There was a recent thread that pondered how/where he was but I cannot find it. Been looking behind the scenes, left a couple phone messages and an email or two. Nada.......
Haven't heard from Greg for quite a while, and normally he does not leave his place for very long. Know nothing beyond that - but would like to hear a good report..
Hope all turns out to be well. Maybe just took a trip and forgot to warn everyone? As a relative new guy I always enjoyed his rebuttals and banter. Including the time he essentially told me;"if I want to hear your opinions I'll shove my arm up your ass and work your mouth like a puppet". I figured that day he'd probably be a good guy. Hope he comes back and hands me my ass for miss-quoting him.
I'd say the genuine concern here contradicts any notions that the 'fire has burned low and that all the good ones have left. Hope you're well wherever you are Crossfire.
If he's cooking meth, he's gonna be pissed at you boys.............grin
Funny, that was my original thought too. Not about the man but the HOLY SHCIDT factor of having a welfare check because of not checking in. Not the good time to be finishing up a batch of Meth, burying a wolf, having the mistress, getting over a bender....well hopefully something to have a good laugh over.
Gentlemen, it is with sadness that I pass along from the CCSO, that Greg has passed on to greener pastures with his companion Gracie.
He was a man's man, thoughtful and compassionate in many ways not always obvious here on the 'Fire. Too, I think he would agree that he did not suffer fools kindly. That was one of the reasons he made me smile.
I do not know if he had siblings or other family, and if you have such knowledge please the information to the CCSO at 520-803-3280.
Hope all turns out to be well. Maybe just took a trip and forgot to warn everyone? I'd say the genuine concern here contradicts any notions that the 'fire has burned low and that all the good ones have left. Hope you're well wherever you are Crossfire.
Cross won't hardly leave his place for more than a few hours - too many illegal tracks up the wash behind his shop!
Dan; Thanks for initiating the check sir, even though it's awful news.
Greg and I were in the same area of Alberta at the same time and actually might have met "way back in the day". We exchanged PM's often enough that I will truly miss him.
My goodness this loss is tough to accept for me.
Thoughts and prayers to friends and family for sure from this side of the medicine line.
Damn! What I was afraid to read on this thread! Always enjoyed his posts and always looked for any thread he started. This website and this country is worse off because of it.
I do not know what transpired. They were found inside his home. My guess is they will send his remains to the medical examiner to determine COD. Other than informing me of his passing, no specific information was provided by the deputy that called following my request for a wellness check. In truth I did not want to know and did not ask. I will remember him as he is in the picture, with a gun he restored in my behalf.
My last communication with him was on 9-23 via email and by phone a few days prior when he called to inquire how we fared with H. Irma. He mentioned that he had been having a bout of back pain, but otherwise seemed normal in all regards.
I'm fairly hardened to such things, but this one hits kind of close to home. He had done a fair bit of gun work for me in days gone by and provided guidance on the topic many times. To hear him speak of better days he came from many lands and lived life to the fullest. From his days on board the sea going ships with his father, to Canada and other points of the compass. He lived as some only dream of and he has my undying respect.
Sad to hear it while I didn't always agree with what he had to say. I usually learned something regardless. He was a character. R.I.P
Indeed he ruffled some, but Greg was old school, good with his hands, had done enough and experienced enough he wasn't always tender and willing to give the warm fuzzies to everyone.
But he was a man and a good one at that.
RIP amigo, you're in the land where the rabbits are slow and fat for Gracie and every weld runs true. Gonna miss you sir.
Dennis just called me, I can't believe this, no way, holy chit.
Greg was my friend, I promised to take care of Gracie if anything happened to him.
First time I pulled into Greg's place he walked out on the porch and I yelled pig'[bleep], he flipped me off, I walked up the steps and we gave each other a big hug.
Sad to hear it while I didn't always agree with what he had to say. I usually learned something regardless. He was a character. R.I.P
Indeed he ruffled some, but Greg was old school, good with his hands, had done enough and experienced enough he wasn't always tender and willing to give the warm fuzzies to everyone.
But he was a man and a good one at that.
RIP amigo, you're in the land where the rabbits are slow and fat for Gracie and every weld runs true. Gonna miss you sir.
No disrespect was intended. He was for sure a man of much talent and spoke his mind which I admire. I liked his stories and his projects he would post.
Dennis just called me also. Greg is going to be missed in my heart and here on the campfire. He always had a viewpoint that seemed clear and uncluttered. I did not always agree with him, but, he was my friend. He gave me a book last time I was at his home. I'll need to make sure that I cherish his gift and generosity.
Jeff.
PS... I'd sure like to get my hands on his cannon... That is what the book was about that he gave me.
Damn it. Rest easy my friend. You will be missed. He had called me awhile back and I missed him. I kept meaning to call him back or email, but I forgot about it. Damn it. I just don't know what else I can say.
I never talked with the man, but liked that he was here and appreciated his sharp wit. He seemed bigger than life. Similar happened to my uncle last year, 2 weeks before anyone found him. Very sad.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
Ok, he told me the only family he had left was a nephew, I don't have any info on who that may be. Sounded like they weren't estranged but really didn't have contact. He was worried what would happen to his place when he passed.
Some of us will be finding out what is happening for Greg at this point and will make sure he is taken care of.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
A MAN with any brains or nuts, if he had such thoughts, would keep them to himself.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
A MAN with any brains or nuts, if he had such thoughts, would keep them to himself.
Screw you, Greg was an azzhole. I don't mourn his passing.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
A MAN with any brains or nuts, if he had such thoughts, would keep them to himself.
Screw you, Greg was an azzhole. I don't mourn his passing.
I shouldn't, but it's not my nature. It has NOTHING to do with mourning his passing you ignorant SOB. There is NOTHING you can say to get back at a dead man, what you are doing is kicking other people right in the nuts. Silly little bitch
Should have known something was wrong when Cross didn't answer phone calls or reply to a PM.
Those of us who shared time and efforts with Greg will miss him in very special ways, for he was an uncommon person. I admired his skills and knowledge in some important areas, and his forthrightness. Anything else that came with his exuberance was simply another facet of a very experienced and complex man.
Some of us are hoping - and trying - to see that his passing is observed with proper remembrance.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
A MAN with any brains or nuts, if he had such thoughts, would keep them to himself.
Screw you, Greg was an azzhole. I don't mourn his passing.
I shouldn't, but it's not my nature. It has NOTHING to do with mourning his passing you ignorant SOB. There is NOTHING you can say to get back at a dead man, what you are doing is kicking other people right in the nuts. Silly little bitch
I had the occasion to meet and interact with Greg for the last few years. He built the rifle I gave my father for his 65th birthday. We went as a team to pick it up and Greg drove us to an old Apache campsite and that is where I told my dad that the gun was for him. Greg made that all the more special in that he knew the history of that place and chose just the right spot for that exchange. He was a mans man and as was stated didn't brook fools lightly. He treated my father and I with respect and courtesy and we enjoyed every minute of our visit. I am going to let the comment above pass as it is the internet but I will say if someone disparages that mans memory in my presence they better be prepared for the consequences.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
A MAN with any brains or nuts, if he had such thoughts, would keep them to himself.
Screw you, Greg was an azzhole. I don't mourn his passing.
I shouldn't, but it's not my nature. It has NOTHING to do with mourning his passing you ignorant SOB. There is NOTHING you can say to get back at a dead man, what you are doing is kicking other people right in the nuts. Silly little bitch
Get a life, you loser. You're on here 24 hours a day. I don't give a schitt what you have to say.
I'd guess these sad tidings would be reason as any that if you ever did want to meet someone, do something, or whatever, in person to not hesitate. Not saying the next Campfire Gathering will fit my timeline but it sounds like some great bond are formed. I kinda figured some time I would beg some of you old guys to let me sit in on one of your outwest gatherings...and maybe still will. This is a reminder that time doesn't stand still while one waits.
- and Greg, assuming we meet on a mountain top, somewhere, some time, I not only forgive but laugh about the time you told me you would "squash my head like a zit".
He was the first one to welcome me to the fire a couple years back. Always liked reading his his posts. He was always strong in his opinions and usually right.
Just came in from the shop and read this, hate to hear it.
It's funny how reading peoples posts on an internet forum makes it seem like you know them even if you've never met them or even PM'd them. I enjoyed reading his posts and seeing the projects he was always working on. I'll miss him.
I don't venture out of the VBTE much, but when I do I often saw something from Cross that I agreed with...but a few things I really disagreed with him on. His attitude for sure wasn't the best and he'd cherry pick my words while arguing...
Greg slapped me around a couple times, that's the campfire, and I didn't take it personally. But most of the time we saw eye to eye on things. I didn't meet him in person, but I respect he was a guy that spoke his mind and you knew where he stood on issues. For those who kick sand on a man's grave, I say, let this be a lesson for everyone here in the forum. This is a place to share ideas and hopefully learn something in the process. Far too many conversations on the forum remind me of a playground fight between insecure boys. I am not perfect if this regard but I am trying to listen more and react immaturely less. Anyway, RIP, whether you liked the guy's style or opinion or not, I never doubted that he was a true American. And I can respect that at least.
I had the occasion to meet and interact with Greg for the last few years. He built the rifle I gave my father for his 65th birthday. We went as a team to pick it up and Greg drove us to an old Apache campsite and that is where I told my dad that the gun was for him. Greg made that all the more special in that he knew the history of that place and chose just the right spot for that exchange. He was a mans man and as was stated didn't brook fools lightly. He treated my father and I with respect and courtesy and we enjoyed every minute of our visit. I am going to let the comment above pass as it is the internet but I will say if someone disparages that mans memory in my presence they better be prepared for the consequences.
Jim Jr.
Good man. So's Steelhead. One must respect the rules of the internet. One of the unwritten ones is "Don't take no chit," and Greg certainly embodied that.
I'll pass in this thread Jim, as you have, since Steelhead can't say it better.
I'd been on the receiving end of Greg's barbs many times. I rather enjoyed it, once I'd been here long enough to understand it, which wasn't that long. Didn't know Greg personally, but he was a man with great conviction and no one can argue that.
I miss the cannon pics. Anyone have one to throw up?
And I stumbled into the both of you at his last "Sierra Vista Shindig" - as well as edtoomanyletters, CCCC, 45-100, Ken Howell, and I forget how many more (around 30, IIRC! not to mention the infamous "Gracie" ) I used to speak with him on the phone, but it has been a while. I'll miss them greatly!
Will miss his humor, his fury, and his knowledge on the Fire.
Made me laugh more than a few times.
Rest in Peace, Sir.
Rest in Peace.
Panco Villa crossed the border in the year of ought sixteen The people of Columbus still hear him riding through their dreams He killed seventeen civilians you could hear the women scream Blackjack Pershing on a dancing horse was waiting in the wings
Tonight we ride, tonight we ride We'll skin ole Pancho Villa, make chaps out of his hide Shoot his horse, Siete Leguas, and his twenty-seven bride Tonight we ride, tonight we ride
We rode for three long years till Blackjack Pershing called it quits When Jackie wasn't lookin' I stole his fine spade bit It was tied upon his stallion, so I rode away on it To the wild Chihuahuan desert, so dry you couldn't spit
Tonight we ride, you bastards dare We'll kill the wild Apache for the bounty on his hair Then we'll ride into Durango, climb up the whorehouse stairs Tonight we ride, Tonight we ride
When I'm too damn old to sit a horse, I'll steal the warden's car Break my ass out of this prison, leave my teeth there in a jar You don't need no teeth for kissin' gals or smokin' cheap cigars I'll sleep with one eye open, 'neath God's celestial stars
Tonight we rock, Tonight we roll We'll rob the Juarez liquor store for the Reposado Gold And if we drink ourselves to death, ain't that the cowboy way to go? Tonight we ride, tonight we ride
Tonight we fly, we're headin' west Toward the mountains and the ocean where the eagle makes his nest If our bones bleach on the desert, we'll consider we are blessed Tonight we ride, Tonight we ride Tonight we ride, tonight we ride.
RIP Cross, and condolences to all that lost a friend.
It's poor form to speak badly of the dead, they lived life their own way...like it or not. All we have is our reputation as men, we earned and worked for that...once gone, we can't defend our name,,,let the man lie in peace, and don't ruin a caring thread in his memory.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
I went back and forth with Cross about a lot of stuff. We didn't always agree. Crossfire was a man with a man's set of stones and a new day was a new day. He had depth of character and the longer you knew him the more you appreciated him.
Sorry to hear, never met the man and only talked to him a couple of times, he was one of the more knowledgeable persons on this site when it came to working with metal and with his hands, I enjoyed his post and envied his place and life style. RIP
Greg was my friend - knew him face-to-face. We spoke on the 'Fire and on the phone many times. He was a much better man than Squirrelnut - who will now be only the 4th on ignore, after my many years here.
We will do whatever we can to see Greg taken care of, he had no family to speak of and I'm not sure the legal issue involved but we will do whatever we can. If it takes donations I will post that here. We will definitely have a service at the AZ February get together coming up.
I think he recently posted that Gracie was 14 years old. Good that they are together.
The 'Fire goes back far enough that I can recall Greg posting a picture of him and his mom sitting outside with a Jack Russel, I'm thinking I recall photos of Gracie as a pup. Maybe that was back on Shooterstalk I dunno. When I was married we stopped in maybe eight or ten years back when his mom was alive.
I have a friend here on the fire that didn't get along with Cross.....it came up in casual conversation one day when we were driving out shoot some Ground Squirrels. All he said was "I just can't get along with the guy, It's too bad too because there's a lot to be learned from old guys like him".
He helped me out getting an old Stevens Favorite into shape a couple years back. It was an old family relic that now has another memory attached to it.
He had another pup I believe. She been taken care of?
We will do whatever we can to see Greg taken care of, he had no family to speak of and I'm not sure the legal issue involved but we will do whatever we can. If it takes donations I will post that here. We will definitely have a service at the AZ February get together coming up.
He was divorced, and no children. I just talked to him maybe a month ago or so, no indication of any thing wrong. I know in times past in discussion one of the things on his mind was who would end up with his little spread.
I have know Greg for a decade or more. He would come into the store and we would talk about planting crops, welding, guns, dogs, machining, whatever. Greg did not always travel in a straight line and was sometimes hard to follow. Tolerance was not one of his virtues, but once you earned his respect you had it for life. We had a good relationship.
I had (have) a Krag-jorgensen single shot action. My dad had given it to me when I said I wanted to make a single shot 45/70. I showed it to Greg and he badgered me about letting him barrel and chamber it for me. Glad I finally let him do it. I test fired it one day at CCCC's place. Have a nice piece of walnut I got from another friend to make a stock. A work in progress that will someday be completed.
Like him or not, Greg was always being Greg and that made him unique. He enjoyed sharing what he had accomplished and would only ask your opinion if he valued your advice. Not one to mince words, you knew where he stood. He wasn't afraid to tell you to leave the kitchen if you couldn't stand the fire. He broke the mold after he made Greg!
Besides having Crossfire get on your ass was a right of passage. 😉
Yep, he welcomed me here with a solid ball busting,,,I took it, and he accepted my explanation with "well we'll see how this plays out, I'll be watching you"...
I respected it, he shot straight and didn't like any lying or BS...Old school, they don't make em like that anymore.
I had not met crossfireoops, conversed, good bad or otherwise. But I always looked forward to what he had to say and the projects he posted. Now he's the stuff of legend.
There's something to be said about a man and his dog departing this world together. It seems he would've wanted it that way. I wish them both Godspeed.
We will do whatever we can to see Greg taken care of, he had no family to speak of and I'm not sure the legal issue involved but we will do whatever we can. If it takes donations I will post that here. We will definitely have a service at the AZ February get together coming up.
Kent
Please make sure that gathering is stickied here. I might haul my fat ass down there for that. Been thinking about making a SW gathering but never nutted up.
Dennis just called me, I can't believe this, no way, holy chit.
Greg was my friend, I promised to take care of Gracie if anything happened to him.
First time I pulled into Greg's place he walked out on the porch and I yelled pig'[bleep], he flipped me off, I walked up the steps and we gave each other a big hug.
Damn I'm going to miss him.
I have to digest this for a bit.
Kent
kent, i believe he had a younger dog along with gracie
I don't suppose it would hurt to describe some of what i knew. I met greg quite a while ago, and he had moved to the sierra vista region with a wife, and that went sideways. We talked an awful lot about the border. What people didn't know really he at one time spent a lot of time in south america, and i remember a picture album of people in mexico he was close to. Life was not easy on him, and he had to scrabble i think to make things go. he ended up with a lot in the desert really, moved an ol 12wide trailer on it and was constantly improving things. He was a wizzard at that, from his garden area, fruit trees, solar, just a whizz at making things, and he really made a little garden spot out of it my opinion. We use to talk a lot about his mother, as i had been in a similar situation taking care of my mother. I met her a number of times and she was quite the lady. He by far did the honorable thing with her. I seem to remember some discussion about what would happen to his place if he went, as i don't think there was anyone around. Our relationship wasn't always easy, as neither one of us is easy to be around all the time, but we got along for a lot of years. He had expanded his little farm i believe to goats, rabbits, and some other stuff. Be a shame to see it go back into the desert. He had a real talent with black powder metallic weapons. I think one of the first times i met him years ago was at three points at a shooting competition for that event. My wife liked him, which is saying quite a bit. I will have to tell her shortly of this. First time greg met her, danged if he didn't bow down and kiss her hand. Kind of impressive really. I am tempted to drive down there, but i don't know if anything i could do at this point. the more i think of this, the more i can only say, damn, just damn. Not something i wanted to hear.
