moved from Montreal; Ed to Ottawa and me to the U.S.  In recent years he would send me the RAC hamfest listings along with other historical Montrealabilia and I'd see him and his perennial sidekick Carl, VA3CGM, at many of the hamfests and flea markets in Eastern Ontario and Quebec, their tables piled high with great vintage stuff, keys, microphones, radios, books, parts, et al. 

Read Ed's bio on QRZ.COM

Unfortunately my trips up there of late have become few and far between so I saw less and less of Eddie in the past several years.  I have been trying without success to get him and Carl to come down to NEAR-Fest for years but it was just not to be.   His health simply did not allow for such a journey.  I am coming up to Montreal this coming weekend and was kinda hoping that I'd see him and Carl at the Laval Hamfest.......

Eddie Sieb was definitely one of a kind.  Somehow another bit of this hobby from my younger days is gone along with VE2 Boat Anchor Quality.  Getting old sucks, but it sure beats the alternative.  Losing family and old friends like Eddie Sieb is the worst part.

At his funeral Dave, VE2KDL, delivered this wonderful eulogy to his friend of fifty years:

He was a good person.......may he rest in peace....

73,

Michael, W1RC