Dictator Gary Edwards has announced the Annual Barbeque to be held at his home between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm on the evening of Saturday, 14 Sep 2019. This is an annual tradition that is not to be missed for both the camaraderie and good food.

Gary Senior and Gary Junior will watch over the slow cook and smoke process all day, with ribs, beans and cole slaw the always-delicious result. A modest fee will be collected to offset the cost of the food and drink.

Gary’s home is at 9230 Hidden Park Drive in the Del Webb Somersett area west of Reno. The most efficient route is west in I-80 to about the four mile marker, exiting to the right and button-hooking 180 degrees back through the gateway arch. A map of the route is set forth below. As the Dictator says, “It’s all right turns coming in, and all left turns going out”.

News has been received from Victoria, British Columbia, that inactive member Robert G. Bendall passed away on 03 May 2019, after a long battle with cancer.

Bob formerly lived in Reno, where he owned Pace Aviation, a parts supplier for worldwide operators of de Havilland Twin Otter aircraft. Before emigrating from Canada, he was a fixed base operator in Winnipeg. Bob, like his father before him, was also a pilot for Air Canada. He was an active member in Mondongueros in the late 1980s and 1990s, until he retired to Victoria about 2000.

Martin A. “Marty” Noel

16 July 1941 – 02 April 2019

Member Jim Lockridge – who was a friend of Marty Noel for more than fifty years, and who was also his sponsoring member to Mondongueros – reports that Marty died at home on Tuesday, 02 April 2019. Marty apparently lost his balance while carrying items up an inside staircase, and suffered a broken neck in the resulting fall.

Upon completion of his degree program at The Ohio State University, where he was named a distinguished graduate of the AFROTC Program, he entered USAF Pilot Training. Upon completion, he trained in the F-4C at George AFB, and then flew 100 missions from Ubon AB. He volunteered for a second tour in Vietnam, and was trained as a “wild weasel” pilot in the F-105 at Nellis AFB, following which he flew 207 missions over North Vietnam in the F-105 from Korat AB. He completed his “20 Years” as a Fighter Weapons Exchange Officer with the RCAF, and an Operational Test-Evaluation Manager with the 57th Tactical Fighter Wing at Nellis AFB.

Marty’s Family has scheduled a “Celebration of Life” event to be held in the Basin Street Club at McKay Stadium, on Saturday, June 1, 2019, beginning at 1:00 pm. The Family has requested an RSVP by 28 May 2019 from those planning to attend. Please RVSP either by Telephone: 916-300-2526, or Email: timandblythe@yahoo.com.

Dictator Gary Edwards has announced the Annual Spouses’ Dinner will be held on the evening of Saturday, 19 January 2019, in a meeting room on the lower level of the Eldorado Hotel and Casino in downtown Reno. This annual function is the one event where we dress above “casual”, and give our spouses or significant others some insight into the Club de los Mondongueros.

Cocktails will begin at 6:00 pm, and dinner at 7:00 pm.

An after-dinner presentation related to aviation is planned.

Members will be asked by the Dictator to specify their menu choices for the Annual Dinner at regular lunch meetings a few weeks before the event.

Dictator Gary Edwards has announced the Annual Barbeque to be held at his home between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm on the evening of Saturday, 22 September 2018. This is an annual tradition that is not to be missed for both the camaraderie and good food.

Gary Senior and Gary Junior will watch over the slow cook and smoke process all day, with ribs, beans and coleslaw the always-delicious result. A modest fee will be collected to offset the cost of the food and drink.

Gary’s home is at 9230 Hidden Park Drive in the Del Webb Somersett area west of Reno. The most efficient route is west in I-80 to about the four mile marker, exiting to the right and button-hooking 180 degrees back through the gateway arch. A map of the route is set forth below. As the Dictator says, “It’s all right turns coming in, and all left turns going out”.

W. Thomas Hallam – 1933-2017

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Tom Hallam, the second original member of Mondongueros, and beloved Dictator from 1992 until 2007. Tom was dedicated to seeing that Mondongueros continued and thrived as most of the original members passed, and we can all thank him for his tireless efforts that set the stage for its continued expansion under the succeeding Dictatorship of Gary Edwards.

Born in Tennessee on 26 July, 1933, Tom was all but a native of Reno, having moved here when he was a small boy.

After high school graduation, Tom served in the military during the Korean Conflict. Returning to Reno after discharge, he attended and graduated from the University of Nevada, and became a high school teacher of government and history.

