Don Lewinski (Specks169) update

[zoinkss]

I have been absent on RB for a while. Ive lost a bit of the can spark.
My Father and Don were best friends. When my father passed away in 2008, the estate mgr (family member) said that all the cans had to be sold despite the known fact my father gave them to me and we collected together. Because I was in the Waukesha history group locally with dad, we compromised and I was able to keep the Waukesha cans and signs. This was a rough time for me because I lost my job no severance pay or anything, got married, lost my father and had a baby all in a matter of 6 months.
During this time I went to a rummage and found a Kato cone and called Don and asked him if he needed it. He did and I dropped it off and had a cup of coffee and we talked about dad. Don gave me the spark again for beer cans and I started again with my boys. We formed the same partnership that my father and he shared. He would do the derusting and some repairs and I would do the lidding and give him first choice of any cans I found he needed before selling the rest. We did this right up to the Fredrick's cone and the WF Acme in Steve's recent post.

With Don's help and Mark Balestrarie's (dart master) we would get a really great group of guys together on the last wed of the month to sip a few beers and look at each other's collections. It started with just the 3 of us but as we met people locally on craigslist, ebay and rummage sales, we have grown to almost 100 in the Wed night group. We had to do Wednesday nights because Don would go hunting on his land early Thursday mornings. As the group grew, we just kept the Wed night going. Don't change something if it aint broken.
Of these guys, me included, many are on RB because of Don. Many are Badger Bunchers and Packer Chapter members because of Don.
Some of these members like Hover31, Badgerjeff, wisbeers, Mgn and Carsbr549.
Don gave us so much information and shared so much with us and we all plan to carry that forward.

Don is no longer doing chemo because it was no longer helping. He is at home and going to fight as long as he can. He can take calls but does not want visitors.
262-781-0347

[DaveNH]

Thanks for your story, the history of your Wednesday night group and the update on Don. I’ve met Don a few times and found him to be a real genuine guy and easy to talk with. Sorry to hear how things are for him now. Keep us posted.

[Wisbeers]

Thanks for the update, Andrew. Such sad news about Don. Joining that Wednesday night group is one of the best things I’ve done, not just for my collecting, but for myself. I’ve learned a lot from both you and Don, as well as many others in the group. Don will be a huge loss.

[Dan B]

Thanks for the update. Sorry to hear that about Don. Not to many guys out there that are more kind then Don.

Dan B

[Ziphippie]

I’ve learned a lot from Don- could learn a lot more. He’s the original rubout master! Our conversation usually shifted towards the great outdoors, comparing our latest catches and miserable fails. One if the best I’ve met, in and out of the hobby. Wishing Don, his family and friends the best. Ziphippie

[yelpster]

Talked to Donny on the phone a couple of nights ago. One of the original can doctors I should post some pics of the cans he has fixed for me. Great guy massive cone collector. He is hanging in there. Send him your good thoughts.

yelpster

[Barry Travis]

Don is one of the "good guys" of the hobby. Great knowledge,generosity and sense of humor. It was an epic trade, with a lot of back and forth, but
the Hamm's Preferred I have on my shelf was HIS shelfer. He got it from a dollar box at one time.