Worried about PinkhamR

[spider]

I was thinking about Randy today when cleaning a gun I bought form him a couple years ago, hope his family is doing well and he will be missed.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

My sincere condolences.

 

[NCDuck]

Randy was a cool guy, always good for a conversation and always helpful. He didn't seem to judge anyone and he always had a smile for anyone here on this forum. I'm sorry for the loss to the family and close friends of Randy. Again, a genuinely great guy, need more of them around in this world.

 

[OregonCC10]

My condolences to the family. Rest in Peace, Randy.

 

[4Freedom]

I enjoyed doing business with Randy... He was the easiest person I ever dealt with and sold various gun accessories and ammo with him. He was honest, friendly, trusting and always prompt to pay and make each transaction. Anytime I needed some advice I always could go to him and he would help me out. This guy helped me with a few issues that have really helped me.

I'm real sad I never had a chance to call him and talk to him again. Feels bad.. NWFA will not be the same without him, but his memory will live on.

 

[mjorin]

Sorry to hear it. We just e-mailed back and forth two weeks ago. Godspeed Randy, I'll bet they have all of the super rare Detonics pistols on the other side.

 

[Bunny]

RIP randy. I will miss you.

We both will. NWFA won't be the same without you. Thank you for everything and RIP Randy.

 

[Tigershark]

My sympathies to the family. I recently spoke to Randy about a Walther PPK/S that he was interested in. I was selling it for a friend. It included a holster and 4 magazines. At first we emailed each other and, to me, he was just another customer. In one of his emails he sent me some links to some youtube videos of his wife and daughter shooting. I was struck by his pride in his family and willingness to share his life. He then called me and we spoke for about an hour about all kinds of things. He treated me like an old friend and made me feel welcome. I had never had a customer treat me like that. He never mentioned his illness and we joked and laughed. It was a very enjoyable conversation. I told him to call me anytime and that I looked forward to talking to him more. He had decided to buy the Walther and said he would send the money to my Paypal account as a gift. I told him that Paypal didn't need to know what it was for. The next day I got the email from Paypal. Prior to that I had decided to just keep the Walther and had paid my friend for it. I had deleted all my ads. I just didn't have the heart to tell him I didn't want to sell it and had already bought it myself. After talking to him on the phone and realized what kind of person he was, I decided that he deserved it more than I did. I accepted the offer and shipped it. I hadn't heard from him as to whether he had received it. One morning last week I got the call from his wife that he had passed. I was in total shock. In that short time I was acquainted with him, he had become a friend. We in the firearms community need as many friends as we can get. I wish all my friends and acquaintances were like Randy. I truly consider him a friend. He will not be forgotten.

 

[PhysicsGuy]

I read the news a few days ago and have been trying to come up with the best response.

When Randy first showed up here on NWFA he was met with apprehension at first by local members because he was out of the NW region. However he quickly fit in well with the rest of us who bleed smokeless powder. I, as well as many of the members here had the chance to chat with him in threads, PMs, and the chat box on here. He always had something interesting to sell, trade, or barter for, and had a great eye for the unique pieces he was looking to acquire. Randy was definitely a seasoned NWFA veteran, who went through hell working to gain the respect of the members here, as well as contributing a great deal of his wealth of knowledge. He was more than just a name next to a post, he was a family member to us here, and he will forever be missed. May you be as blessed on the other side as we were so blessed to have you here Randy.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

I sold Randy a refurbished AR15 barrel. I told him I would happily take it back if it didn't work for him. He bought it and was apparently happy with it. I contacted him a couple weeks later to ask if he had tried out the barrel yet and to reiterate the money back guarantee, but he said the barrel was working well, and no need for any concern. He was a pleasure to do business with, and by the time we were done with the transaction it felt like Randy was a good friend. I believe that was the case everywhere Randy went, and with everyone he met. The world is worse off without Randy in it, and I do miss him.

 

[FAL]

Randy bought a set of used 1911 Crimson Trace laser grips from a forum member, not knowing that I had already made a trade deal with the seller. When I asked Randy if he knew where I could get another pair of these grips and if he wanted to sell them to me at a profit, he was so extremely apologetic that he had bought them, he said he'd buy the next set of grips which came up for sale, and then take my original trade in exchange for them.

True to his word, two weeks later he contacted me and said someone just listed a new pair of grips. He bought them, had them shipped to me at his expense and I shipped him my trade. Because of Randy's thoughtfulness, I ended up with NEW set of grips - better than I would have done with the first deal.

Folks with that amount of personal integrity are hard to come by. He will be missed.

 

[larryh1108]

I'm going to miss you, Randy. I joined this forum just because you asked me to share a place you loved and enjoyed. I live in CT and didn't get here often enough. Everybody here is great. He was right.

Randy called me a few weeks before he passed, just to talk guns and shoot the breeze. I was his Llama go-to guy and we talked quite often over the years. He is a true gentleman. I will miss you, Randy. They don't make them like you very often. I was blessed to know you and enjoyed your passion of firearms. As this thread shows, you were loved by many. RIP, Randy. We'll miss you but your spirit will live forever in all of us.

 

[spider]

Miss the old man, funny guy with a big heart for anything .45acp

 

[Joe Link]

Miss the old man, funny guy with a big heart for anything .45acp

Same here

 

[spectra]

Seeing this makes me think! Tears in my eyes as I type last time I talked with Randy we both had a walker I was in the hospital with a broken leg and he was just getting home from a stint in the hospital himself. What a great guy and just wish there were more like him! RIP Randy you are missed!

