In memory of our friend,
Joseph A. Staples III - W5ASP
November 27, 1932 – April 24, 2019

Joe joined TDXS in 1981 as member #87 and served the organization in many roles over the years.

TDXS Secretary: 1982-1983
Field Day Chairman: 1985
President: 1986
Bullsheet Editor: 1990-1994
Contest Chairman: 1997-1998, 2005, 2014-2015

He was an avid contester and was part of the various TDXS trips to XE, V3, and others. He made many solo trips to the Cayman Islands for ARRL DX and CQWW contests and gave a number of presentations at club meetings. Several TDXS programs featured Joe giving us tips on how to pick a contest, pick a category, and how to increase your score. He was the first to invite me to contest at the “lumberyard” (West End Lumber, owned by W5SJS) when I joined TDXS in 1985. Joe W5ASP, Tom N5EA, Phil K5RVK (SK), Bob W5SJS were the regulars there. His preferred mode of operation was always CW, but he had one of the loudest, deepest, and commanding voices I’ve ever heard. He probably never needed a speech processor in phone contests!  RIP Joe.

-Steve W9DX

Joe was born in Oklahoma and lived all over the country as his father was an executive with The Federal Power Commission. He received his undergrad degree at The University of Texas at Austin where he met his wife Leila. He received a masters degree at Rice University and later received an engineering degree from TCU while working for General Dynamics in Fort Worth. In 1956 Joe and Leila moved to Houston where he joined Schlumberger as an engineer. He worked with Schlumberger until he retired at age 55. After he retired, Joe was an active scuba diver, traveled throughout the world with his wife, was an active bench rest rifle and .45 caliber pistol shooter and an avid ham radio contester and DXer. He was president of The Voss Little League and was active in The Boy Scouts of America with his sons Mark, Craig and Keith. One of Joe's favorite ham activities was operating from islands in the Caribbean, including Montserrat, Grand Cayman and Bon Aire. Joe was also a very active member of TDXS and participated in most of the club's Field Day events. He also operated at 'The Lumber Yard' station as well as the W5SJS ranch station in Austin County. (He used the calls NQ5K and N5ZK from those stations).

At the time of his death, Joe was 86 years of age and is survived by his wife Leila and his children Mark, Craig, Janet and Keith. He will be sorely missed.

(obituary courtesy Bob Burns – W5SJS)