Man was Old School! Never met or corresponded with him but I enjoyed his posts. Pulled no punches for certain. Fire won't be the same. RIP Sir from SE Alberta.
'The death of expertise' is an argument that the internet provides a pretender with Google can compete with an actual knowledgeable person. The bystanders and those looking for useful information might not be able to tell the difference - to their loss.
There are a few things I know something about and on those topics I can cull the pretenders. Over the years I came to trust Crossfireoops on many of the topics I could not.
Dennis just called me, I can't believe this, no way, holy chit.
Greg was my friend, I promised to take care of Gracie if anything happened to him.
First time I pulled into Greg's place he walked out on the porch and I yelled pig'[bleep], he flipped me off, I walked up the steps and we gave each other a big hug.
Damn I'm going to miss him.
I have to digest this for a bit.
Kent
on getting to his gate i usually sat on my horn and flipped him off out of the truck window. kind of a ritual
Like him or not, Greg was always being Greg and that made him unique. He enjoyed sharing what he had accomplished and would only ask your opinion if he valued your advice. Not one to mince words, you knew where he stood. He wasn't afraid to tell you to leave the kitchen if you couldn't stand the fire. He broke the mold after he made Greg!
Well said and Greg will definitely be missed. I talked to him on the phone a couple times years back. He was passionate in his beliefs and had a very big heart. Anyone not picking up on that didn't know him well at all. R.I.P. Greg and Gracie.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
A MAN with any brains or nuts, if he had such thoughts, would keep them to himself.
Surely you did not expect either to be found there?
The first visit with Greg, at his place some years ago, was a detour from the route to Tucson. He waved me in the gate, asked if experienced any trouble with the directions and then showed me around his interesting place. Within less than ten minutes we were under the shade roof between his two storage sheds working out how to fit a replacement carburetor on an old machine - I think it may have been a tiller.
We discussed and fussed a bit about optimum cfm for that small engine and finally decided on which carb and how to modify the mounting setup. This was fun, and the machine was humming about an hour later. The mounting bolts had been too long for the cause and I started looking for a hacksaw. Greg told me to hold up, took us into the very crowded but neatly arranged machine space, chucked one of those bolts up on a lathe, and proceeded to trim it to proper length with a fine tool. No clumsy vise and hacksaw stuff for his little tiller.
We worked on about three such projects that day - all enjoyable and with good results - and poured the footer for a good relationship. I talked him into having dinner in Sierra Vista before going on my way, and we had a good time exchanging histories and perceptions. Our deal was not always smooth and easy, but respectful and most worthwhile.
I had many a talk with Greg over the years on many topics... he often called as he was getting ready to mix some epoxy...Never met face-to-face and will regret that from now on. Had some interesting exchanges on Savage 24 s, also. And his music/cowboy poetry threads always wasted a BUNCH of my time...
Anyway, many moons ago 24hour put together a memorial for the son of a poster that died on a MT Christmas Eve.
From Alaska I put together a memorial trail and a lot more for Camp Tyler in Tyler, TX. The folks from the Fire kept things going and all I did was make phone calls with suggestions. I will try to dig up a link to the thread.
I think Greg's Memory would be well-served by a similar effort...
Unfortunately I do not have the time to put it together but would do whatever I can to help.
funny, his picture looks exactly like I'd pictured him from reading his posts over the years. In the world of the internet, I think that's a pretty good complement.
There are some people here that post and you pay attention to what they say, even if you don't agree or necessarily believe it.
He was one of them. This place is diminished
Early on when I was first posting here, we'd lock horns a bit, over time I realized the right move was to give him his space and you'd benefit from it.
Damn, not the news i was hoping to wake up to. He had planned on building a 22 single shot for my grandson. I enjoyed my talks with him over the phone. R.I.P. Amigo.
We will do whatever we can to see Greg taken care of, he had no family to speak of and I'm not sure the legal issue involved but we will do whatever we can. If it takes donations I will post that here. We will definitely have a service at the AZ February get together coming up.
Thanks Kent. If it does take some donations, please make sure that I don't miss the notice. If I do not reply, please PM me. miles
We will do whatever we can to see Greg taken care of, he had no family to speak of and I'm not sure the legal issue involved but we will do whatever we can. If it takes donations I will post that here. We will definitely have a service at the AZ February get together coming up.
Thanks Kent. If it does take some donations, please make sure that I don't miss the notice. If I do not reply, please PM me. miles
I've been here a while, seen a lot come and go. Seems like all of the sudden someone will pop up with 6000 posts and I've never even noticed their handle before at all.
Not so with Greg. Good man, someone I admired from afar.
Damn. Not much reason for me to ever visit the border now. I spoke to him a number of times via messages and got told I'd better head down there if I ever made it over. He was a good man in every way, You knew where you stood always, for good or bad.
Didn't know Greg personally as many of you have but always hoped our paths would cross someday..I was relatively new here when he pinned part of my sig line..As he told me afterwards,." Hold your past close friend those days of real flying machines are gone forever." His wisdom of all things mechanical and especially those that go boom is an understatement and testament of the true craftsman he was.
Anyone with a knack of not caring who he pissed off is OK in my book. He sided with me a few times, scorched my azz a few as well, I got no complaints.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
Who lit the fuse on your tampon? The only loudmouth with an anger problem is you. Let me guess, Greg refused to kiss your A$$ and instead told you how far up it he'd shove his boot and you've had your panties in a wad every since.
Wow.... I took a little break from the fire and this is the very first post I see, RIP bud. You were a unique curmudgeon who cared not what anyone thought of you and would share your experience with all who asked, albeit sometimes a bit abrasively.....much like myself.
I hope you got all you wanted out of life and have eternal happiness surrounded by old guns and odd tools.
We will do whatever we can to see Greg taken care of, he had no family to speak of and I'm not sure the legal issue involved but we will do whatever we can. If it takes donations I will post that here. We will definitely have a service at the AZ February get together coming up.
Thanks Kent. If it does take some donations, please make sure that I don't miss the notice. If I do not reply, please PM me. miles
Same here, Kent.
Ditto.
I sure hope someone can bury Gracie with the respect that Greg would have wanted too...
I assume the dog went by way of dehydration. Hate to think about it. Poor girl.
Anyway, bad blood or no, RIP Cross. We were briefly friendly here at the Fire, back when we both had a mutual foe in that 1960 fellow. When 1960 passed away, Cross seemed to turn on me, which I was always sorry about. I made several attempts to mend things, but to no avail. I hope he's in a better place.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
Who lit the fuse on your tampon? The only loudmouth with an anger problem is you. Let me guess, Greg refused to kiss your A$$ and instead told you how far up it he'd shove his boot and you've had your panties in a wad every since.
Greg wasn't gonna do [bleep]. Nothing but an old man with a big mouth.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
Who lit the fuse on your tampon? The only loudmouth with an anger problem is you. Let me guess, Greg refused to kiss your A$$ and instead told you how far up it he'd shove his boot and you've had your panties in a wad every since.
Greg wasn't gonna do [bleep]. Nothing but an old man with a big mouth.
You know squirrel, I don't think you were here during the wars between Greg and Hunter1960. Awful stuff. Full of vitriol, and anger, and a lot of behind the internet doings it appears.
But when Hunter1960 passed on, Greg stepped up and offered his condolences, and expressed some lament over their struggles.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
A MAN with any brains or nuts, if he had such thoughts, would keep them to himself.
Screw you, Greg was an azzhole. I don't mourn his passing.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
Who lit the fuse on your tampon? The only loudmouth with an anger problem is you. Let me guess, Greg refused to kiss your A$$ and instead told you how far up it he'd shove his boot and you've had your panties in a wad every since.
Greg wasn't gonna do [bleep]. Nothing but an old man with a big mouth.
You might want to consider whether or not your own passing would generate this much concern among your fellow man.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
A MAN with any brains or nuts, if he had such thoughts, would keep them to himself.
Screw you, Greg was an azzhole. I don't mourn his passing.
And from this you are a POS.
LOL.
That old fool Greg was nothing but an old man with a keyboard.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
Who lit the fuse on your tampon? The only loudmouth with an anger problem is you. Let me guess, Greg refused to kiss your A$$ and instead told you how far up it he'd shove his boot and you've had your panties in a wad every since.
Greg wasn't gonna do [bleep]. Nothing but an old man with a big mouth.
And you're nothing but a spoiled little brat with a big mouth. Your parents should have spanked you more when you were a kid.
You know squirrel, I don't think you were here during the wars between Greg and Hunter1960. Awful stuff. Full of vitriol, and anger, and a lot of behind the internet doings it appears.
But when Hunter1960 passed on, Greg stepped up and offered his condolences, and expressed some lament over their struggles.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
Who lit the fuse on your tampon? The only loudmouth with an anger problem is you. Let me guess, Greg refused to kiss your A$$ and instead told you how far up it he'd shove his boot and you've had your panties in a wad every since.
Greg wasn't gonna do [bleep]. Nothing but an old man with a big mouth.
And you're nothing but a spoiled little brat with a big mouth. Your parents should have spanked you more when you were a kid.
Hate to tell you this, ace (well, not really) but you are way out of line and if you don't see it, I suspect you have issues and puts a new light as to why you were banned from other sites and here. You are quickly looking like another Larry Root, but with a lot more bile. If you must continue, do it over on your "call out" thread and not here. J
Hate to tell you this, ace (well, not really) but you are way out of line and if you don't see it, I suspect you have issues and puts a new light as to why you were banned from other sites and here. You are quickly looking like another Larry Root, but with a lot more bile. If you must continue, do it over on your "call out" thread and not here. J
That old fool Greg was nothing but an old man with a keyboard.
By this statement you have made, if that is what you truly think of him, then it appears you have taken his place. The pride of any man will be apparent prior to his downfall.
"No man is an island in & of himself. The death of any man diminishes me because I am involved with mankind. Therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
Hate to tell you this, ace (well, not really) but you are way out of line and if you don't see it, I suspect you have issues and puts a new light as to why you were banned from other sites and here. You are quickly looking like another Larry Root, but with a lot more bile. If you must continue, do it over on your "call out" thread and not here. J
Piss off, fat boy.
Excellent retort, are you going to call me out as well?
That old fool Greg was nothing but an old man with a keyboard.
By this statement you have made, if that is what you truly think of him, then it appears you have taken his place. The pride of any man will be apparent prior to his downfall.
"No man is an island in & of himself. The death of any man diminishes me because I am involved with mankind. Therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
I didn't like the guy, it was nothing more or less than that. I'm not not going to sing his praises because he died. Everyone dies, doesn't make you a hero or a great guy. Greg was a prikk and many here know that.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
You have the Right to remain silent, even if you lack the good judgement to do so. For a man of so little intellect, I'm not surprised you have confused a "classic" response, with a "class-less" response.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
You have the Right to remain silent, even if you lack the good judgement to do so. For a man of so little intellect, I'm not surprised you have confused a "classic" response, with a "class-less" response.
I interacted with the guy years ago a few times, very negative person. As I said, my guess is the angry old coot shot himself. We'll see what the county sheriff says,
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
Squirrelnut,
Cross was a decent man living in an indecent world.
He did not suffer fools gladly, nor did he sell out his morals and values for anything, or anyone.
To truly know Cross was to know his heart.
He stood for all that was good and decent in a man.
He loved his country, he loved his friends, he loved his Mom, he loved Gracie, he loved them all beyond compare.
He did nothing that brought about shame or dishonour to you.
You truly know nothing about Cross, nor his life, yet your words seek to bring shame and dishonour to him and his memory.
You judged Cross in his hour of death, and in that, you brought shame and dishonour unto yourself.
I didn't know the man. Not sure that I ever remember reading his posts. But, when someone dies, it's never a good thing to publicly bash them. I see posters on here saying that they wish John McCain would hurry up and die. I'll admit that I'd like to see him out of the Senate, but I have no desire to wish a speedy death upon the man. There have been people that I've known, that when they passed away, I felt more like cheering than crying......but I kept it to myself, just as everyone else needs to as well.
Let the dead rest in peace. We will all be there soon enough.
I didn't know the man. Not sure that I ever remember reading his posts. But, when someone dies, it's never a good thing to publicly bash them. I see posters on here saying that they wish John McCain would hurry up and die. I'll admit that I'd like to see him out of the Senate, but I have no desire to wish a speedy death upon the man. There have been people that I've known, that when they passed away, I felt more like cheering than crying......but I kept it to myself, just as everyone else needs to as well.
Let the dead rest in peace. We will all be there soon enough.
Well said! I was thinking the same thing about folks on here wishing certain folks would hurry up and die... I was told a long time ago if you don’t have anything nice to say about a person you can always say at least there momma loved them..
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
Who lit the fuse on your tampon? The only loudmouth with an anger problem is you. Let me guess, Greg refused to kiss your A$$ and instead told you how far up it he'd shove his boot and you've had your panties in a wad every since.
Greg wasn't gonna do [bleep]. Nothing but an old man with a big mouth.
You know squirrel, I don't think you were here during the wars between Greg and Hunter1960. Awful stuff. Full of vitriol, and anger, and a lot of behind the internet doings it appears.
]But when Hunter1960 passed on, Greg stepped up and offered his condolences, and expressed some lament over their struggles.
Take a lesson, junior.
Do us a favor and drop it.
This is to nobody in particular, but that's what a man with integrity looks and acts like. I absolutely hate when a member leaves the fire in death. Maybe it just reminds me how temporary things are. God's Peace to all that knew and cared about Greg. RIP sir.
I will add Greg to the Sticky of those who we lost on the fire if it has not been done yet.
Gents, lacking next of kin information I have become the defacto point of contact for CCSO and/or affiliated agents. I will pass along what they relate, but am not inclined to press them for detailed information. I remember him upright, self propelled, and would prefer to hold that image. Greg was 70 years of age, or about the same age as Gracie in dog years. I know what I know at this point and have no interest in the minutiae. Too, there are others from here that I have passed contact information to re: family or extended family search for the authorities which may chime in at a later date.
The outpouring of recognition condolences has caught me a bit off guard and I find it humbling. With any luck I will see him one day at Fiddler's Green.
Dan, it will be interesting to meet up once we all cross the river. Just a thought, I'm just up the road from you, maybe we could meet up one day and try to outdo each other with aviation lies
My interactions with Greg were few, but congenial. He was irascible on occasion, but always informative (and entertaining). We, as an on-line community, are very much diminished by the loss. My condolences to his family, and to all the campfire members who mourn his passing.
Very sorry to learn of this. It was evident how much he loved Gracie. Greg showed an interest in the cattle dogs I have owned over the years and I could tell he was fond of heelers in general. Gracie was quite a personality in and of herself. Very sad.
Always liked reading his posts. He was always strong in his opinions and usually right. Cantankerous, funny, knowledgable and an all around good guy. A very sad ending it seems and he will be missed.
Squirrelnut - you need to STFU you complete asswipe.
Had my share of back and forth with the man. Not a good thing to speak ill of the dead. For all of you that have lost a friend, sorry for your loss.
Now, that's class!
Thank you for your words, sir.
I have read the exchanges between you and Greg and have wished that you two could have sat down in front of a real campfire. Both of you were very heated and very set on your beliefs, yet I have also read threads from you and Greg that showed a lot of the same beliefs. I think you would have found a lot of common ground and a lot of mutual respect. Greg didn't always make that easy, I know, but once he had a one-on-one talk with someone he was disagreeing with, he would find a way to make things right. I have watched it a number of times, the first one I noticed was with me.
Greg was a very good friend of mine and it is truly a loss here. I wish you could have known him as a lot of us have.
I regret that I never took the time to take him up on his standing offer to come down and visit. We talked about old ford tractors, dogs, horses, cowboying and quite a bit about meskins. Had a lot in common and I now wish I woulda/coulda shook his paw before he passed.
What a shame ....we are with a loss and he is now better off.....loved his comments, usually spoken in his own "language" and was always a great help when you were sincere in seeking it. Sold him a seed planter once and the transaction was a pleasure. For some reason I always thought of Lonesome Dove when I thought of him... By now, there has to be another campfire that has already begin in heaven....
I did have an opportunity to visit Greg at his home about five years ago, stayed overnight, shared food and drink.
As I recall, his former wife still lived in the area, and they were on good terms.
Besides his stellar mechanical knowledge and skills, he was well read and articulate. You sensed that immediately when you spoke with him. He had no need to adopt a phoney accent or manner of speaking, like some others. He was also fluent in Spanish. He was what he was, and had no need to put on an image. I was also aware that his body had taken a beating, joints, feet, and such. and he was in some pain, but he didn't complain.
The man was amazing in the depth and breadth of his knowledge. A straight shooter and a gentleman in his own right. This place is not going to be the same without him.
Very sorry to read this morning that Greg has passed. Always enjoyed his posts. I wish I could do 1/10th what he could do with welding and metal fabrication.
He was a talented man. He tore into a few times but would agree too. He pm d me and apologized and offered me assistance in another pm Nothing wrong with a guy honestly expressing himself.
I heard of Greg's passing on another forum last night. Very sad news, very sad. He was a good man, and a good friend to me over the past 15 years or so.
I never met Greg in person, but we were friends by phone and email. We had a link in the 70's, we both worked in the same small rural place in the 70's, him as a dynamite man for the Exshaw concrete plant & quarry, me as a horse wrangler for the Rafter Six dude ranch and camp counselor for YMCA Camp Chief Hector across the Bow Valley from Exshaw, where he lived for several years. We never formally met, but we both used to drink beer in the Exshaw Legion, so I'm sure we knew each other, at least as nodding acquaintances.
