I can add little of import here except my observation that those in
our group, Penn State Track and Field Alumni (Golfers), are some of the
world's best people. The most intelligent, interesting and accomplished
people I have ever met.
This post is by Mark Heckel,
who I am honored to call a friend. He wrote this after a request from
me, because I knew he could do much more than I ever could. Eventually
Mark may even golf with us!
If
you didn’t know who he was, he looked like another track official who
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been
around since the start of track and field. His TAC/USATF ID would tell
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that
he was a master official, and his membership was in the double digits . .
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dating
back almost the beginning of the AAU. |
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He
never talked about himself much, and he never revealed much about his |
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background.
He was just a guy who loved track and field, and was always |
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recruiting
folks to help him out with Special Olympics in the summer. He asked |
quietly,
but lead by example. He loved Penn State, and was never ashamed to show |
it. |
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He
was a quiet hero, tested by war at Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima. He earned a |
chest
full of medals, including a Purple Heart with two gold stars, and a
Bronze |
Star
with a “V” for valor, the third highest award for valor a soldier can
earn. |
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He
was a deep blue war hero, but to those of us fortunate enough to know
and |
work
with him, he was Gerry or The Colonel. |
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I
got to know him over a number of years, and as I learned more about the man,
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grew
to have a deep honor and respect for him, and for what he stood for. He |
wanted
nothing but the best for everyone he knew, whether on or off the track. |
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Each
year, he would put on his tux and work the finish line at the Millrose |
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Games,
as much a fixture there as he was at Penn State meets. He was also a |
constant
at Penn Relays, a friendly and familiar face in a sea of humanity. |
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He
came to Penn State at the invitation of Dr. Ralph Rackley, the Provost
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fellow
Marine. He wrote speeches for John Oswald while also being Assistant |
Secretary
to the Board of Trustees. He was an assistant professor and assistant |
to
the Dean of HPER, and eventually became associate Dean. Leadership was in
his |
makeup,
and helping others to achieve was in his soul. |
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Gerry
never talked about his military career. I only found about the true
depth |
of
the soldier when we were having lunch one day at an indoor meet. It was
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the
two of us, and I hesitantly asked him about his military background. He
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reluctant
to share at first, but then like a kindly parent, he quietly told me |
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about
Iwo Jima. I don’t know that I have ever listened any more intently or |
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respectfully
to anyone in my life. |
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One
year, Penn State chose to recognize two or three officials at each
indoor |
meet.
They would print a short biography, along with a picture of the
official, |
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and
make a small recognition of their contributions to Penn State track and |
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field.
We were coming down to the final meet of the indoor season, and there |
were
only two officials left to be recognized – The Colonel and me. |
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To
say that I was honored to be recognized with Gerry would be gross |
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understatement.
To say that I was humbled to be in the presence, and be able to |
proudly
stand next to him that day would be far more accurate. Compared to him, |
I
was a novice and little boy. It was one of the most incredible moments
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had
as an official, and as a Penn Stater. |
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Colonel
Russell was cut from a cloth that rarely exists anymore. He was a |
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leader,
a commander of men some of whom he knew would never come back. He was an |
inspiration,
getting his fellow Marines to come to State College to help out |
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with
Special Olympics. He was a dedicated patriot, showing all of us that the |
good
of the many was more important that the good of the one. He was a friend |
who
wanted you to be better, and was there to help you achieve it. |
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His
burial will be in Arlington, a place where heroes rest. The Old Guard
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treat
him well, but I would give anything to be able to salute my friend one |
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last
time by playing taps for him. It would just seem the right thing to do. |
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Good-bye
Gerry. Semper Fi! |
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Mark
Heckel, M.Ed. |
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Instructional
Designer |
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Penn
State Student Affairs |
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222N
Boucke Building |
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The
Pennsylvania State University |
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University
Park, PA, 16802 |
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Office:
814.863.7800 |
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