James A. Ansel, loving father of Ronald, Jason, Christina and Stephen; cherished grandfather of Jordan, Annemarie and Logan; dear brother of Carl, Cheryl, John and Rose.
Author: e_sharp
January 13, 1960 – February 19, 2024 Rick Burnsee passed away leaving behind a legacy of passion, dedication, and love for his wife,Norma, his son Ricky, his family and community. Rick’s life was a testament to his adventurousspirit and his unwavering commitment to the things he loved.Rick’s journey was marked by his deep-seated passion for automobiles and aviation. From ayoung age, he was drawn to the world of mechanics, spending countless hours tinkering withcars and motorcycles, honing his skills and developing a keen eye for detail.His love for flying was deeply rooted in his family history; his father’s role as an…
March 6, 1947 – May 13, 2023 Bill and his late wife, Renata, enjoyed 55 beautiful years together. He was dearly loved by his four children and four grandchildren. Bill proudly served our country in the Vietnam war. Following in his Dad’s footsteps, he was an active member of the Checkerboard RC Club. Bill had a fascination with building and flying radio-controlled model airplanes. He spent countless hours meticulously constructing these miniature marvels, paying attention to every detail to ensure they flew with grace and precision. He was best known for his interest and expertise in foam aircraft. The link…
Tiny Whoop Masters Event at Indian Lakes Resort On January 15th, Chicagoland FPV held it’s first Tinywhoop Masters Event at the currently defunct Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale from 10am-6pm. The event setup took place the day before and lasted about 4 hours. We set up not one, but TWO courses – one being a massive layout in the hotel’s atrium, weaving through the bar, two suites and a hallway, and the other course in a Speakeasy residing in a remote area of the hotel. There was even a remote-controlled fog machine as well as a huge “dive gate” hanging…
Thank you and best of luck Brent Litzer! Brent Litzer is moving on after a year as Checkerboard RC Club President. Thank you Brent for your leadership, hard work, enthusiasm and dedication to growing the RC hobby in the Chicago area. Here are some words from Brad Hofbauer about Brent. “I first met Brent Litzer about a year and a half ago, at one of our 3-inch drone races. I was new to the ChicagolandFPV group, as well as the Discord server. My first impression of him was: “This guy has to be their leader”. This group has been a…
(left to right) Chris Martin – Safety Officer Edward Wilkerson-Vice President Paul Park-President Brian Huckstep-Treasurer/Secretary
On October 1, 2022 Checkerboard RC Club celebrated its 50th Anniversary, a milestone not often attained. The purpose of the celebration was not only to acknowledge this momentous occasion but also to give thanks to the thousands of members, families and friends who helped grow the organization from a small group of radio control flying enthusiasts to one of the preeminent RC Clubs in the country. Checkerboard was founded in 1972 by the late Harold (Hal) Parenti, the late Charlie Bauer, the late Paul Harvey (the radio broadcaster), Ray Carlson, and Vladimir Holis to name a few. Vladimir was able…
On Saturday October 1, 2022 I had the pleasure of being invited to the 50th anniversary of the Checkerboard RC club at the Miller Meadow model airplane flying field in Maywood, IL. The field is part of the Cook County Forest Preserve and is located just across 1st Ave from Loyola University Medical Center. This club membership has included, amongst others, the late Charlie Bauer and the late Hal Parenti and his son Gary. I had a chance to speak with Gary about his father and their times with this club. He has many fond memories flying with his dad…
June 6, 1926 to January 27, 2022 Hal was a designer, competitor, friend, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Founding member of Checkerboard RC Club in 1972 For as long as he can remember, Hal Parenti had been fascinated with the idea of flying. At the young age of six or seven, he purchased a 10-cent Comet Models kit and pestered his mother to help him build it. By the age of 10, he was able to build a Phantom Flash and fly it in front of his house on the streets of Chicago. As his skills advanced, he moved up to…
October 29, 1947 to August 18, 2022 Nolan was a brother, uncle, great uncle and a friend to many. He served honorably in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and was stationed in Panama from 1968 – 1970. Nolan joined Checkerboard RC Flying Club in the mid-1990s. He flew 40 size fixed-wing aircraft; most memorable was his Piper Cherokee. Nolan was a dear friend to so many of our club members. He came to the field often to show his support for the club, helped keep the field in tip top shape and to visit with his friends at…