Many years later on the 24HCF we figured that connection out and enjoyed some common reminiscences. We often PM'd for a while there, while I was trying to blow up my Ruger Blackhawk 45's in pursuit of the Ultimate Loudenboomer Pistol Load. It would be a kindness to say he tried to talk me out of my worst excesses, but that would be a lie... he was an enabling sonofagun when it came to heavy loads. I'd call him and tell him of my results, and he'd laugh and tell me to try a couple more grains H110. (He was joking, and knew I knew it... he would never intentionally encourage suicide!)
At one point, as I was launching bigger and heavier particles skyward, we began talking cannons... and that was a topic Greg had more than passing familiarity with. We came down to nearly buying a cannon together... not a mini, but a full size Napoleon he'd found out about but needed a partner to purchase. Problem was we both had room in our garages for it, and we never could resolve the issue of where it would live.
But he did get me into a smaller cannon, one day. Ken Howell was looking for some cash, and had a beautiful reproduction Napoleon the Greg was preparing to auction off on the 'Fire. I called him and asked him how much Ken was looking to get for it, he told me, and I sent him a check for that amount plus a few bucks more. It fires a round ball of 12-gauge diameter.
Tonight I'll fire the little big cannon off at sunset in memory of both our departed friends, Greg, and Ken. Vaya con Dios, hermano mio.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
I have read this thread from front to back now, and this disgusting statement by squirrelnut has earned him my second-ever 24HCF ignore. What an azzhole.
Sorry to read about this today. Cross will be missed. I will miss reading about his adventures. Some of the younger posters here on the Fire haven’t realized we are all headed towards death. Hasbeen
Many a time I've doubted what some poser said here but admittedly lacked subject knowledge only to have Greg jump in and call them on their nonsense or simply set the record straight. Condolences to those that really knew him. I will miss his presence here.
I have know Greg for a decade or more. He would come into the store and we would talk about planting crops, welding, guns, dogs, machining, whatever. Greg did not always travel in a straight line and was sometimes hard to follow. Tolerance was not one of his virtues, but once you earned his respect you had it for life. We had a good relationship.
I had (have) a Krag-jorgensen single shot action. My dad had given it to me when I said I wanted to make a single shot 45/70. I showed it to Greg and he badgered me about letting him barrel and chamber it for me. Glad I finally let him do it. I test fired it one day at CCCC's place. Have a nice piece of walnut I got from another friend to make a stock. A work in progress that will someday be completed.
Like him or not, Greg was always being Greg and that made him unique. He enjoyed sharing what he had accomplished and would only ask your opinion if he valued your advice. Not one to mince words, you knew where he stood. He wasn't afraid to tell you to leave the kitchen if you couldn't stand the fire. He broke the mold after he made Greg!
you mention the store, were you the one he was thinking of setting up a gunsmithing operation with?
Well, Ma used to say that if you cant say something nice, shut yer gawtdamn mouth.
Did not know the man, he probably yelled at me a few times during my short time here.....I just cant recall them.
RIP
I think it says a lot about a place, or a group of people, that would take the time to check in on an internet friend or acquaintance if they have not heard from him in a while.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
Screw you, Greg was an azzhole. I don't mourn his passing.
LOL.
That old fool Greg was nothing but an old man with a keyboard.
Well, Ma used to say that if you cant say something nice, shut yer gawtdamn mouth.
Did not know the man, he probably yelled at me a few times during my short time here.....I just cant recall them.
RIP
I think it says a lot about a place, or a group of people, that would take the time to check in on an internet friend or acquaintance if they have not heard from him in a while.
Pretty comforting really.
I told me wife what she needs to do to keep getting my pension if I should die tomorrow.
1) Throw my body in pond
2) Logon to the 'Fire at least twice a week and post 'Blow me' in a few threads.
I am not positive but I think the rifle he built for my dad would have been one of his last complete builds. I know that rifle has just moved up another notch in my mind as a family heirloom and as it is handed down the story of its build and Greg will follow with it.
For any interested that may not have saw the talent and creativity Greg took to building something special I am posting the thread. Hopefully Photo bucket will cooperate.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
Squirrelnut,
Cross was a decent man living in an indecent world.
He did not suffer fools gladly, nor did he sell out his morals and values for anything, or anyone.
To truly know Cross was to know his heart.
He stood for all that was good and decent in a man.
He loved his country, he loved his friends, he loved his Mom, he loved Gracie, he loved them all beyond compare.
He did nothing that brought about shame or dishonour to you.
You truly know nothing about Cross, nor his life, yet your words seek to bring shame and dishonour to him and his memory.
You judged Cross in his hour of death, and in that, you brought shame and dishonour unto yourself.
Lynn
lynn, i knew you were a friend of his, and from what you wrote, you could see in his heart. He did love the ones you mentioned.
First time we crossed paths was the "infamous" Military Sniper Rifle" thread. Knew right then, as Cross ripped Lee24 a new one, that he was a genuine guy !
To those that knew him personally, I am sorry for your loss.
Will be missed & yes, for sure, we are diminished by his passing.
Well, Ma used to say that if you cant say something nice, shut yer gawtdamn mouth.
Did not know the man, he probably yelled at me a few times during my short time here.....I just cant recall them.
RIP
I think it says a lot about a place, or a group of people, that would take the time to check in on an internet friend or acquaintance if they have not heard from him in a while.
Pretty comforting really.
I told me wife what she needs to do to keep getting my pension if I should die tomorrow.
1) Throw my body in pond
2) Logon to the 'Fire at least twice a week and post 'Blow me' in a few threads.
3) Repeat 2 for years and years.
Too good.... If she needs help moving the body tell her to send me a pm.
I am not positive but I think the rifle he built for my dad would have been one of his last complete builds. I know that rifle has just moved up another notch in my mind as a family heirloom and as it is handed down the story of its build and Greg will follow with it.
For any interested that may not have saw the talent and creativity Greg took to building something special I am posting the thread. Hopefully Photo bucket will cooperate.
Well, Ma used to say that if you cant say something nice, shut yer gawtdamn mouth.
Did not know the man, he probably yelled at me a few times during my short time here.....I just cant recall them.
RIP
I think it says a lot about a place, or a group of people, that would take the time to check in on an internet friend or acquaintance if they have not heard from him in a while.
Pretty comforting really.
I told me wife what she needs to do to keep getting my pension if I should die tomorrow.
1) Throw my body in pond
2) Logon to the 'Fire at least twice a week and post 'Blow me' in a few threads.
3) Repeat 2 for years and years.
Too good.... If she needs help moving the body tell her to send me a pm.
Will do, thanks! If you don't mind, could you check just once for a pulse before the plunge.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
Who lit the fuse on your tampon? The only loudmouth with an anger problem is you. Let me guess, Greg refused to kiss your A$$ and instead told you how far up it he'd shove his boot and you've had your panties in a wad every since.
Greg wasn't gonna do [bleep]. Nothing but an old man with a big mouth.
I hope I live long enough to take a crap on your grave.
This is a sad loss. My condolences to all those who knew him better than I. Glad we were able to have a 24HR gathering at his place at least once.
You have to like a guy who builds cannons, expects to fire them, and does fire them. I have a secure place in my heart for the story he told about ambushing and killing a cattle-eating grizzly -- with a .270 and 150g handloads. Smiling here.
I always appreciated his updates regarding real-life southern border goings-on, I'm ~125mi off the northern border and we don't get any updates outside of Nat'l news. Never met, or talked with him, probably to my detriment. Enjoyed his building and fix-r-upper postings a lot. Struck me as a man that a savvy sheriff and judge could've employed to give direction to young folks who needed it and in such a manner that even one hell-bent on rebellion could've been harnessed and re-directed towards being productive in polite law-abiding society. Could've showed the directionless the value, respect, and pride derived from a job only performed and executed properly.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
Who lit the fuse on your tampon? The only loudmouth with an anger problem is you. Let me guess, Greg refused to kiss your A$$ and instead told you how far up it he'd shove his boot and you've had your panties in a wad every since.
Greg wasn't gonna do [bleep]. Nothing but an old man with a big mouth.
I hope I live long enough to take a crap on your grave.
scott, i think it would be messy, you would have to get in line. Ed had the right idea.
I have a secure place in my heart for the story he told about ambushing and killing a cattle-eating grizzly -- with a .270 and 150g handloads. Smiling here.
I only met him once but learned he could sure tell a story and he had a bucketful of them.
One of the things about greg that pops to mind, is somebody at some time, on one of those internet snarls, made a remark about him being a transplant and not a real arizonian. well, i thought that funny, cause it is true he was not from arizona, but he was much typical of an ol arizona cowboy, i should know as my family goes back to the 1800's here, and a lot of the men folk talked and acted just like cross. He had a very good knowlege of the region he lived in and border conditions. And he was kind. He kissed my wife's hand the first time he met her, and sent us home with some fruit from one of his trees. She made a pie out of that fruit. Gonna miss him.
Dam.. he and I got crossways of each other when I first came on the forum in a big way, but after a while I grew to respect him and look forward to his posts. Didn't always agree with his opinions, but he was one of the really good ones.
Folks, this Campfire gang in the SW is a loose confederation - except when we really need to get something right, and then we pull together pretty well. Our compadres who join us from around the US are simply the best, and they add a full measure when they can.
The news regarding Greg's death has hit us suddenly, and hard, so we still are a bit disorganized as we calculate how to do our best in memory of Greg and to help with the situation in any way we can. The immediate challenge has to do with establishing credible rapport with the SO and medical examiner so we can proceed with a best effort. It would also help to have any solid info about any next of kin. If you know or have any access to such info, please PM that.
We won't waste space and your time with tidbits here, but for certain will post solid info and any eventual plan. Having experienced the great nature of many of you that live distant, we realize that you would wish to be involved in some way. Such opportunity will be a top priority.
I am not positive but I think the rifle he built for my dad would have been one of his last complete builds. I know that rifle has just moved up another notch in my mind as a family heirloom and as it is handed down the story of its build and Greg will follow with it.
For any interested that may not have saw the talent and creativity Greg took to building something special I am posting the thread. Hopefully Photo bucket will cooperate.
Thank you for posting that , and damn photobucket to hell. I would have really liked to see all those pics. This kind of talent should not be allowed to be held for ransom like PB is doing.
Well, crap. I'm gonna miss his reports from the border and his curmudgeonly style.
I can't recall for sure, but suspect that I was a recipient of his barbs in one thread or another - but I took it as a compliment that he cared to respond. The man had my respect and I always thought of him as one of the 'Fire's best.
I’ve thought about Greg a lot recently because his absence was truly felt and his opinions and ass chewings were missed. I should know by this time in my life what those gut instincts meant and wish I’d have been a little more proactive with my concern. It breaks my heart something terrible to think of Greg and Gracie alone-together in death....while at the same time the same thought brings me a measure of comfort.
I’m not ashamed to admit that this loss has me tearful this rainy morning and even more so as I better understand the dream I had last night. The young boy in last nights dream on a big ship running from deck to deck and laughing is finally free from his mortal bonds and I think heaven just got a lot more fun and interesting.
Fair winds and following seas my friend, until we meet again....
RIP Greg and Gracie. Greg was a true free thinker, I didn't always agree w/ his opinions but learned over time that they were based on real knowledge and genuine critical thinking. After a difference on this site he took the time to PM me w/ valid info and a list of books and other sources that I investigated. My bookshelf now holds several volumes that, to me, illustrate the depth and experience of a genuine man of the world.
Your friends here are a testament to a life not wasted.
Well, Ma used to say that if you cant say something nice, shut yer gawtdamn mouth.
Did not know the man, he probably yelled at me a few times during my short time here.....I just cant recall them.
RIP
I think it says a lot about a place, or a group of people, that would take the time to check in on an internet friend or acquaintance if they have not heard from him in a while.
Pretty comforting really.
I told me wife what she needs to do to keep getting my pension if I should die tomorrow.
1) Throw my body in pond
2) Logon to the 'Fire at least twice a week and post 'Blow me' in a few threads.
3) Repeat 2 for years and years.
Make sure she throws in a few "your Mother is a dumb cunny" Be a damn shame to leave out your signature piece.
I had to chuckle at some of these fine postings, Cross could indeed be a hot head. PM'd me once and handed me my ass until I explained my thinking more clearly.. He halfway apologized *grin* and we moved on as friends. It was just his rawhide way.
And nobody I know has more passion about the ridiculous state of our border than he had!
it would be good for all of the rdrshp here at the fire if someone(s) in the know posted an obit, death report from the sheriff's office, funeral notice, whatever would be helpful to help provide closure. a man of his stature needs to be fully eulogized.
A man's man of considerable and broad experience, knowledge, and talent. Strains of colorful curmudgeon. Many have said it well already. Someone we learned from, in varied ways. Would have been richer for having met the fellow in person, that is certain. RIP Cross and Gracie. You two are missed and remembered.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Huge loss; I never met the man but obviously a very smart, talented, free-thinking straight shooter.
He and his dog were found dead at the same time? Or are you guys saying his dog passed and then crossfire did shortly thereafter?
Dave
I’d sure like to get some of these types of details.
I would love to know the facts as well,I suspect Greg died and without a care giver the 15 year dog would not last very long without food or water. Or just maybe she died from a broken heart when she lost her master.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
A MAN with any brains or nuts, if he had such thoughts, would keep them to himself.
Screw you, Greg was an azzhole. I don't mourn his passing.
You screwed you for this forum. On to ignore for the ignoramus.
speculation is likely to run rampant until some sort of official report is released. it could have been a variety of causes, all speculation at this point.
There is another dog envolved other than gracie. it is in good shape. within a day or two it will be at a shelter that has a good reputation. if someone on here close to greg has interest in this dog as to adoption, let me know by private message.
WoW Just got back from being away for a couple of weeks and get whack with the news of Greg's passing. I knew him personally having spent time at his place while in AZ. While he was in Canada we had covered some of the same ground but not at the same time. Talent that Greg had is slowly being loss to the present. This kind of talent is slowly slipping away each day and is not being replaced. Sorry I wasn't able to spend more time with him. RIP Greg hopefully we will see each other on the other side. Have a safe trip my friend. To CCCC and others any thing I can do let me know. Cheers NC
I was very sorry to hear of Crossfireopps' death. I enjoyed his posts and and among other things, his information about what was going on down at the border. Information the mainstream media never bothered to relate.
While I disagreed with his opinion, and he mine, a time or two, there was no getting around his knowledge, skill and passion. I respected him and am saddened by his premature passing. RIP
As most of you know I lead a pretty solitaire life. Sometimes going months without anyone stopping by. I often think about my dogs dying of thirst/starvation if I were to stroke out one night.
I sure hope Gracie didn't meet her demise in such a manner.
We all have to die sometime but a dog sure doesn't deserve something like that.
On a less somber note: I think Greg was sort of the fire's version of Fred Sanford. A grumpy old bastard that could make most everything he needed from someone else's junk.
Well, Ma used to say that if you cant say something nice, shut yer gawtdamn mouth.
Did not know the man, he probably yelled at me a few times during my short time here.....I just cant recall them.
RIP
I think it says a lot about a place, or a group of people, that would take the time to check in on an internet friend or acquaintance if they have not heard from him in a while.
Pretty comforting really.
I told me wife what she needs to do to keep getting my pension if I should die tomorrow.
1) Throw my body in pond
2) Logon to the 'Fire at least twice a week and post 'Blow me' in a few threads.
3) Repeat 2 for years and years.
Make sure she throws in a few "your Mother is a dumb cunny" Be a damn shame to leave out your signature piece.
I wouldn't want to disappoint the easily hurt twats like you.
When I first read this thread I prayed for Greg's soul and for friends and family for strength and comforting. It's sad to lose someone even if you have never met. Today I thank my dad who passed in '86 for things he instilled in me. Some lines I don't cross because it's bad form. Thanks dad for teaching me that. RIP Greg and Gracie.
There is an old movie- something of a classic- with Charles Bronson playing a guy in Canada who has to head for the hills one step ahead of the Law, represented by Sam Elliot, if memory serves me correctly. In one memorable scene, Bronson’s character is brought to bay in a log cabin, and the Law decides to dynamite the cabin.
It gets blown to Kingdom Come...... by our very own Greg Cameron.
The Director got a little more devastation than the script called for according to Greg.
If anyone knows that movie title, please post it here.
There is an old movie- something of a classic- with Charles Bronson playing a guy in Canada who has to head for the hills one step ahead of the Law, represented by Sam Elliot, if memory serves me correctly. In one memorable scene, Bronson’s character is brought to bay in a log cabin, and the Law decides to dynamite the cabin.
It gets blown to Kingdom Come...... by our very own Greg Cameron.
The Director got a little more devastation than the script called for according to Greg.
If anyone knows that movie title, please post it here.
There is an old movie- something of a classic- with Charles Bronson playing a guy in Canada who has to head for the hills one step ahead of the Law, represented by Sam Elliot, if memory serves me correctly. In one memorable scene, Bronson’s character is brought to bay in a log cabin, and the Law decides to dynamite the cabin.
It gets blown to Kingdom Come...... by our very own Greg Cameron.
The Director got a little more devastation than the script called for according to Greg.
If anyone knows that movie title, please post it here.
