DKP REUNION AND THE REST OF THE STORY

July 11th was an emotional day. Several of the original DKP group were brought together due to the passing of Margaret Huggins, Gary Michael's mother. Those in attendance at the memorial were Gary Huggins, Peter Dayton, Dwight Magill, Don Mackay and myself. I know the last time Huggins, Dayton and myself were together was at the DKP I reunion some 22 years ago. Over the years we've seen each other on occasion, but never all together at the same time. I've known most of the guys for 50 years or in some cases close to it.

Fred and Margaret Huggins were like a second set of parents to me and all of the other guys. Dwight told me on Saturday that between Fred & Margaret and my parents we always had a place to be. Their homes was always the safe haven for any and all. As sad as it was to loose her it was great to see all of my old friends from days long ago.

The only two surviving parents of all of us are Fred Huggins 84 years and Louise Lazenby, my mother, 90.5 years old. Both were there and you will see the photos of them along with us. Some moments were spent talking of those days long ago when we were kids and our parents were far younger than we are today.

Most of you know the history of DKP thanks to their web site and Keith Seume's writings. For those of you who are not familiar with that history go to:
http://www.dkpcarclub.com/dkphistory.html What you don't know about these people is what they have done with their lives since those early days. So with that said I thought I'd update you.

Gary Michael Huggins joined the US Army, starting in the Tank Corps and moving into Helicopters. He served in Viet Nam and I know was shot down at least once, but walked away from it.

After his active duty he joined the National Guard and achieved the rank of (CW3) Chief Warrant Officer. He continued to fly helicopters and also fixed wing aircraft. The list of famous people he has flown reads like a who's who. Former Presidents, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan. I'm sure there are many more, but this is all I could pull from him in a phone call today. He met Jimmy Carter at a urinal, but that is another story.

He has also flown or come in contact with Bob Hope, Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Barbra Streisand, Chuck Berry and Charles Luckman who was the designer for a good portions of the hi-rise buildings in Los Angeles and I'm sure countless others. Also, I believe he flew President Ford and his wife Betty along with their two dogs to Europe.

Today he is retired and lives in Green Valley, Arizona which is just out of Tucson. We talk often via the phone, but I'd like to see more of him.

Peter C. Dayton joined the Air Force and served for eight years. After leaving the service he joined the
Flour Corp. in Irvine, California where he became the #2 person world wide for purchasing computer mainframes for them.

Later he went to work for NORAD http://www.norad.mil/ and worked in classified satellites. He became the Technical Director for NORTHCOM http://www.northcom.mil/ achieving the rank of (GS15) which is the highest a civilian can obtain. This would be the equivalent of an 06 Colonel level in the military.

Today Pete and his wife Claudia are retired in Colorado Springs and have purchased a historical home in the downtown area and are enjoying the restoration process.

Donald Mackay, my little big bother. He is five days younger than me and got the talent, but I got the good looks!! Don was never actually in DKP, but was always around and involved like the late Jon Radke.

After school Don became heavily involved in racing, primarily the Drag Racing end of it. Over the years he has worked for:

Don Garlets (I think I've heard of this guy)
Mike Kuhl
Steve Carbone (Downey / Tulsa) The last front engine car to win the 1971 US Nationals.
Marvin Graham
Don Schuemacher (Funny Car)
John Abbott US Nationals 1981
Withers & Ramsey Top Fuel Car
Cornell & Dakin Braniff International Top Fuel Car
Ed Donovan Sprint Cars (1st Aluminum aftermarket Chevy Small Block)
Bob Hankins Blue Blaze AA Fuel Altered

For you hard core racers this list reads like a who's who.

Today Don lives in the Las Vegas area with his wife Carol and still does cylinder head work and wants to get his hands on my Hemi engines.

Dwight Magill I've known the longest of all of these people going back to Junior High in 1959 where we really got to know each other on a Bowling League at the then new Linbrook Bowl for you locals. The place is still there and in operation and is like walking back into time. It was named for its location located close to Lincoln Ave. and Brookhurst St. in Anaheim.

After school Dwight married and became involved in the Industrial Sprinkler Industry. He has two grown sons that own and operate a successful paintless dent removal business in Huntington Beach, California. http://beachcitiespdr.com/ Dwight is also the grandfather of four and lives with his wife Mary in Irvine today.

None of the people listed today are involved in the VW world anymore except for myself, however after learning a bit about each of them you can see the origins of Der Kleiner Panzers and I'd like to think that each of us contributed a little to make that club what it has become today in its third generation.

As previously stated I was the only one of the names that stayed in the car arena and still enjoy it very much. I was with Auto Haus, Rosevear Enterprises one of the founding performance VW companies for 10.5 years. Most of that time I was General Manager for the retail stores. Other than having what some tell me is a world class collection of vintage Chrysler Hemi Cars I guess I could make the claim that Royze Inc., my company, has probably sold more Volkswagen replacement carb kits in its 57 year history than anyone else on the planet.

So as the late Paul Harvey always stated, “Now you know the rest of the story, Good day”.

PHOTOS OF THIS GATHERING TO FOLLOW