 

[ridurall]

Golly I sure miss Randy. May 3rd was the 1 year anniversary of my father's passing away and then Randy on the 2nd of February. Life can be pretty tough. A couple of weeks ago I went with Randy's wife to retrieve 3 guns he had left with our gun smith to work on. It seems the guy we trusted with our guns and other things really let us down. He got busted in the Walmart parking lot with a wanted felon and and some pot. They were asleep. Well everyone screws up but that was a real let down. Then a month later he got busted big time with meth. and a gun that was somehow not legal. After a month of waiting he gave me the combo of his vaults so Linda could retrieve the guns and I could pick up a box full of S&W magazines for another friend. Someone had broken in and drilled 6 holes in his Liberty vault but not gotten into it. I learned a Stack-On safe is a piece of trash when it comes to trying open the dial. I finally got in it and then went to the Liberty safe and on one try even though it had 6 drill holes around the dial it opened up on the first try. What a mess this guy had done to his life. He is very talented machinist and will no longer be able to keep his FFL. Randy would have been so hurt by this turn of events. Even with the cancer he wouldn't even think of using pot for any of the symptoms. Linda was afraid she would be out those guns but at least we were able to get them back. I so appreciate the kind words about Randy. I also so miss him and the time we were able to spend together whether shooting, visiting or working on our guns. To top everything off our family dog had a stroke on March 20th my 58th birthday and passed away in 2 hours. At least she didn't suffer but I'm really tired of bad news. You all take care of yourselves and thanks again.

Ron

 

[Joe Link]

Wow, that's a crazy story Ron! I'm happy to hear the guns were recovered.

I'm sorry to hear about your dog, hopefully your luck will improve soon.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

There can be some really 'busy' years, mine (so far) was last year, i pray your year gets better, it hurts when it piles up this way.

 

[ridurall]

Wow, that's a crazy story Ron! I'm happy to hear the guns were recovered.

I'm sorry to hear about your dog, hopefully your luck will improve soon.

It is already improving. I am going to be a grandpa in November. My daughter and son in law are buying a house in the country about 9 miles from here. And the bug business is picking up. Thanks for the kind thoughts though.
Ron

 

[ridurall]

We had Randy's funeral today where we put his ashes in a vault at Fort Sill National Cemetery and even Oklahoma cooperated with lite drizzle and cooler weather. We had a visiter from the concealedcarryforum.com that Randy had been active member and friend to all there. One off our member.

The "Professor" ( AKA yankeejib on CCF) made it here all the way from North Carolina yesterday and we got together for a visit, show and tell and some shooting of the 50 BMG yesterday. Today I got up early met with Linda's family and friends for the convoy to Fort Sill National Cemetery where we were met with an Air Force Honor Guard, the "Professor" with his trumpet and a BIG NO GUNS sign on the front gate. For some reason I thought that since the Cemetery was not really on Fort Sill and near Elgin that wouldn't be a problem. So while trying how to dress without wearing my usual bib overalls I had to figure out a better way of carrying my handgun without being obvious. In the long run I put on some khaki pants and a long sleeve shirt with long tail that was not meant to be tucked in. As we pulled in and I saw the No GUN or knives for that matter sign I quickly pulled out my wife's Walther 40 S&W that I pinched from her this morning while getting ready and put it in the pouch behind the seat. After getting the lay of the land and the entrance facility and while driving to the pavilion I called the Professor to invite him out to lunch afterwards. Now while standing there visiting, then watching the Honor Guard do it's tremendous job of paying their respects by unfolding then refolding the American Flag and give it to Linda and then present a 21 gun salute to Randy I suddenly realized in my hurry to get out of the house in something different than my usual "uniform" I had left my wallet, all my IDs and my check book at home. I felt butt necked. There I was feeling the fool for leaving the house without my concealed carry license and any form of money and having asked the Professor out to lunch which of course when you ask someone the right thing to do is to pay for it and here I was flat broke. I had to ask the Professor if he could spot lunch and I would get even with him afterwards via PayPal. Of course he said no problem and then we started arguing about me paying him back. I told him if he wouldn't let me I was not going out to lunch. After we got that kind of straightened out the "Professor" played Taps perfectly with enough emotion it about tore me up. So much better than a canned CDC or taped version. Man it was so wonderful of him to make that tremendous drive out to Oklahoma for us. I have a world of respect for him and his talents. I was supposed to speak before him playing because it might mess me up but the Honor Guard didn't get the word. In the long run I got through what I had to say I guess just fine. At least no one threw anything at me. We then went to where Randy's ashes were going to be interred and Linda had me place his stack of leftover BATF 4473 forms that his daughter and son-in-law shot with his 50 BMG that I loaded with a teaspoon of his ashes over 220 grains of AA8700 behind a 647 grain API bullet. They also placed Randy's FFL license, a picture of his 50 BMG next to his DPMS AR-10 .338 Federal and a wooden desk plaque saying "kwitchyourbellyaching" that his father-in-law sent him years ago for birthday or Christmas and Randy would send it back to him for his birthday back and forth as a family joke. It kind of hit me when we were putting the stuff in there and I had a difficult time with my composure but in the long run got by. Afterwards the Professor and I had some Korean food for lunch. You know the regular kitten, puppy and raw fish type of food but it was good and the Professor and I said our goodbyes. I'm very pleased that Randy's service turned out as nice as it did and it was not the normal over 100 degree weather but closer to 70 degrees and a bit wet. The kind of moisture that Oklahoma needs very much.