As most of you know I lead a pretty solitaire life. Sometimes going months without anyone stopping by. I often think about my dogs dying of thirst/starvation if I were to stroke out one night.
I installed a doggie door in the wall of the house for that very reason.
As most of you know I lead a pretty solitaire life. Sometimes going months without anyone stopping by. I often think about my dogs dying of thirst/starvation if I were to stroke out one night.
I installed a doggie door in the wall of the house for that very reason.
Not really on topic but I thought I'd pitch in:
There are a variety of very cheap "telehealth" solutions that single/elderly people can use to solve these issues.
They include check in procedures at your pre-determined time interval. That may be simply answering a robo-call every other day to verify you're still upright, sending a text message one a week, or whatever.
The companies monitor, and a lack of response(s) can trigger a welfare check.
There is no need to leave an animal to waste away and suffer with so many cheap and simple solutions.
I skip past many posts on the campfire but never intentionally missed one of Greg's. I think we only had one very minor dust-up over something silly but his knowledge was something to behold. I always looked forward to learning something new and very much enjoyed his no-nonsense way of getting to the point.
Quick update, Greg is being transferred to funeral home back at county, we have made contact and will pursue avenues early next week, they are aware he was a veteran and we will keep all informed as to what is happening. Everyone contacted has been very helpful and appreciates what info and the effort we are making for Greg. It will take time but Greg will be taken care of. If we need donations to take care of expenses I will post it. It's very early in the process of the judiciary person securing the estate, we are in contact.
Quick update, Greg is being transferred to funeral home back at county, we have made contact and will pursue avenues early next week, they are aware he was a veteran and we will keep all informed as to what is happening. Everyone contacted has been very helpful and appreciates what info and the effort we are making for Greg. It will take time but Greg will be taken care of. If we need donations to take care of expenses I will post it. It's very early in the process of the judiciary person securing the estate, we are in contact.
Kent
I didn't know the man, but would be honored to contribute to a veteran's funeral expenses...and help the man to his final burial place.
Thanks for the update and count me in for any help.
Might be a good idea to open a new thread for that purpose at that point as well.
If needed that will happen, I did not ask the medical examiner any questions about what happened, I'm only concerned with what happens now, I'm with DD on that.
As most of you know I lead a pretty solitaire life. Sometimes going months without anyone stopping by. I often think about my dogs dying of thirst/starvation if I were to stroke out one night.
I installed a doggie door in the wall of the house for that very reason.
Thought about that but all it would do is buy em a few more days water.
Originally Posted by duck911
Originally Posted by sawbuck
Originally Posted by FieldGrade
As most of you know I lead a pretty solitaire life. Sometimes going months without anyone stopping by. I often think about my dogs dying of thirst/starvation if I were to stroke out one night.
I installed a doggie door in the wall of the house for that very reason.
Not really on topic but I thought I'd pitch in:
There are a variety of very cheap "telehealth" solutions that single/elderly people can use to solve these issues.
They include check in procedures at your pre-determined time interval. That may be simply answering a robo-call every other day to verify you're still upright, sending a text message one a week, or whatever.
The companies monitor, and a lack of response(s) can trigger a welfare check.
There is no need to leave an animal to waste away and suffer with so many cheap and simple solutions.
If needed that will happen, I did not ask the medical examiner any questions about what happened, I'm only concerned with what happens now, I'm with DD on that.
Kent, thank you for engaging this locally. Don't know what else to say at the moment. This path has not been my happiest adventure by a long shot and I'm very poorly located to get directly involved. Not much slows me down, but a couple of time zones and not knowing the local turf is an obstacle.
For what it may be worth, after I called the CCSO and made the request for a wellness check I received a call from the responding deputy. He asked questions about Greg, his routines, vehicle description etc. He was in a bit of a quandary about entering the property as the gate was locked and there is a no trespassing sign. It was about then that Nip came out to great him and apparently the pup was a bit overjoyed. She whined and made stressed dog sounds is the best way I can describe it. Greg's truck was visible and the deputy sounded some sort of loud buzzing horn several times w/o response. I told him to do what he thought best and let him make the call.
He went over the gate with his mic still hot. A few grunts and such, then Nip was all over him, apparently trying to jump up into his arms. He soothed her a bit and eventually I heard him pounding on the door. No response. I asked him if there was any dog food or water outside and he responded that the food bowl was empty and there was a very small amount of water left. He then told me he would call me back, that he was going to search the premises and look thru the windows where he could.
It was about 30-45 minutes later than he called back and told me that Greg had passed. I heard other officers on scene in the background and it was clear from his voice tone that he was a bit stressed, and I did not understand him the first time he told me Greg had passed. He repeated that and told me that Gracie was gone as well, then offered condolences for my loss.
He was an example of one of our finest doing a hard thing well. A salute to him and a farewell to two of my favorites.
With any luck I won't have to do this again. It cut to the core.
Sad news all around and we had talked of meeting to "talk shop" but now that will never come to pass...
However Teri and I will be moving our son-in-law to Ft. Irwin early in November (tenth) and will be passing back through Arizona on our way home. Long story short Nip has a home here on the farm with us if one is not found before we come through. Let us know guys or anything else we may be able to help with...Dana and Teri Estes 940-631-2825
Terrible news. I like Crossfire. For the first few years on the site Greg and I were constantly at each other's throats, but as the years rolled on we seem to find a mutual respect, not total respect, but enough. I liked his intelligence and marveled at his talents, and can say honestly I will regret never having the opportunity to meet him in person. Though we sparred a lot, I never doubted if we sat down over a beer, we would come away liking each other, would have overcome the Geo-differences.
Quick update, Greg is being transferred to funeral home back at county, we have made contact and will pursue avenues early next week, they are aware he was a veteran and we will keep all informed as to what is happening. Everyone contacted has been very helpful and appreciates what info and the effort we are making for Greg. It will take time but Greg will be taken care of. If we need donations to take care of expenses I will post it. It's very early in the process of the judiciary person securing the estate, we are in contact.
Kent
I didn't know the man, but would be honored to contribute to a veteran's funeral expenses...and help the man to his final burial place.
Please keep us posted if help is needed.
Maybe somebody known and trusted can put up a GoFundMe page...God Cross would hate that.
There is an old movie- something of a classic- with Charles Bronson playing a guy in Canada who has to head for the hills one step ahead of the Law, represented by Sam Elliot, if memory serves me correctly. In one memorable scene, Bronson’s character is brought to bay in a log cabin, and the Law decides to dynamite the cabin.
It gets blown to Kingdom Come...... by our very own Greg Cameron.
The Director got a little more devastation than the script called for according to Greg.
If anyone knows that movie title, please post it here.
Greg would get a kick out of that.
I watched that movie within the last year. Don't remember the name. Blew the hell out of that cabin.
There is an old movie- something of a classic- with Charles Bronson playing a guy in Canada who has to head for the hills one step ahead of the Law, represented by Sam Elliot, if memory serves me correctly. In one memorable scene, Bronson’s character is brought to bay in a log cabin, and the Law decides to dynamite the cabin.
It gets blown to Kingdom Come...... by our very own Greg Cameron.
The Director got a little more devastation than the script called for according to Greg.
If anyone knows that movie title, please post it here.
Greg would get a kick out of that.
I watched that movie within the last year. Don't remember the name. Blew the hell out of that cabin.
As for Squirrlenut, objectively I find it funny in a way that all will acknowledge Greg was cantankerous but none find it acceptable that just one man is vocal about his dislike for the man. Greg kinda earned at least one, don't ya think? Truth be known, he earned a few with his online persona, but most eventually, some begrudgingly, overlooked it. But nevertheless, Greg's demeanor stood on it's own and I doubt he'd need anyone shielding him from the truth, if I'm reading what you guys that knew him are writing. He might even call you pussies for not letting Squirrlenut have his opinion in peace. JMO not having known the man.
Obviously the men that knew Greg personally thought much of him, no doubt with good cause. For those of us that didn't, and for some that were on the receiving end of his wrath, as it sounds like many were, we had best listen to those who knew him best, and give the man his due. .
Kent, thank you for engaging this locally. Don't know what else to say at the moment. This path has not been my happiest adventure by a long shot and I'm very poorly located to get directly involved. Not much slows me down, but a couple of time zones and not knowing the local turf is an obstacle.
For what it may be worth, after I called the CCSO and made the request for a wellness check I received a call from the responding deputy. He asked questions about Greg, his routines, vehicle description etc. He was in a bit of a quandary about entering the property as the gate was locked and there is a no trespassing sign. It was about then that Nip came out to great him and apparently the pup was a bit overjoyed. She whined and made stressed dog sounds is the best way I can describe it. Greg's truck was visible and the deputy sounded some sort of loud buzzing horn several times w/o response. I told him to do what he thought best and let him make the call.
He went over the gate with his mic still hot. A few grunts and such, then Nip was all over him, apparently trying to jump up into his arms. He soothed her a bit and eventually I heard him pounding on the door. No response. I asked him if there was any dog food or water outside and he responded that the food bowl was empty and there was a very small amount of water left. He then told me he would call me back, that he was going to search the premises and look thru the windows where he could.
It was about 30-45 minutes later than he called back and told me that Greg had passed. I heard other officers on scene in the background and it was clear from his voice tone that he was a bit stressed, and I did not understand him the first time he told me Greg had passed. He repeated that and told me that Gracie was gone as well, then offered condolences for my loss.
He was an example of one of our finest doing a hard thing well. A salute to him and a farewell to two of my favorites.
With any luck I won't have to do this again. It cut to the core.
Quick update, Greg is being transferred to funeral home back at county, we have made contact and will pursue avenues early next week, they are aware he was a veteran and we will keep all informed as to what is happening. Everyone contacted has been very helpful and appreciates what info and the effort we are making for Greg. It will take time but Greg will be taken care of. If we need donations to take care of expenses I will post it. It's very early in the process of the judiciary person securing the estate, we are in contact. Kent
I didn't know the man, but would be honored to contribute to a veteran's funeral expenses...and help the man to his final burial place. Please keep us posted if help is needed.
Maybe somebody known and trusted can put up a GoFundMe page...God Cross would hate that.
Kent, thank you for engaging this locally. Don't know what else to say at the moment. This path has not been my happiest adventure by a long shot and I'm very poorly located to get directly involved. Not much slows me down, but a couple of time zones and not knowing the local turf is an obstacle.
For what it may be worth, after I called the CCSO and made the request for a wellness check I received a call from the responding deputy. He asked questions about Greg, his routines, vehicle description etc. He was in a bit of a quandary about entering the property as the gate was locked and there is a no trespassing sign. It was about then that Nip came out to great him and apparently the pup was a bit overjoyed. She whined and made stressed dog sounds is the best way I can describe it. Greg's truck was visible and the deputy sounded some sort of loud buzzing horn several times w/o response. I told him to do what he thought best and let him make the call.
He went over the gate with his mic still hot. A few grunts and such, then Nip was all over him, apparently trying to jump up into his arms. He soothed her a bit and eventually I heard him pounding on the door. No response. I asked him if there was any dog food or water outside and he responded that the food bowl was empty and there was a very small amount of water left. He then told me he would call me back, that he was going to search the premises and look thru the windows where he could.
It was about 30-45 minutes later than he called back and told me that Greg had passed. I heard other officers on scene in the background and it was clear from his voice tone that he was a bit stressed, and I did not understand him the first time he told me Greg had passed. He repeated that and told me that Gracie was gone as well, then offered condolences for my loss.
He was an example of one of our finest doing a hard thing well. A salute to him and a farewell to two of my favorites.
With any luck I won't have to do this again. It cut to the core.
Had a challenging day dealing with other problems, but was able to get some info that may be helpful. A couple of things in here may be redundant to info posted by others - apology for that, but it shouldn't hurt.
Through the cooperation of some local officials, information here is responsive to those who have expressed concerns about Greg's second dog, and his rabbits. The dog was OK and has been relocated to a nearby shelter. If any among you would like to adopt the dog or know someone who would like to do so, one probably can manage a way to do that. (Looks like Ron has info on this). Gracie is still in the house - not sure what can be done there, but would like to follow up.
The rabbits are OK and have been given to a nearby agricultural family.
Apparently Greg had been deceased for some time. Any findings regarding time and cause will come only from the medical examiners report – this could take as much as two or three weeks. It appears that an official fiduciary will deal with all of Greg's personal property according to legal requirements.
As for supportive action with Greg's remains and any related events of respect, there may be opportunity for Campfire folks in this regard. Officials must first attempt to contact any identifiable relatives in the event that they wish to take care of such matters. If that effort does not result in success, it appears that his Campfire friends would be able to do this and officials are aware of this interest. Some mortuary fees probably would need to be paid, but that aspect is not yet well defined. If this opportunity develops, Kent, I and others will do our best for all who might wish to participate with such a remembrance activity.
Hoping this is helpful. Some details are not of interest to me, but will try to learn and pass along anything relevant and proper.
Kent, thank you for engaging this locally. Don't know what else to say at the moment. This path has not been my happiest adventure by a long shot and I'm very poorly located to get directly involved. Not much slows me down, but a couple of time zones and not knowing the local turf is an obstacle.
For what it may be worth, after I called the CCSO and made the request for a wellness check I received a call from the responding deputy. He asked questions about Greg, his routines, vehicle description etc. He was in a bit of a quandary about entering the property as the gate was locked and there is a no trespassing sign. It was about then that Nip came out to great him and apparently the pup was a bit overjoyed. She whined and made stressed dog sounds is the best way I can describe it. Greg's truck was visible and the deputy sounded some sort of loud buzzing horn several times w/o response. I told him to do what he thought best and let him make the call.
He went over the gate with his mic still hot. A few grunts and such, then Nip was all over him, apparently trying to jump up into his arms. He soothed her a bit and eventually I heard him pounding on the door. No response. I asked him if there was any dog food or water outside and he responded that the food bowl was empty and there was a very small amount of water left. He then told me he would call me back, that he was going to search the premises and look thru the windows where he could.
It was about 30-45 minutes later than he called back and told me that Greg had passed. I heard other officers on scene in the background and it was clear from his voice tone that he was a bit stressed, and I did not understand him the first time he told me Greg had passed. He repeated that and told me that Gracie was gone as well, then offered condolences for my loss.
He was an example of one of our finest doing a hard thing well. A salute to him and a farewell to two of my favorites.
With any luck I won't have to do this again. It cut to the core.
Yes, I was told family search first, then friends, if no one takes responsibility then the county will take care of the issue... it won't get to the county, we are in line as second.
Might be sentimental but if Gracie is still in the trailer has anyone thought about having her cremated and buried with Greg... seeing as they were so close. I've had both my Taffy and Cinnamon done that way and will be taking them with me when I go. Cost about $150 to $200 here. Just my thought of paying respect to Greg,
Dan, your call when you did probably saved the life of the pup, would imagine Greg is thanking you for that!
I am covering some bases regarding Nip. I spoke the woman from animal control tonight, and the dog is safe and not going anywhere for now. My family will foster her until a forever home is found. We are working on figuring when we can get her. The shelter would like to do a vet check even though she is in pretty good shape. Okie I will give you a call tomorrow(Friday). I would love for her to go your place, and it's a far better fit in the long run than our suburban house. We are more than happy to hold her until she can be picked up. Thanks everyone, Tom
The Movie was Death Hunt was about the Mad Trapper of Rat River! he carried a break down savage 99 rifle! chambered in 30-30
One of my favorite books. I'll have to look for that movie.
Oh, cool. I did not know it was a book first.
Very good book I first read in the '60s... the Mad Trapper of Rat River... it was a huge manhunt and the first to use an airplane to track a guy down. In reality there is no evidence he did anything wrong before the Mounties surrounded him in his cabin and blew it up. And after that he was likely deaf.
Another trapper had claimed he was breaking some law (s) but there was never any proof. They ran him down and shot him, but the physical things he did to get away were astounding.
As for Squirrlenut, objectively I find it funny in a way that all will acknowledge Greg was cantankerous but none find it acceptable that just one man is vocal about his dislike for the man.
Animals can be shipped by air transport, or there are vollenteers who work with shelters to move animals across the country in thier own vehicles. (My aunt and uncle do this). Often times, an animal gets moved in shifts by several volunteers, and spends a night or a week with folks in route. (We do this). All to get folks and pets together.
So sad to read this. We lost another good man. Will there be a collection taken up for helping out with expenses? If so, please post here so we can donate to the cause. I always enjoyed reading his posts. He was a good no nonsense man. As for Squirrelnut-he should have kept the very big hole in the front of his head shut.
Sad news all around and we had talked of meeting to "talk shop" but now that will never come to pass...
However Teri and I will be moving our son-in-law to Ft. Irwin early in November (tenth) and will be passing back through Arizona on our way home. Long story short Nip has a home here on the farm with us if one is not found before we come through. Let us know guys or anything else we may be able to help with...Dana and Teri Estes 940-631-2825
I I believe the doggie has been taken to a nearby animal shelter. If you call the Sheriff's office (the number is here somewhere on this thread), they might point you in the right direction. If I wasn't so far, I'd go get him and adopt him myself.
I'm going to wind down my involvement here on the fire for now, thank you brother Dan and all my desert rat brothers for stepping up so fast, we will do what needs done.
The February Tonto gathering will involve a service and what closure we can muster. Dates will be set next week.
I have been informed by the authorities that Greg's firearms have been secured. If any of you have arms that were in his possession I will provide contact information via PM.
