A TRIBUTE TO VINCE DELONG

ON THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH

vincedelongA major contributor to the health of the Cedar Rapids Section of IEEE was lost with the death of Vince DeLong on March 30, 2013.  Besides being a valued engineer at Collins Radio/Rockwell International, he should be remembered for giving the Cedar Rapids Section a major kickstart back in 1975.  The section had decayed into inactivity … there were no meetings and no active leadership.  It is my understanding that Jack Cosgrove, not wanting to see the demise of IEEE, leaned on Vince to form an operating committee and start having meetings.  At any rate, Vince came on board and assembled a slate of officers to get the section moving again.  He tapped me to be Programs Chair, and we began having quality programs over the lunch hour as well as in the evening.  We offered door prizes to encourage better attendance, and meals were often subsidized for IEEE members.  It didn’t hurt that Vince’s Longbranch was near Rockwell, which made noon luncheons convenient for the many members at Rockwell.  There was also more encouragement and support from Rockwell in the form of in-kind services and time management.   I even remember Jack Cosgrove coming to an IEEE Ice Breaker, providing a welcome to potential new members from the company president and encouraging more support from members.

I know you’ll enjoy the following articles written by former associates of Vince, Merrill Ludvigson and Phil Topf.

Remembering Vince DeLong – Phil Topf

Vince DeLong – Merrill Ludvigson

Gayle Buroker, Section History Chair