It was while teaching high school that he became interested in flying, took lessons and obtained his private pilot’s license. Another career change was in the wind, and Tom joined the Reno Police Department, where he served for 10 years. Supplementing his work for the police department by studying for and obtaining his insurance agent’s license, Tom was soon persuaded to work in the insurance field full-time.

Tom was an initial member of Club de los Mondongueros Reno, and the acceptance by Dictator Clarence Crawford of the original charter and first meeting of the initial members in September 1984 were conducted at Tom’s home in Hidden Valley. In 1992, our original Dictator and first original member Clarence Crawford became ill, and asked Tom to assume the duties as our Second Dictator.

After retirement from the insurance business, Tom returned to part-time teaching as a substitute teacher with the Reno school system, and continued his duties as Dictator. In 2007, working to recover from cancer made it difficult for Tom to work as our Dictator, and he designated Gary Edwards as our Third Dictator.

Tom successfully beat lymphoma twice, but over the past several years his health progressively deteriorated. He continued to serve as Dictator Emeritus until his death on 14 December 2017 at the VA Hospital Hospice Unit in Reno. Wife Florsita, son Rick and daughter Cindy were with Tom as he passed.

The family has announced that a memorial service will be held on Friday, 05 January 2018, at Grace Church, 1220 Robb Drive in West Reno, and beginning at 2:00 pm.

Dictator Gary Edwards has announced the Annual Spouses’ Dinner will be held on the evening of Saturday, 20 January 2018, in a meeting room on the lower level of the Eldorado Hotel and Casino in downtown Reno. This annual function is the one event where we dress above “casual”, and give our spouses or significant others some insight into the Club de los Mondongueros.

Cocktails will begin at 6:00 pm, and dinner at 7:00 pm.

An after-dinner presentation related to aviation is planned.

Members will be asked by the Dictator to specify their menu choices for the Annual Dinner at regular lunch meetings a few weeks before the event.

Photographs taken at the Spouses’ Dinner will be included on the 2017 Edition of the Mondongueros Photo Album, and will be distributed to all members on DVD at the regular lunch meetings in March 2018.

Those members who still have not provided the long-requested photographs from their past are encouraged to submit several to the Web Master before January 1, 2018, so they may be included within the updated Photo Album. The web-site post on the subject of “requested photographs” may be consulted for details.

Patrick Flanagan, Jr.

03 February 1953 – 06 October 2017

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of our Brother Patrick Flanagan, Jr. on Friday, 06 October 2017.

Already an experienced trial lawyer in 2001, Pat responded to a great personal challenge after a bicycle accident rendered him quadriplegic by elevating his status in the legal community to that of a District Judge. Indeed, after a decade of service to Reno as an elected Judge, he was further elevated by his peers in 2016 to the position of Chief Judge.

His intellect and good humor were legendary. As a student of history, he brought an element of civic education to his court room, and the lawyers, jurors and parties before the court always left with more knowledge about the law and its place in society. Pat’s loss is not just to his family and friends, but the Reno Community generally.

As his Brothers’ Mondongueros, our individual and collective thoughts and prayers go to his wife Caroline, his father – also a member of Mondongueros for many years – and other family members.

Pat’s funeral will be held on Thursday, 12 October 2017, at Our Lady of the Snows Church, 1138 Wright Street in Reno. Services begin at 2:00 pm.

Dictator Gary Edwards has announced the Annual Barbeque to be held at his home between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm on the evening of Saturday, 23 Sep 2017. This is an annual tradition that is not to be missed for both the camaraderie and good food.

Gary Senior and Gary Junior will watch over the slow cook and smoke process all day, with ribs, beans and cole slaw the always-delicious result. A modest fee will be collected to offset the cost of the food and drink.

Gary’s home is at 9230 Hidden Park Drive in the Del Webb Somersett area west of Reno. The most efficient route is west in I-80 to about the four mile marker, exiting to the right and button-hooking 180 degrees back through the gateway arch. A map of the route is set forth below. As the Dictator says, “It’s all right turns coming in, and all left turns going out”.

                  Don Osborne: 11 Aug 1931 – 10 May 2017

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of our Brother Don Osborne, after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Don had been a member of Mondongueros since 2000, and remained active as a pilot long after most of his contemporaries “hung up the spurs”.

Our collective sympathies go out to Elly and the other members of Don’s family.

A memorial service will be conducted by Elly and their daughters at Don’s hangar at Stead Airport, beginning at 2:00PM on Saturday, June 10th, so arriving a little early will be appreciated. Questions can answered by daughter Sarah Osborne at 825-2116.

We all know how to find the t-hangars at Stead, and the map below identifies Don’s hangar.