Animals can be shipped by air transport, or there are vollenteers who work with shelters to move animals across the country in thier own vehicles. (My aunt and uncle do this). Often times, an animal gets moved in shifts by several volunteers, and spends a night or a week with folks in route. (We do this). All to get folks and pets together.
I suggested on another forum that we ‘fire members can volunteer to relay the pup from SV to her new home. I’d be honored to move her a couple hundred or more miles West to East and I’m sure I’m not alone in that.
I have been informed by the authorities that Greg's firearms have been secured. If any of you have arms that were in his possession I will provide contact information via PM.
hadn't had the chance to go visit and get it before he passed, but he had i think it was a stevens single shot 22 he was going to give my grandson. I should of made time to go see him this past spring like i wanted to.
Folks we have a vast amount of knowledge leaving us every day. We need to make time to learn all we can from folks like Crossfire and treasure our association with them while we can. There was a gentleman here locally that was well known for chambering benchrest rifles. I had always planned to spend time with him but cancer took him before I took the time.
Hawk1; Yes absolutely it's a 99 in .30-30, though what model escapes me now.
I've seen it a couple times as it was and still might be on display at the RCMP museum in Regina. He also had a sawed off single shot shotgun, I want to say a 16 gauge, and a single shot .22 as well perhaps, though I might be mistaken on that.
Anyway with apologies to the derailment, but Greg and I used to discuss Canuck history quite often so he might be okay with it - I hope so.
Hawk1; Yes absolutely it's a 99 in .30-30, though what model escapes me now.
I've seen it a couple times as it was and still might be on display at the RCMP museum in Regina. He also had a sawed off single shot shotgun, I want to say a 16 gauge, and a single shot .22 as well perhaps, though I might be mistaken on that.
Anyway with apologies to the derailment, but Greg and I used to discuss Canuck history quite often so he might be okay with it - I hope so.
Dwayne
i think he's fine with it.
You know, that Savage 99 has to be one of the most talked about guns ever shown in a movie. I've seen thread after thread about that rifle for decades.
I hired a guy three years ago to find my biological mother and brother.......still nothing.
Have you done the ancestry thing?
It's scary effective.
Clark
I am on Ancestry.com and have done the DNA test at 23 and Me.
However, since I was adopted through the Catholics, and it was before they did "open" adoptions, I had to hire a private investigator to get a court order to un-seal the records.
I dont even know the family name and the PI seems a bit sleepy.
As for Squirrlenut, objectively I find it funny in a way that all will acknowledge Greg was cantankerous but none find it acceptable that just one man is vocal about his dislike for the man. Greg kinda earned at least one, don't ya think? Truth be known, he earned a few with his online persona, but most eventually, some begrudgingly, overlooked it. But nevertheless, Greg's demeanor stood on it's own and I doubt he'd need anyone shielding him from the truth, if I'm reading what you guys that knew him are writing. He might even call you pussies for not letting Squirrlenut have his opinion in peace. JMO not having known the man.
Obviously the men that knew Greg personally thought much of him, no doubt with good cause. For those of us that didn't, and for some that were on the receiving end of his wrath, as it sounds like many were, we had best listen to those who knew him best, and give the man his due. .
Might be sentimental but if Gracie is still in the trailer has anyone thought about having her cremated and buried with Greg... seeing as they were so close. I've had both my Taffy and Cinnamon done that way and will be taking them with me when I go. Cost about $150 to $200 here. Just my thought of paying respect to Greg, - - - -
Thanks Greyghost - I had started working on this very idea yesterday with some very good help. Gracie must be cremated separately (state regs) and maybe we can get that done. Problem so far has been "who" will be responsible for removing her from the house and what will they then do - seems like some quick/direct steps are needed, but have not yet been able to get the key info. Still working on it.
Sad news all around and we had talked of meeting to "talk shop" but now that will never come to pass...
However Teri and I will be moving our son-in-law to Ft. Irwin early in November (tenth) and will be passing back through Arizona on our way home. Long story short Nip has a home here on the farm with us if one is not found before we come through. Let us know guys or anything else we may be able to help with...Dana and Teri Estes 940-631-2825
i sent you a private message, thank you for all concerned for the kind offer.
As for Squirrlenut, objectively I find it funny in a way that all will acknowledge Greg was cantankerous but none find it acceptable that just one man is vocal about his dislike for the man. Greg kinda earned at least one, don't ya think? Truth be known, he earned a few with his online persona, but most eventually, some begrudgingly, overlooked it. But nevertheless, Greg's demeanor stood on it's own and I doubt he'd need anyone shielding him from the truth, if I'm reading what you guys that knew him are writing. He might even call you pussies for not letting Squirrlenut have his opinion in peace. JMO not having known the man.
Obviously the men that knew Greg personally thought much of him, no doubt with good cause. For those of us that didn't, and for some that were on the receiving end of his wrath, as it sounds like many were, we had best listen to those who knew him best, and give the man his due. .
Well said.
I was taught to never speak ill of the dead and for the life of me I can't understand why anyone would go on an internet forum and berate someone after such a tragic event. If you cant say something nice (which is fine) simply STFU.
Sad news all around and we had talked of meeting to "talk shop" but now that will never come to pass...
However Teri and I will be moving our son-in-law to Ft. Irwin early in November (tenth) and will be passing back through Arizona on our way home. Long story short Nip has a home here on the farm with us if one is not found before we come through. Let us know guys or anything else we may be able to help with...Dana and Teri Estes 940-631-2825
I I believe the doggie has been taken to a nearby animal shelter. If you call the Sheriff's office (the number is here somewhere on this thread), they might point you in the right direction. If I wasn't so far, I'd go get him and adopt him myself.
dana's offer is known to the people with awareness of the status of the dog. it's being handled.
Might be sentimental but if Gracie is still in the trailer has anyone thought about having her cremated and buried with Greg... seeing as they were so close. I've had both my Taffy and Cinnamon done that way and will be taking them with me when I go. Cost about $150 to $200 here. Just my thought of paying respect to Greg, - - - -
Thanks Greyghost - I had started working on this very idea yesterday with some very good help. Gracie must be cremated separately (state regs) and maybe we can get that done. Problem so far has been "who" will be responsible for removing her from the house and what will they then do - seems like some quick/direct steps are needed, but have not yet been able to get the key info. Still working on it.
paul, i have a message in with the deputy envolved to return my phone call, and am calling the sheriff this morning on another matter. i will ask both of them about getting gracie. it's been on my mind too.
I was taught to never speak ill of the dead and for the life of me I can't understand why anyone would go on an internet forum and berate someone after such a tragic event. If you cant say something nice (which is fine) simply STFU.
Some of you were obviously raised differently.
Some were taught to apply the same courtesy to people that are still living as well. Reading on the fire, I realize some were raised differently.
Somehow the fact that you don't see the difference in arguing with someone who can fight back and ripping on the deceased doesn't surprise me in the least.
Somehow the fact that you don't see the difference in arguing with someone who can fight back and ripping on the deceased doesn't surprise me in the least.
That's not it at all. I just don't see the need to rip on the living.
Sad news, indeed. He has been a constant figure here at the Campfire for a long long time. Had hardly any dealings, good or not, with Crossfireoops over the years that I can recall here at the Campfire, therefore have not formed any personal opinion either way of him as a person. Condolences to those who knew and cared for him. May his and his beloved dog's souls rest in eternal peace.
Might be sentimental but if Gracie is still in the trailer has anyone thought about having her cremated and buried with Greg... seeing as they were so close. I've had both my Taffy and Cinnamon done that way and will be taking them with me when I go. Cost about $150 to $200 here. Just my thought of paying respect to Greg, - - - -
Thanks Greyghost - I had started working on this very idea yesterday with some very good help. Gracie must be cremated separately (state regs) and maybe we can get that done. Problem so far has been "who" will be responsible for removing her from the house and what will they then do - seems like some quick/direct steps are needed, but have not yet been able to get the key info. Still working on it.
Generally, the veterinarian associated with the dog will be the contact person to arrange for the removal and cremation of the dog.
Hawk1; Yes absolutely it's a 99 in .30-30, though what model escapes me now.
I've seen it a couple times as it was and still might be on display at the RCMP museum in Regina. He also had a sawed off single shot shotgun, I want to say a 16 gauge, and a single shot .22 as well perhaps, though I might be mistaken on that.
Anyway with apologies to the derailment, but Greg and I used to discuss Canuck history quite often so he might be okay with it - I hope so.
Another reason I’m damn proud to be a part of this group. I’m always amazed at the kindness and love by a group of grumpy curmudgeons, a group that I’m proud to be associated with.
I know it’s early but when the time comes if there’s any PNW guys that want to attend I might be able to fly a few of us down and back as a group. It’d be on Alaska Airlines and we’ll coordinate ahead of a time. Let me know via pm and I’ll do what I can on my end to make sure that we’re represented when it’s time. Greg had friends that he never knew, a man could say he lived a good life if that was the case.
A heartfelt thanks to those of you that are taking this on.
I watched a documentary on the Mad Trapper not long ago. They interviewed a couple of the Mounties who were involved in the final shootout. One said that he saw that the Mad Trapper was armed with a lever action rifle and thought that he was out of effective range of it.
He got shot through the leg for his miscalculation.
Another reason I’m damn proud to be a part of this group. I’m always amazed at the kindness and love by a group of grumpy curmudgeons, a group that I’m proud to be associated with.
I know it’s early but when the time comes if there’s any PNW guys that want to attend I might be able to fly a few of us down and back as a group. It’d be on Alaska Airlines and we’ll coordinate ahead of a time. Let me know via pm and I’ll do what I can on my end to make sure that we’re represented when it’s time. Greg had friends that he never knew, a man could say he lived a good life if that was the case.
A heartfelt thanks to those of you that are taking this on.
That is a fine and generous offer, done by a true gentleman.
I was taught to never speak ill of the dead and for the life of me I can't understand why anyone would go on an internet forum and berate someone after such a tragic event. If you cant say something nice (which is fine) simply STFU.
Some of you were obviously raised differently.
Some were taught to apply the same courtesy to people that are still living as well. Reading on the fire, I realize some were raised differently.
You were not raised right, your parents should be ashamed of themselves. Why every decent person on here does not have you on ignore is unfathomable.
sounds like the doggie is being taken care of, and will find a good home. seems like the dude had a girl friend out there? maybe some of the locals will be able to make the contacts. and of course, i could be wrong about that. she might have interest in the doggie, have no clue. at this point, the well-being of living doggie is an important part of the successful outcome, or so it would seem.
I wish I had known him, he sounds like the kind of man you'd be proud to have him call you friend. P
I'll try to put a little light on Greg for those who never had the honor and pleasure of knowing him, but before I begin, I ask that other who knew him would chime in and add and/or correct anything I write here. Time does funny things to memory, and it doesn't help that there were times Greg and I were talking that we both were sampling processed grains.
Greg was born in 1947 to a Merchant Mariner who had been awarded the Legion of Merit for his actions as a Lt. Cmdr. in the U.S. Navy. Keep in mind that, as of this date, there have only been 248 Legion of Merits awarded since the founding of this nation. In order to be awarded the LOM, one has to have acted in such a way as to have had a material impact on the outcome of a war. Not a firefight, skirmish, or even a battle, but a war. That's the kind of household he was brought up in. Greg's Dad became a Merchant Marine after being discharged from the Navy after the war, Captaining freighters all over the Pacific. Greg grew up on a ship. *Note: In a PM, another member here corrected my geography as it relates to Greg's Dad's Merchant Marine Service. He worked the Atlantic Ocean after the war, not the Pacific.
When Greg turned 17, he enlisted in the Marines and served four years including a tour in Viet Nam, which I only knew him once to speak about and that seemed to bring back some real stress, so it was not pursued.
Once out of the Marines, he headed north to Alberta, Canada and became a cowboy. There, he was in place for the beginnings of the oil exploration boom and went to work in the oil fields. Greg started out as a Floorhand and there, he learned to weld and to do machine work from some real savvy old men., soon becoming a rig mechanic. Greg did well enough that he eventually became a Toolpusher, working for a number of Wildcatters.
Greg also became a blaster or "powder monkey", skilled enough that he was contracted to do that cabin explosion for the movie "Death Hunt".
Greg left the oil fields for a while, buying and running a small gas station. I am guessing that wasn't enough for Greg as he took a job offer that would forever change his life and outlook on life. This was during the time when Mexico was experiencing a huge growth in oil production and other Central American countries were also trying to get in to the game.
Greg was approached by a small group of Wildcatters who contracted him to go to Central America and set up Wildcat rigs and train the locals how to set them up and successfully run them. Greg traveled all over Central America for the next six years, selecting, hiring and training locals to do just that. Keep in mind that Greg spoke damned near no Spanish when he first started that job! Some of the photos Greg showed me of the rigs and their locations down there are just amazing. Talk about some difficult terrain!
Greg fell in love with the culture and people of Central America, but remained fiercely loyal to America, so he settled for the best of both worlds, living roughly six miles from the Mexican Border.
Greg applied his machine and welding skills, running a shop from the place he built out of nothing SE of Sierra Vista, AZ. He also became a board member of the Sierra Vista Shooting Range where he traveled to Phoenix to lobby (successfully) the Dept of Game and Fish for grant funding for that public facility.
Greg, being a Marine (rifleman first!), got into the BPCR world by way of doing some custom work on a couple of old Sharps rifles for customers of his. As one would expect, he was as meticulous about the BPCR world as he was everything else in his life. Not getting rich at his small machine shop, he learned to create accurate rifles from genuine old Sharps and Remington Roling Block rifles. He also learned to restore Schuetzen rifles and their accessories.
He drew the admiration and appreciation of the top BPCR shooters in the country for not only his rifle building skills, but his shooting and spotting skills. He ws spotting for Lee Shavers the day that Lee became the first BPCR competitor to clean all of the chickens at a registered match. This has only been done twice in the history of BPCR competition.
For a time, Greg also wrote a column in the "Single Shot Exchange" on the subjects of BPCR and Schuetzen rifles.
Greg competed with is own creation, a "Badgersoli", an 1874 Sharps clone made of an early Pedersoli action and a Badger barrel, with accurizing of the action and making a new stock. The last time I was at Greg's, he showed me a Badgersoli that he was building for a customer that was a thing of beauty, with AAA exhibition wood, deeply engraved action, and that was headed to have the action case-hardened by Doug Turnbull.
Not content with just wood and steel, Greg created a small oasis out of his acreage SW of Sierra Vista, planting fruit trees and growing a spineless Blackberry cultivar that was amazing in it's productivity and the size and flavor of it's fruit. He also cultivated a vegetable garden, using minimal water techniques and raised meat rabbits for food and for their manure, which was his favorite garden fertilizer.
Greg, ever interested in the environment he lived in, became very active in water issues, using his knowledge of state government, he lobbied the Department of Agriculture to preserve the aquifers in AZ for the use of AZ residents and not sell the water to the State of California.
Greg was no angel, by any stretch of the imagination, but he was an honest, straightforward man who gave his word and kept it, expecting others to do the same.
Most folks have no idea how much pain Greg lived with every day. His knees and his hips were bone-on-bone, but he was too proud and self-reliant to ask for help. Some faulted him for his drinking, but that was his way of continuing to function. Right or wrong, that's the reason.
He was gruff, abrupt, short-tempered, and had little patience for stupidity (expressed or implied), was quick to judge, but could, and did, change his mind when given all the facts, he was extremely loyal, generous, and considerate.
He lived that life expressed by Theodore Roosevelt; "For those who have fought for it, life has a flavor the protected will never know."
He was a sort of a Renaissance Man as he was an artist in wood and steel, he was a great machinist and welder, he could design and build almost anything he could imagine, he was very well read, multi-lingual, (speaking both smokeless and black powder), and was an animal lover.
He truly was a Western Character, full of life and energy, fixed in his code of honor and beliefs, a good man to have with you in a tight spot, fearless and confident, and one of the finest men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. To be considered a friend of his was an honor.
As noted by other good folks here, we are diminished.
Rest in Peace, my friend, I'll see you on the other side.
Just a thought. I have no idea what Greg's thought were on his final resting plase or if were like me and did not care but as an honourably discharged veteran he should be eligible for a VA burial. Contacting the local VFW should be able to guide us in the right direction.
I was taught to never speak ill of the dead and for the life of me I can't understand why anyone would go on an internet forum and berate someone after such a tragic event. If you cant say something nice (which is fine) simply STFU.
Some of you were obviously raised differently.
Some were taught to apply the same courtesy to people that are still living as well. Reading on the fire, I realize some were raised differently.
You were not raised right, your parents should be ashamed of themselves. Why every decent person on here does not have you on ignore is unfathomable.
I wish I had known him, he sounds like the kind of man you'd be proud to have him call you friend. P
I'll try to put a little light on Greg for those who never had the honor and pleasure of knowing him, but before I begin, I ask that other who knew him would chime in and add and/or correct anything I write here. Time does funny things to memory, and it doesn't help that there were times Greg and I were talking that we both were sampling processed grains.
Greg was born in 1947 to a Merchant Marine who had been awarded the Legion of Merit for his actions as a Lt. Cmdr. in the U.S. Navy. Keep in mind that, as of this date, there have only been 248 Legion of Merits awarded since the founding of this nation. In order to be awarded the LOM, one has to have acted in such a way as to have had a material impact on the outcome of a war. Not a firefight, skirmish, or even a battle, but a war. That's the kind of household he was brought up in. Greg's Dad became a Merchant Marine after being discharged from the Navy after the war, Captaining freighters all over the Pacific. Greg grew up on a ship.
When Greg turned 17, he enlisted in the Marines and served four years including a tour in Viet Nam, which I only knew him once to speak about and that seemed to bring back some real stress, so it was not pursued.
Once out of the Marines, he headed north to Alberta, Canada and became a cowboy. There, he was in place for the beginnings of the oil exploration boom and went to work in the oil fields. Greg started out as a Floorhand and there, he learned to weld and to do machine work from some real savvy old men., soon becoming a rig mechanic. Greg did well enough that he eventually became a Toolpusher, working for a number of Wildcatters.
Greg also became a blaster or "powder monkey", skilled enough that he was contracted to do that cabin explosion for the movie "Death Hunt".
Greg left the oil fields for a while, buying and running a small gas station. I am guessing that wasn't enough for Greg as he took a job offer that would forever change his life and outlook on life. This was during the time when Mexico was experiencing a huge growth in oil production and other Central American countries were also trying to get in to the game.
Greg was approached by a small group of Wildcatters who contracted him to go to Central America and set up Wildcat rigs and train the locals how to set them up and successfully run them. Greg traveled all over Central America for the next six years, selecting, hiring and training locals to do just that. Keep in mind that Greg spoke damned near no Spanish when he first started that job! Some of the photos Greg showed me of the rigs and their locations down there are just amazing. Talk about some difficult terrain!
Greg fell in love with the culture and people of Central America, but remained fiercely loyal to America, so he settled for the best of both worlds, living roughly six miles from the Mexican Border.
Greg applied his machine and welding skills, running a shop from the place he built out of nothing SE of Sierra Vista, AZ. He also became a board member of the Sierra Vista Shooting Range where he traveled to Phoenix to lobby (successfully) the Dept of Game and Fish for grant funding for that public facility.
Greg, being a Marine (rifleman first!), got into the BPCR world by way of doing some custom work on a couple of old Sharps rifles for customers of his. As one would expect, he was as meticulous about the BPCR world as he was everything else in his life. Not getting rich at his small machine shop, he learned to create accurate rifles from genuine old Sharps and Remington Roling Block rifles. He also learned to restore Schuetzen rifles and their accessories.
He drew the admiration and appreciation of the top BPCR shooters in the country for not only his rifle building skills, but his shooting and spotting skills. He ws spotting for Lee Shavers the day that Lee became the first BPCR competitor to clean all of the chickens at a registered match. This has only been done twice in the history of BPCR competition.
For a time, Greg also wrote a column in the "Single Shot Exchange" on the subjects of BPCR and Schuetzen rifles.
Greg competed with is own creation, a "Badgersoli", an 1874 Sharps clone made of an early Pedersoli action and a Badger barrel, with accurizing of the action and making a new stock. The last time I was at Greg's, he showed me a Badgersoli that he was building for a customer that was a thing of beauty, with AAA exhibition wood, deeply engraved action, and that was headed to have the action case-hardened by Doug Turnbull.
Not content with just wood and steel, Greg created a small oasis out of his acreage SW of Sierra Vista, planting fruit trees and growing a spineless Blackberry cultivar that was amazing in it's productivity and the size and flavor of it's fruit. He also cultivated a vegetable garden, using minimal water techniques and raised meat rabbits for food and for their manure, which was his favorite garden fertilizer.
Greg, ever interested in the environment he lived in, became very active in water issues, using his knowledge of state government, he lobbied the Department of Agriculture to preserve the aquifers in AZ for the use of AZ residents and not sell the water to the State of California.
Greg was no angel, by any stretch of the imagination, but he was an honest, straightforward man who gave his word and kept it, expecting others to do the same.
Most folks have no idea how much pain Greg lived with every day. His knees and his hips were bone-on-bone, but he was too proud and self-reliant to ask for help. Some faulted him for his drinking, but that was his way of continuing to function. Right or wrong, that's the reason.
He was gruff, abrupt, short-tempered, and had little patience for stupidity (expressed or implied), was quick to judge, but could, and did, change his mind when given all the facts, he was extremely loyal, generous, and considerate.
He lived that life expressed by Theodore Roosevelt; "For those who have fought for it, life has a flavor the protected will never know."
He was a sort of a Renaissance Man as he was an artist in wood and steel, he was a great machinist and welder, he could design and build almost anything he could imagine, he was very well read, multi-lingual, (speaking both smokeless and black powder), and was an animal lover.
He truly was a Western Character, full of life and energy, fixed in his code of honor and beliefs, a good man to have with you in a tight spot, fearless and confident, and one of the finest men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. To be considered a friend of his was an honor.
As noted by other good folks here, we are diminished.
Rest in Peace, my friend, I'll see you on the other side.
Ed
Well done, Ed!
I think we should use that as an obituary for Greg.
Thanks, Ed, for that write-up. A man's friends should admire him. They should minimize his faults and focus on his strengths. Thank you for introducing me to your friend. I wish I'd known him.
I wish I had known him, he sounds like the kind of man you'd be proud to have him call you friend. P
I'll try to put a little light on Greg for those who never had the honor and pleasure of knowing him, but before I begin, I ask that other who knew him would chime in and add and/or correct anything I write here. Time does funny things to memory, and it doesn't help that there were times Greg and I were talking that we both were sampling processed grains.
Greg was born in 1947 to a Merchant Marine who had been awarded the Legion of Merit for his actions as a Lt. Cmdr. in the U.S. Navy. Keep in mind that, as of this date, there have only been 248 Legion of Merits awarded since the founding of this nation. In order to be awarded the LOM, one has to have acted in such a way as to have had a material impact on the outcome of a war. Not a firefight, skirmish, or even a battle, but a war. That's the kind of household he was brought up in. Greg's Dad became a Merchant Marine after being discharged from the Navy after the war, Captaining freighters all over the Pacific. Greg grew up on a ship.
When Greg turned 17, he enlisted in the Marines and served four years including a tour in Viet Nam, which I only knew him once to speak about and that seemed to bring back some real stress, so it was not pursued.
Once out of the Marines, he headed north to Alberta, Canada and became a cowboy. There, he was in place for the beginnings of the oil exploration boom and went to work in the oil fields. Greg started out as a Floorhand and there, he learned to weld and to do machine work from some real savvy old men., soon becoming a rig mechanic. Greg did well enough that he eventually became a Toolpusher, working for a number of Wildcatters.
Greg also became a blaster or "powder monkey", skilled enough that he was contracted to do that cabin explosion for the movie "Death Hunt".
Greg left the oil fields for a while, buying and running a small gas station. I am guessing that wasn't enough for Greg as he took a job offer that would forever change his life and outlook on life. This was during the time when Mexico was experiencing a huge growth in oil production and other Central American countries were also trying to get in to the game.
Greg was approached by a small group of Wildcatters who contracted him to go to Central America and set up Wildcat rigs and train the locals how to set them up and successfully run them. Greg traveled all over Central America for the next six years, selecting, hiring and training locals to do just that. Keep in mind that Greg spoke damned near no Spanish when he first started that job! Some of the photos Greg showed me of the rigs and their locations down there are just amazing. Talk about some difficult terrain!
Greg fell in love with the culture and people of Central America, but remained fiercely loyal to America, so he settled for the best of both worlds, living roughly six miles from the Mexican Border.
Greg applied his machine and welding skills, running a shop from the place he built out of nothing SE of Sierra Vista, AZ. He also became a board member of the Sierra Vista Shooting Range where he traveled to Phoenix to lobby (successfully) the Dept of Game and Fish for grant funding for that public facility.
Greg, being a Marine (rifleman first!), got into the BPCR world by way of doing some custom work on a couple of old Sharps rifles for customers of his. As one would expect, he was as meticulous about the BPCR world as he was everything else in his life. Not getting rich at his small machine shop, he learned to create accurate rifles from genuine old Sharps and Remington Roling Block rifles. He also learned to restore Schuetzen rifles and their accessories.
He drew the admiration and appreciation of the top BPCR shooters in the country for not only his rifle building skills, but his shooting and spotting skills. He ws spotting for Lee Shavers the day that Lee became the first BPCR competitor to clean all of the chickens at a registered match. This has only been done twice in the history of BPCR competition.
For a time, Greg also wrote a column in the "Single Shot Exchange" on the subjects of BPCR and Schuetzen rifles.
Greg competed with is own creation, a "Badgersoli", an 1874 Sharps clone made of an early Pedersoli action and a Badger barrel, with accurizing of the action and making a new stock. The last time I was at Greg's, he showed me a Badgersoli that he was building for a customer that was a thing of beauty, with AAA exhibition wood, deeply engraved action, and that was headed to have the action case-hardened by Doug Turnbull.
Not content with just wood and steel, Greg created a small oasis out of his acreage SW of Sierra Vista, planting fruit trees and growing a spineless Blackberry cultivar that was amazing in it's productivity and the size and flavor of it's fruit. He also cultivated a vegetable garden, using minimal water techniques and raised meat rabbits for food and for their manure, which was his favorite garden fertilizer.
Greg, ever interested in the environment he lived in, became very active in water issues, using his knowledge of state government, he lobbied the Department of Agriculture to preserve the aquifers in AZ for the use of AZ residents and not sell the water to the State of California.
Greg was no angel, by any stretch of the imagination, but he was an honest, straightforward man who gave his word and kept it, expecting others to do the same.
Most folks have no idea how much pain Greg lived with every day. His knees and his hips were bone-on-bone, but he was too proud and self-reliant to ask for help. Some faulted him for his drinking, but that was his way of continuing to function. Right or wrong, that's the reason.
He was gruff, abrupt, short-tempered, and had little patience for stupidity (expressed or implied), was quick to judge, but could, and did, change his mind when given all the facts, he was extremely loyal, generous, and considerate.
He lived that life expressed by Theodore Roosevelt; "For those who have fought for it, life has a flavor the protected will never know."
He was a sort of a Renaissance Man as he was an artist in wood and steel, he was a great machinist and welder, he could design and build almost anything he could imagine, he was very well read, multi-lingual, (speaking both smokeless and black powder), and was an animal lover.
He truly was a Western Character, full of life and energy, fixed in his code of honor and beliefs, a good man to have with you in a tight spot, fearless and confident, and one of the finest men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. To be considered a friend of his was an honor.
As noted by other good folks here, we are diminished.
Rest in Peace, my friend, I'll see you on the other side.
Ed
Wow. Very interesting. One could write a book on that.
Remarkably well done Ed, thank you for the insights. Learned a thing or three from that. Did not know he was a jarhead in times last. Don't recall ever meeting one I didn't get along with.
Greg seldom spoke of his past in detail with me. Brief reference from time to time then moved on.
he and i were always in a heated agreement, more or less, every time we shared posts. i especially appreciate his interest in animals, his garden & agriculture, and his interest in Arizona water. all worthy attributes for sure. and it appeared we had similar interests in the immigration issues, but somehow i was never certain about that one.
there's the making of an obit. here for sure. the mortuary themselves will have capacity to smooth things out. the backbone of the thing is already present.
Remarkably well done Ed, thank you for the insights. Learned a thing or three from that. Did not know he was a jarhead in times last. Don't recall ever meeting one I didn't get along with.
Greg seldom spoke of his past in detail with me. Brief reference from time to time then moved on.
Dan
Two major wars he had going on here on the 'Fire, one was because someone accused him of being a draft-dodger, the other one accused him of being a racist xenophobe who just wanted to kill Mexicans.
Two things he most certainly was not.
As I posted above, Greg was no angel. He was a real, live human being with all of our faults, foibles, and mistakes. His positives so far outweighed his negatives that it is hard for me to understand how anyone could hate him, I guess that's because he never tooted his own horn, but he certainly had enough material to employ a full orchestra.
I wish I had known him, he sounds like the kind of man you'd be proud to have him call you friend. P
I'll try to put a little light on Greg for those who never had the honor and pleasure of knowing him, but before I begin, I ask that other who knew him would chime in and add and/or correct anything I write here. Time does funny things to memory, and it doesn't help that there were times Greg and I were talking that we both were sampling processed grains.
Greg was born in 1947 to a Merchant Marine who had been awarded the Legion of Merit for his actions as a Lt. Cmdr. in the U.S. Navy. Keep in mind that, as of this date, there have only been 248 Legion of Merits awarded since the founding of this nation. In order to be awarded the LOM, one has to have acted in such a way as to have had a material impact on the outcome of a war. Not a firefight, skirmish, or even a battle, but a war. That's the kind of household he was brought up in. Greg's Dad became a Merchant Marine after being discharged from the Navy after the war, Captaining freighters all over the Pacific. Greg grew up on a ship.
When Greg turned 17, he enlisted in the Marines and served four years including a tour in Viet Nam, which I only knew him once to speak about and that seemed to bring back some real stress, so it was not pursued.
Once out of the Marines, he headed north to Alberta, Canada and became a cowboy. There, he was in place for the beginnings of the oil exploration boom and went to work in the oil fields. Greg started out as a Floorhand and there, he learned to weld and to do machine work from some real savvy old men., soon becoming a rig mechanic. Greg did well enough that he eventually became a Toolpusher, working for a number of Wildcatters.
Greg also became a blaster or "powder monkey", skilled enough that he was contracted to do that cabin explosion for the movie "Death Hunt".
Greg left the oil fields for a while, buying and running a small gas station. I am guessing that wasn't enough for Greg as he took a job offer that would forever change his life and outlook on life. This was during the time when Mexico was experiencing a huge growth in oil production and other Central American countries were also trying to get in to the game.
Greg was approached by a small group of Wildcatters who contracted him to go to Central America and set up Wildcat rigs and train the locals how to set them up and successfully run them. Greg traveled all over Central America for the next six years, selecting, hiring and training locals to do just that. Keep in mind that Greg spoke damned near no Spanish when he first started that job! Some of the photos Greg showed me of the rigs and their locations down there are just amazing. Talk about some difficult terrain!
Greg fell in love with the culture and people of Central America, but remained fiercely loyal to America, so he settled for the best of both worlds, living roughly six miles from the Mexican Border.
Greg applied his machine and welding skills, running a shop from the place he built out of nothing SE of Sierra Vista, AZ. He also became a board member of the Sierra Vista Shooting Range where he traveled to Phoenix to lobby (successfully) the Dept of Game and Fish for grant funding for that public facility.
Greg, being a Marine (rifleman first!), got into the BPCR world by way of doing some custom work on a couple of old Sharps rifles for customers of his. As one would expect, he was as meticulous about the BPCR world as he was everything else in his life. Not getting rich at his small machine shop, he learned to create accurate rifles from genuine old Sharps and Remington Roling Block rifles. He also learned to restore Schuetzen rifles and their accessories.
He drew the admiration and appreciation of the top BPCR shooters in the country for not only his rifle building skills, but his shooting and spotting skills. He ws spotting for Lee Shavers the day that Lee became the first BPCR competitor to clean all of the chickens at a registered match. This has only been done twice in the history of BPCR competition.
For a time, Greg also wrote a column in the "Single Shot Exchange" on the subjects of BPCR and Schuetzen rifles.
Greg competed with is own creation, a "Badgersoli", an 1874 Sharps clone made of an early Pedersoli action and a Badger barrel, with accurizing of the action and making a new stock. The last time I was at Greg's, he showed me a Badgersoli that he was building for a customer that was a thing of beauty, with AAA exhibition wood, deeply engraved action, and that was headed to have the action case-hardened by Doug Turnbull.
Not content with just wood and steel, Greg created a small oasis out of his acreage SW of Sierra Vista, planting fruit trees and growing a spineless Blackberry cultivar that was amazing in it's productivity and the size and flavor of it's fruit. He also cultivated a vegetable garden, using minimal water techniques and raised meat rabbits for food and for their manure, which was his favorite garden fertilizer.
Greg, ever interested in the environment he lived in, became very active in water issues, using his knowledge of state government, he lobbied the Department of Agriculture to preserve the aquifers in AZ for the use of AZ residents and not sell the water to the State of California.
Greg was no angel, by any stretch of the imagination, but he was an honest, straightforward man who gave his word and kept it, expecting others to do the same.
Most folks have no idea how much pain Greg lived with every day. His knees and his hips were bone-on-bone, but he was too proud and self-reliant to ask for help. Some faulted him for his drinking, but that was his way of continuing to function. Right or wrong, that's the reason.
He was gruff, abrupt, short-tempered, and had little patience for stupidity (expressed or implied), was quick to judge, but could, and did, change his mind when given all the facts, he was extremely loyal, generous, and considerate.
He lived that life expressed by Theodore Roosevelt; "For those who have fought for it, life has a flavor the protected will never know."
He was a sort of a Renaissance Man as he was an artist in wood and steel, he was a great machinist and welder, he could design and build almost anything he could imagine, he was very well read, multi-lingual, (speaking both smokeless and black powder), and was an animal lover.
He truly was a Western Character, full of life and energy, fixed in his code of honor and beliefs, a good man to have with you in a tight spot, fearless and confident, and one of the finest men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. To be considered a friend of his was an honor.
As noted by other good folks here, we are diminished.
Rest in Peace, my friend, I'll see you on the other side.
I dunno how many years I was in communication with Greg, quite a lot, I forget how many times he insulted me. He never did insult my family or my wife or even hint at that, which sort of insults I have learned on this board are about the only insults which anger me. Sometimes we was congenial, some times he weren't, but like most of the regulars here he was something like family.
I did look up the last direct exchange between us, 9/4/17 when that guy ran into the Burning Man fire and died.....
Me.....
"The guy was 41 and married, and had the means to fly back from Switzerland for the eclipse, and was apparently in good physical shape.. It is a mystery to me how lives can go so wrong."
Greg.....
Being married, with "means" has absolutely no thermal insulating, or reflective properties.
Remarkably well done Ed, thank you for the insights. Learned a thing or three from that. Did not know he was a jarhead in times last. Don't recall ever meeting one I didn't get along with.
Greg seldom spoke of his past in detail with me. Brief reference from time to time then moved on.
Dan
Two major wars he had going on here on the 'Fire, one was because someone accused him of being a draft-dodger, the other one accused him of being a racist xenophobe who just wanted to kill Mexicans.
Two things he most certainly was not.
As I posted above, Greg was no angel. He was a real, live human being with all of our faults, foibles, and mistakes. His positives so far outweighed his negatives that it is hard for me to understand how anyone could hate him, I guess that's because he never tooted his own horn, but he certainly had enough material to employ a full orchestra.
Ed
Greg had no problem telling you in no uncertain terms if he thought you were wrong. Whether you were a friend or not...
I was friends with him, but felt his flames a few times. He didn't hold back...
Beautiful words Ed and a very tearful thank you for some insight into a man that I admired. We are diminished by the loss of Greg but with men like you here I’ll be sticking around a little longer. That previous post would make a fine obituary and I’ll chip in to make sure that it gets printed, the world should know that it lost a good man and that he had friends that cared. I saw his soft side from time to time and especially as it related to Greg doting on his mom. His love and respect for his mom told me what I needed to know about the man I just wish I could’ve known him better. We exchanged pm’s through the years as it related to his mom or other shared interests and his rough edges only endeared me to him that much more.
I know that Greg would be damn proud to see the love and concern from folks all over this country for a man that many of us never met. That speaks volumes about not just Greg but also to the goodness of the men on this website, men that I am proud to be associated with.
Please let me know what I can do on my end, any donations needed to ensure that he and Gracie can be together and any services that may be held in his honor.
Thanks to all of you that have taken on this solemn duty, you have my eternal respect for your efforts and if I can help please let me know.
I do not talk much on this site and did not know Greg. I just wanted to point out that it was not Lee Shaver that shot the first 10 in a row chickens in BPCR. I believe that the fellow that did that was from down in southern Arizona. His name escapes at the moment.
I have been pleased to have corresponded with Greg quite a bit over the years and I feel a better man to have been friends--albeit in a cyber sense, having never net the man in person-- with Greg. As many here have written, the man didn't suffer fools well and before Greg and I became friends there was some measure of nastiness between us. One evening in particular years ago we butted heads together on an exchange here on the forum, and it got fairly close to morphing into something kind of ugly. By the night's end before signing off I had a hunch he was just as half-shytfaced as I was and so I took a shot in the dark and asked for and got his number via PM. I called him and in a few minutes we were cracking up. That was the end of the nastiness betwixt us. From about that time forward he liked to refer to me as the 'inscrutable one'. I in turn called him 'El Jefe'.
I was on a small email cc list of his, and he would occasionally pass on something he thought was neat, something he was working on or was otherwise deemed by him to be interesting to the small group. I would sometimes do the same. Last year some time he wrote to the group and described having made a custom firearm component from scratch with high-end materials that he had been consigned to make for a customer on the word of the customer that payment for materials and labor would be passed along in full upon completion of the project. Well, that didn't happen and the customer essentially screwed Greg. Greg, naturally, was livid. He described what it was, and offered it to the group for what he had into it for materials only. Now, truth be told I had no use for the thing but being a guy who can appreciate finely made things, things put together by someone passionate about what they were doing and whose hands and skills literally brought it to life, well, I told him to box it up and where to send it, and told him that I'd get payment out to him directly, just as soon as I got his address. When he had received the payment, he could ship.
Well, it turns out the guy trusted me at my word, as the day after I sent payment the thing arrived at my home. This of course before the payment got to him. I was, and am thrilled at owning something so well made, and made literally from scratch. Every so often I'll remember I own it, who made it and where it was born. I'll got into my study, pull it out of the drawer it lives in and unwrap it, and fondle it's smoothness and marvel at the skill required to make sure a fine thing to such precise tolerances and strength. Greg contacted me a couple days later when my payment arrived, and thanked me far too many times for it. When I went to send the payment (no [bleep] checks, CASH ONLY if you please! ) I'd decided that giving a man money only for the material cost he had into it was dead wrong, and even though I never said anything about it when I agreed to buy it, had sent him about double what he had in it in terms of materials cost. Still, in hindsight I came out was ahead on that deal, as I have something that came from the hands and head and heart of a man I respected, enjoyed engaging with and learning something from virtually every time I interacted with him.
I'm sorry as hell Roger and I didn't get out to share a fire with you, but perhaps some day we will still, in another place. Give 'em hell, Jefe.
I wish I had known him, he sounds like the kind of man you'd be proud to have him call you friend. P
I'll try to put a little light on Greg for those who never had the honor and pleasure of knowing him, but before I begin, I ask that other who knew him would chime in and add and/or correct anything I write here. Time does funny things to memory, and it doesn't help that there were times Greg and I were talking that we both were sampling processed grains.
Greg was born in 1947 to a Merchant Marine who had been awarded the Legion of Merit for his actions as a Lt. Cmdr. in the U.S. Navy. Keep in mind that, as of this date, there have only been 248 Legion of Merits awarded since the founding of this nation. In order to be awarded the LOM, one has to have acted in such a way as to have had a material impact on the outcome of a war. Not a firefight, skirmish, or even a battle, but a war. That's the kind of household he was brought up in. Greg's Dad became a Merchant Marine after being discharged from the Navy after the war, Captaining freighters all over the Pacific. Greg grew up on a ship.
When Greg turned 17, he enlisted in the Marines and served four years including a tour in Viet Nam, which I only knew him once to speak about and that seemed to bring back some real stress, so it was not pursued.
Once out of the Marines, he headed north to Alberta, Canada and became a cowboy. There, he was in place for the beginnings of the oil exploration boom and went to work in the oil fields. Greg started out as a Floorhand and there, he learned to weld and to do machine work from some real savvy old men., soon becoming a rig mechanic. Greg did well enough that he eventually became a Toolpusher, working for a number of Wildcatters.
Greg also became a blaster or "powder monkey", skilled enough that he was contracted to do that cabin explosion for the movie "Death Hunt".
Greg left the oil fields for a while, buying and running a small gas station. I am guessing that wasn't enough for Greg as he took a job offer that would forever change his life and outlook on life. This was during the time when Mexico was experiencing a huge growth in oil production and other Central American countries were also trying to get in to the game.
Greg was approached by a small group of Wildcatters who contracted him to go to Central America and set up Wildcat rigs and train the locals how to set them up and successfully run them. Greg traveled all over Central America for the next six years, selecting, hiring and training locals to do just that. Keep in mind that Greg spoke damned near no Spanish when he first started that job! Some of the photos Greg showed me of the rigs and their locations down there are just amazing. Talk about some difficult terrain!
Greg fell in love with the culture and people of Central America, but remained fiercely loyal to America, so he settled for the best of both worlds, living roughly six miles from the Mexican Border.
Greg applied his machine and welding skills, running a shop from the place he built out of nothing SE of Sierra Vista, AZ. He also became a board member of the Sierra Vista Shooting Range where he traveled to Phoenix to lobby (successfully) the Dept of Game and Fish for grant funding for that public facility.
Greg, being a Marine (rifleman first!), got into the BPCR world by way of doing some custom work on a couple of old Sharps rifles for customers of his. As one would expect, he was as meticulous about the BPCR world as he was everything else in his life. Not getting rich at his small machine shop, he learned to create accurate rifles from genuine old Sharps and Remington Roling Block rifles. He also learned to restore Schuetzen rifles and their accessories.
He drew the admiration and appreciation of the top BPCR shooters in the country for not only his rifle building skills, but his shooting and spotting skills. He ws spotting for Lee Shavers the day that Lee became the first BPCR competitor to clean all of the chickens at a registered match. This has only been done twice in the history of BPCR competition.
For a time, Greg also wrote a column in the "Single Shot Exchange" on the subjects of BPCR and Schuetzen rifles.
Greg competed with is own creation, a "Badgersoli", an 1874 Sharps clone made of an early Pedersoli action and a Badger barrel, with accurizing of the action and making a new stock. The last time I was at Greg's, he showed me a Badgersoli that he was building for a customer that was a thing of beauty, with AAA exhibition wood, deeply engraved action, and that was headed to have the action case-hardened by Doug Turnbull.
Not content with just wood and steel, Greg created a small oasis out of his acreage SW of Sierra Vista, planting fruit trees and growing a spineless Blackberry cultivar that was amazing in it's productivity and the size and flavor of it's fruit. He also cultivated a vegetable garden, using minimal water techniques and raised meat rabbits for food and for their manure, which was his favorite garden fertilizer.
Greg, ever interested in the environment he lived in, became very active in water issues, using his knowledge of state government, he lobbied the Department of Agriculture to preserve the aquifers in AZ for the use of AZ residents and not sell the water to the State of California.
Greg was no angel, by any stretch of the imagination, but he was an honest, straightforward man who gave his word and kept it, expecting others to do the same.
Most folks have no idea how much pain Greg lived with every day. His knees and his hips were bone-on-bone, but he was too proud and self-reliant to ask for help. Some faulted him for his drinking, but that was his way of continuing to function. Right or wrong, that's the reason.
He was gruff, abrupt, short-tempered, and had little patience for stupidity (expressed or implied), was quick to judge, but could, and did, change his mind when given all the facts, he was extremely loyal, generous, and considerate.
He lived that life expressed by Theodore Roosevelt; "For those who have fought for it, life has a flavor the protected will never know."
He was a sort of a Renaissance Man as he was an artist in wood and steel, he was a great machinist and welder, he could design and build almost anything he could imagine, he was very well read, multi-lingual, (speaking both smokeless and black powder), and was an animal lover.
He truly was a Western Character, full of life and energy, fixed in his code of honor and beliefs, a good man to have with you in a tight spot, fearless and confident, and one of the finest men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. To be considered a friend of his was an honor.
As noted by other good folks here, we are diminished.
Rest in Peace, my friend, I'll see you on the other side.
Ed
Thank you Ed, your efforts to tell us about Greg's life are much appreciated. Like many, I've had my azz scorched by Greg, but he was right most of the time. He and I PM'd a little, and the most telling thing was when he related how he thought he could have been friends with Hunter1960, and he was saddened by his passing.
I Pmed with Cross a few times, been tracking shot deer all day, lost one and found one about half in the bag, my choise tho! I cant get him out of my mind always wanted to meet the man, same with M. Colman I have to tip My hat to leighton sorry spelling not that good Brother, another I like to buy a drink for! as Inter net folks we tend to become friends, Im bad for meeting a person and in 5 mins i know wheather I like em or Hate em! Kinda Hard on the net! I feel like I lost a best buddie! booze talking but I think some know what I mean! Dam I hope to meet some of you fro the SW one day, limited income, tho! God Bless the USA!
I do not talk much on this site and did not know Greg. I just wanted to point out that it was not Lee Shaver that shot the first 10 in a row chickens in BPCR. I believe that the fellow that did that was from down in southern Arizona. His name escapes at the moment.
Remarkably well done Ed, thank you for the insights. Learned a thing or three from that. Did not know he was a jarhead in times last. Don't recall ever meeting one I didn't get along with.
Greg seldom spoke of his past in detail with me. Brief reference from time to time then moved on.
Dan
Two major wars he had going on here on the 'Fire, one was because someone accused him of being a draft-dodger, the other one accused him of being a racist xenophobe who just wanted to kill Mexicans.
Two things he most certainly was not.
As I posted above, Greg was no angel. He was a real, live human being with all of our faults, foibles, and mistakes. His positives so far outweighed his negatives that it is hard for me to understand how anyone could hate him, I guess that's because he never tooted his own horn, but he certainly had enough material to employ a full orchestra.
Ed
i knew a lot about him that you wrote about, and you did a fine job. draft dodger is stupid, anything but. as to mexicans, hispanics, etc. Greg did not like the word illegal. Neither did I. And i have various times more than once commented on the illegal part. We talked about this from time to time. He did have there a picture album of his time down south which i have seen, and the people he was friends with. There was no racism envolved there. It's the illegal part, the drug running, the narco;s. i have been accused of similar things which i find funny as he did. Given my half sister that looks like a pima indian for a reason, and the number of crossbred people in my family with spanish/hispanic/indian roots. He was not a native of this state but he was native to this state if that makes any sense. After knowing him as many years as i did, he reminded me in so many ways of an old arizona cowboy, the type that i grew up, that were reflective on an earlier age. That was Greg. We didn't always get along and a time or two he really pizzed me off, i don't remember why now, but he was my friend. I have a lot of people i know, but few i would label that way. And it's gonna be a bitch running that country down there, knowing he is not there now. on second thought i should add one thing i have expressed at other times. The first time my wife was with me at his place. We had a fine visit with him and his mother. He was pretty proud of his trees and went and picked a bunch of peaches for my wife, cause he knew she baked. Upon leaving, he approached her, snagged her hand, bent over, and kissed her hand. Very old country. He could be ornery as all get out, but he was also a gentleman.
I have been pleased to have corresponded with Greg quite a bit over the years and I feel a better man to have been friends--albeit in a cyber sense, having never net the man in person-- with Greg. As many here have written, the man didn't suffer fools well and before Greg and I became friends there was some measure of nastiness between us. One evening in particular years ago we butted heads together on an exchange here on the forum, and it got fairly close to morphing into something kind of ugly. By the night's end before signing off I had a hunch he was just as half-shytfaced as I was and so I took a shot in the dark and asked for and got his number via PM. I called him and in a few minutes we were cracking up. That was the end of the nastiness betwixt us. From about that time forward he liked to refer to me as the 'inscrutable one'. I in turn called him 'El Jefe'.
I was on a small email cc list of his, and he would occasionally pass on something he thought was neat, something he was working on or was otherwise deemed by him to be interesting to the small group. I would sometimes do the same. Last year some time he wrote to the group and described having made a custom firearm component from scratch with high-end materials that he had been consigned to make for a customer on the word of the customer that payment for materials and labor would be passed along in full upon completion of the project. Well, that didn't happen and the customer essentially screwed Greg. Greg, naturally, was livid. He described what it was, and offered it to the group for what he had into it for materials only. Now, truth be told I had no use for the thing but being a guy who can appreciate finely made things, things put together by someone passionate about what they were doing and whose hands and skills literally brought it to life, well, I told him to box it up and where to send it, and told him that I'd get payment out to him directly, just as soon as I got his address. When he had received the payment, he could ship.
Well, it turns out the guy trusted me at my word, as the day after I sent payment the thing arrived at my home. This of course before the payment got to him. I was, and am thrilled at owning something so well made, and made literally from scratch. Every so often I'll remember I own it, who made it and where it was born. I'll got into my study, pull it out of the drawer it lives in and unwrap it, and fondle it's smoothness and marvel at the skill required to make sure a fine thing to such precise tolerances and strength. Greg contacted me a couple days later when my payment arrived, and thanked me far too many times for it. When I went to send the payment (no [bleep] checks, CASH ONLY if you please! ) I'd decided that giving a man money only for the material cost he had into it was dead wrong, and even though I never said anything about it when I agreed to buy it, had sent him about double what he had in it in terms of materials cost. Still, in hindsight I came out was ahead on that deal, as I have something that came from the hands and head and heart of a man I respected, enjoyed engaging with and learning something from virtually every time I interacted with him.
I'm sorry as hell Roger and I didn't get out to share a fire with you, but perhaps some day we will still, in another place. Give 'em hell, Jefe.
Your Inscrutable friend,
LNH
Very cool L. He was definitely a one of a kind.
"no [bleep] checks, CASH ONLY if you please! "
Lol! Yep! We cussed at each other a bit over that. Fuggin' USPS lost a magazine stuffed with cash I had sent him for payment, and when it didn't show up I immediately sent out a MO. He didn't like that
In fact just this morning I was going back and looking at old emails from him. I didn't always understand him or his positions, but always respected him.
I'm sure he's riding on an angel's wings............wings powered by a 2 stroke diesel with a welding arc flyin' from her arse!
I just got back from a deer hunt to find this. My wife walked into my office a minute ago and asked why I had tears in my eyes. I told her they were from a good man's passing.
Can someone find and post the picture of Younger Greg from his cowboy days in Canada? He was in front of a corral fence with a bearskin draped on the fence. I think he had killed the bear.
I do not talk much on this site and did not know Greg. I just wanted to point out that it was not Lee Shaver that shot the first 10 in a row chickens in BPCR. I believe that the fellow that did that was from down in southern Arizona. His name escapes at the moment.
Ron Calderone
THAT'S HIM! I warned you guys my memory was faulty!
Ed Bryant you know how Greg liked those Cowboy songs, and he was one of the select few who know that I write them. I sent him a home recorded CD of some I'd written and he enjoyed getting it.
I told him I would write one about him.... and I did. We were to meet at Quemado where he would hear it, but he didn't make it and I just forgot about it.
It took awhile this A M but I finally recalled one verse of it:
"This trail I've come down is rocky and rough, flanked by cactus and thorn They're the dues that you pay, for living each day, in the place where the Devil was born. I think of the mountains I once called my home And I think of the seas that I've sailed When I've finished my race, I'll die in this place That's next door to Heaven and Hell”
Obviously I don"t post often. I did not know Greg but I am sure I have read many of his posts. Seems like the kind of guy that was a tough guy to love. But those are the guys you remember and learn a thing or two along the way. I have had some friends like that and a respect their grit and determination to be more. Always getting it done the hard, honest way.
This thread on Greg's passing has been something to witness. You guys have shown your true character in your concern and actions in regards to Greg. I would applaud you all but that it is what good people do regardless of recognition.
Thanks to Rick for building a place where good people can battle and engage, a place where the good still can be exposed.
It is my honor to be a witness.
It seems I have got some of that grit in my eye. Bless all who have contributed.
Greg and I had swapped PMs a couple of times, and that was it, but I always read his posts with interest and respect. He was a damned good man, as near as I can tell, and you tell a lot about someone's character by the friends he makes, or made.
RIP Greg and Gracey, we are lesser for your passings.
His handle was a puzzle to me when we first met as I'd never been involved in significant target competition. He explained the matter and a few years later at a NRC event in Cody I did just that. The Wyoming Armory built a .40 slug rifle and I picked it up just prior to the match. We sauntered to the line for sight in day and there was quite a few very well known gents present. Steve Garbe, Kenny Wasserberger and more.
It was in that setting I parked myself at the bench to try the first shots I'd taken with the gun, this in a 15-20 mph full value Wyoming crosswind. Loaded the old girl, parked by rear and lined up on the target with Kenny watching the target with glass. 200 yards.....boom. KW called it a miss. I was crestfallen. Boom. Miss. Dang it all....
Then KW shifted his field of view and said, "Wrong target, 2 in the 25 ring". And then I understood the Crossfireoops concept.
I got really excited and proceeded to let the wind have its way with me.
Came away from the match with 3d place, which considering the shooters was richly undeserved...and as stated above, an epiphany rekindled each time I see that target, and a memory of that conversation.
Dan
PS: Some asked previously about the bear hide fence picture with Greg and horse beside it. I have it somewhere but have been unable to locate it to this point. Still looking.
Ed Bryant you know how Greg liked those Cowboy songs, and he was one of the select few who know that I write them. I sent him a home recorded CD of some I'd written and he enjoyed getting it.
I told him I would write one about him.... and I did. We were to meet at Quemado where he would hear it, but he didn't make it and I just forgot about it.
It took awhile this A M but I finally recalled one verse of it:
"This trail I've come down is rocky and rough, flanked by cactus and thorn They're the dues that you pay, for living each day, in the place where the Devil was born. I think of the mountains I once called my home And I think of the seas that I've sailed When I've finished my race, I'll die in this place That's next door to Heaven and Hell”
I wish I had known him, he sounds like the kind of man you'd be proud to have him call you friend. P
I'll try to put a little light on Greg for those who never had the honor and pleasure of knowing him, but before I begin, I ask that other who knew him would chime in and add and/or correct anything I write here. Time does funny things to memory, and it doesn't help that there were times Greg and I were talking that we both were sampling processed grains.
Greg was born in 1947 to a Merchant Mariner who had been awarded the Legion of Merit for his actions as a Lt. Cmdr. in the U.S. Navy. Keep in mind that, as of this date, there have only been 248 Legion of Merits awarded since the founding of this nation. In order to be awarded the LOM, one has to have acted in such a way as to have had a material impact on the outcome of a war. Not a firefight, skirmish, or even a battle, but a war. That's the kind of household he was brought up in. Greg's Dad became a Merchant Marine after being discharged from the Navy after the war, Captaining freighters all over the Pacific. Greg grew up on a ship. *Note: In a PM, another member here corrected my geography as it relates to Greg's Dad's Merchant Marine Service. He worked the Atlantic Ocean after the war, not the Pacific.
When Greg turned 17, he enlisted in the Marines and served four years including a tour in Viet Nam, which I only knew him once to speak about and that seemed to bring back some real stress, so it was not pursued.
Once out of the Marines, he headed north to Alberta, Canada and became a cowboy. There, he was in place for the beginnings of the oil exploration boom and went to work in the oil fields. Greg started out as a Floorhand and there, he learned to weld and to do machine work from some real savvy old men., soon becoming a rig mechanic. Greg did well enough that he eventually became a Toolpusher, working for a number of Wildcatters.
Greg also became a blaster or "powder monkey", skilled enough that he was contracted to do that cabin explosion for the movie "Death Hunt".
Greg left the oil fields for a while, buying and running a small gas station. I am guessing that wasn't enough for Greg as he took a job offer that would forever change his life and outlook on life. This was during the time when Mexico was experiencing a huge growth in oil production and other Central American countries were also trying to get in to the game.
Greg was approached by a small group of Wildcatters who contracted him to go to Central America and set up Wildcat rigs and train the locals how to set them up and successfully run them. Greg traveled all over Central America for the next six years, selecting, hiring and training locals to do just that. Keep in mind that Greg spoke damned near no Spanish when he first started that job! Some of the photos Greg showed me of the rigs and their locations down there are just amazing. Talk about some difficult terrain!
Greg fell in love with the culture and people of Central America, but remained fiercely loyal to America, so he settled for the best of both worlds, living roughly six miles from the Mexican Border.
Greg applied his machine and welding skills, running a shop from the place he built out of nothing SE of Sierra Vista, AZ. He also became a board member of the Sierra Vista Shooting Range where he traveled to Phoenix to lobby (successfully) the Dept of Game and Fish for grant funding for that public facility.
Greg, being a Marine (rifleman first!), got into the BPCR world by way of doing some custom work on a couple of old Sharps rifles for customers of his. As one would expect, he was as meticulous about the BPCR world as he was everything else in his life. Not getting rich at his small machine shop, he learned to create accurate rifles from genuine old Sharps and Remington Roling Block rifles. He also learned to restore Schuetzen rifles and their accessories.
He drew the admiration and appreciation of the top BPCR shooters in the country for not only his rifle building skills, but his shooting and spotting skills. He ws spotting for Lee Shavers the day that Lee became the first BPCR competitor to clean all of the chickens at a registered match. This has only been done twice in the history of BPCR competition.
For a time, Greg also wrote a column in the "Single Shot Exchange" on the subjects of BPCR and Schuetzen rifles.
Greg competed with is own creation, a "Badgersoli", an 1874 Sharps clone made of an early Pedersoli action and a Badger barrel, with accurizing of the action and making a new stock. The last time I was at Greg's, he showed me a Badgersoli that he was building for a customer that was a thing of beauty, with AAA exhibition wood, deeply engraved action, and that was headed to have the action case-hardened by Doug Turnbull.
Not content with just wood and steel, Greg created a small oasis out of his acreage SW of Sierra Vista, planting fruit trees and growing a spineless Blackberry cultivar that was amazing in it's productivity and the size and flavor of it's fruit. He also cultivated a vegetable garden, using minimal water techniques and raised meat rabbits for food and for their manure, which was his favorite garden fertilizer.
Greg, ever interested in the environment he lived in, became very active in water issues, using his knowledge of state government, he lobbied the Department of Agriculture to preserve the aquifers in AZ for the use of AZ residents and not sell the water to the State of California.
Greg was no angel, by any stretch of the imagination, but he was an honest, straightforward man who gave his word and kept it, expecting others to do the same.
Most folks have no idea how much pain Greg lived with every day. His knees and his hips were bone-on-bone, but he was too proud and self-reliant to ask for help. Some faulted him for his drinking, but that was his way of continuing to function. Right or wrong, that's the reason.
He was gruff, abrupt, short-tempered, and had little patience for stupidity (expressed or implied), was quick to judge, but could, and did, change his mind when given all the facts, he was extremely loyal, generous, and considerate.
He lived that life expressed by Theodore Roosevelt; "For those who have fought for it, life has a flavor the protected will never know."
He was a sort of a Renaissance Man as he was an artist in wood and steel, he was a great machinist and welder, he could design and build almost anything he could imagine, he was very well read, multi-lingual, (speaking both smokeless and black powder), and was an animal lover.
He truly was a Western Character, full of life and energy, fixed in his code of honor and beliefs, a good man to have with you in a tight spot, fearless and confident, and one of the finest men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. To be considered a friend of his was an honor.
As noted by other good folks here, we are diminished.
Rest in Peace, my friend, I'll see you on the other side.
Ed
Ed, That was the Damn'd finest post I've ever seen here on the fire, you're a Good man for doing it. Its much appreciated, by those of us who admired Greg.
...Ed, That was the Damn'd finest post I've ever seen here on the fire, you're a Good man for doing it. Its much appreciated, by those of us who admired Greg.
-Adam.
Thank you, Adam.
As I posted in another thread here, I didn't do it for Greg, I did it for us who are still here and, selfishly, for me.
It's part of the my grieving process, to outline the life of one I have lost, acknowledging both their virtues and their vices, weighing to measure how much they meant to me, not weighing their worth to anyone else.
I have yet to find one, written down like that, whose measure was great in impacting other's lives in a positive way.
We are all here for far too short of a time for us to be caught up in the negative side of other people. Greg's sudden death emphasizes that once again.
I didn't,......but it wasn't because of any altruism on my part. It was just out of the recognition that drink has different effects on different people and in Crossfire's case, it made him a curmudgeon. I don't mind curmudgeons,...I hate azzholes, but I don't mind curmudgeons.
Cross would have a snoot-full and I'd say something about something,..first thing ya know he'd be all up in my face and there was no amount of discussion that would fix it. About 2/3rds of the time it occurred, I'd have a snoot-full to,...so it was just one of those things.
Crossfire would cuss and fuss at me something awful, sometimes,..and I'd fuss back at him a little. But I never had the inclination to get all involved in a pissin' match with him because it was apparent that he wasn't hateful,..even when he was climbing somebody's azz (including mind),..he didn't do it in a hateful manner.
I never held nothing against him,...and evidently, he didn't hold nothing against me,..and when the conversation came around to machining,..TIG welding,..or loading for Rook rifles, we'd have some good conversations.
Later, of course,..we'd occasionally cuss at each other when we was drinkin' liquor and typing on the internet. Tomorrow,..it was water under the bridge. In fact,..I never considered it serious enough to need to be water under the bridge. It was just me with a buzz and Crossfire with a buzz, barkin' about first this, that and t'other.
I've really enjoyed reading about his history from the people who know it and it makes me kinda happy that he bothered to engage me in conversation on here from time to time,...even on those occasions when he was in curmudgeon mode.
I never saw his face,..but I'm already missin' that old fart.
I learned a long time ago that a person could get a handle on somebody else on the internet,...maybe even in ways that you can't in real life.
I dunno how many years I was in communication with Greg, quite a lot, I forget how many times he insulted me. He never did insult my family or my wife or even hint at that, which sort of insults I have learned on this board are about the only insults which anger me. Sometimes we was congenial, some times he weren't, but like most of the regulars here he was something like family.
I did look up the last direct exchange between us, 9/4/17 when that guy ran into the Burning Man fire and died.....
Me.....
"The guy was 41 and married, and had the means to fly back from Switzerland for the eclipse, and was apparently in good physical shape.. It is a mystery to me how lives can go so wrong."
Greg.....
Being married, with "means" has absolutely no thermal insulating, or reflective properties.
GTC
It takes a special kind of wit to meld unassailable fact with humor like that. I do not believe there is a possible comeback that would top that.
I wish I had known him, he sounds like the kind of man you'd be proud to have him call you friend. P
I'll try to put a little light on Greg for those who never had the honor and pleasure of knowing him, but before I begin, I ask that other who knew him would chime in and add and/or correct anything I write here. Time does funny things to memory, and it doesn't help that there were times Greg and I were talking that we both were sampling processed grains.
Greg was born in 1947 to a Merchant Mariner who had been awarded the Legion of Merit for his actions as a Lt. Cmdr. in the U.S. Navy. Keep in mind that, as of this date, there have only been 248 Legion of Merits awarded since the founding of this nation. In order to be awarded the LOM, one has to have acted in such a way as to have had a material impact on the outcome of a war. Not a firefight, skirmish, or even a battle, but a war. That's the kind of household he was brought up in. Greg's Dad became a Merchant Marine after being discharged from the Navy after the war, Captaining freighters all over the Pacific. Greg grew up on a ship. *Note: In a PM, another member here corrected my geography as it relates to Greg's Dad's Merchant Marine Service. He worked the Atlantic Ocean after the war, not the Pacific.
When Greg turned 17, he enlisted in the Marines and served four years including a tour in Viet Nam, which I only knew him once to speak about and that seemed to bring back some real stress, so it was not pursued.
Once out of the Marines, he headed north to Alberta, Canada and became a cowboy. There, he was in place for the beginnings of the oil exploration boom and went to work in the oil fields. Greg started out as a Floorhand and there, he learned to weld and to do machine work from some real savvy old men., soon becoming a rig mechanic. Greg did well enough that he eventually became a Toolpusher, working for a number of Wildcatters.
Greg also became a blaster or "powder monkey", skilled enough that he was contracted to do that cabin explosion for the movie "Death Hunt".
Greg left the oil fields for a while, buying and running a small gas station. I am guessing that wasn't enough for Greg as he took a job offer that would forever change his life and outlook on life. This was during the time when Mexico was experiencing a huge growth in oil production and other Central American countries were also trying to get in to the game.
Greg was approached by a small group of Wildcatters who contracted him to go to Central America and set up Wildcat rigs and train the locals how to set them up and successfully run them. Greg traveled all over Central America for the next six years, selecting, hiring and training locals to do just that. Keep in mind that Greg spoke damned near no Spanish when he first started that job! Some of the photos Greg showed me of the rigs and their locations down there are just amazing. Talk about some difficult terrain!
Greg fell in love with the culture and people of Central America, but remained fiercely loyal to America, so he settled for the best of both worlds, living roughly six miles from the Mexican Border.
Greg applied his machine and welding skills, running a shop from the place he built out of nothing SE of Sierra Vista, AZ. He also became a board member of the Sierra Vista Shooting Range where he traveled to Phoenix to lobby (successfully) the Dept of Game and Fish for grant funding for that public facility.
Greg, being a Marine (rifleman first!), got into the BPCR world by way of doing some custom work on a couple of old Sharps rifles for customers of his. As one would expect, he was as meticulous about the BPCR world as he was everything else in his life. Not getting rich at his small machine shop, he learned to create accurate rifles from genuine old Sharps and Remington Roling Block rifles. He also learned to restore Schuetzen rifles and their accessories.
He drew the admiration and appreciation of the top BPCR shooters in the country for not only his rifle building skills, but his shooting and spotting skills. He ws spotting for Lee Shavers the day that Lee became the first BPCR competitor to clean all of the chickens at a registered match. This has only been done twice in the history of BPCR competition.
For a time, Greg also wrote a column in the "Single Shot Exchange" on the subjects of BPCR and Schuetzen rifles.
Greg competed with is own creation, a "Badgersoli", an 1874 Sharps clone made of an early Pedersoli action and a Badger barrel, with accurizing of the action and making a new stock. The last time I was at Greg's, he showed me a Badgersoli that he was building for a customer that was a thing of beauty, with AAA exhibition wood, deeply engraved action, and that was headed to have the action case-hardened by Doug Turnbull.
Not content with just wood and steel, Greg created a small oasis out of his acreage SW of Sierra Vista, planting fruit trees and growing a spineless Blackberry cultivar that was amazing in it's productivity and the size and flavor of it's fruit. He also cultivated a vegetable garden, using minimal water techniques and raised meat rabbits for food and for their manure, which was his favorite garden fertilizer.
Greg, ever interested in the environment he lived in, became very active in water issues, using his knowledge of state government, he lobbied the Department of Agriculture to preserve the aquifers in AZ for the use of AZ residents and not sell the water to the State of California.
Greg was no angel, by any stretch of the imagination, but he was an honest, straightforward man who gave his word and kept it, expecting others to do the same.
Most folks have no idea how much pain Greg lived with every day. His knees and his hips were bone-on-bone, but he was too proud and self-reliant to ask for help. Some faulted him for his drinking, but that was his way of continuing to function. Right or wrong, that's the reason.
He was gruff, abrupt, short-tempered, and had little patience for stupidity (expressed or implied), was quick to judge, but could, and did, change his mind when given all the facts, he was extremely loyal, generous, and considerate.
He lived that life expressed by Theodore Roosevelt; "For those who have fought for it, life has a flavor the protected will never know."
He was a sort of a Renaissance Man as he was an artist in wood and steel, he was a great machinist and welder, he could design and build almost anything he could imagine, he was very well read, multi-lingual, (speaking both smokeless and black powder), and was an animal lover.
He truly was a Western Character, full of life and energy, fixed in his code of honor and beliefs, a good man to have with you in a tight spot, fearless and confident, and one of the finest men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. To be considered a friend of his was an honor.
As noted by other good folks here, we are diminished.
Rest in Peace, my friend, I'll see you on the other side.
Greg was a friend, I never got to meet face to face. We spent a lot of time visiting back and forth on the phone and via email. I can't think of a single time that we ever spoke he didn't ask about how the ranch was doing, the condition of the range, and the cattle, and the dogs and horses. One hell of a gunsmith, and was passionate about accuracy. He wasn't bashful about calling a spade a spade, and there was seldom a time when one had to wonder what his thoughts really were. RIP Mr. Cameron.
Folks, sorry to report that the quest to retrieve Gracie's remains for burial along with Greg was not successful. Hoping that Greg knows how hard we tried. No doubt she will be well-recognized and remembered in the ceremony.
he might have missed his calling? he might have made a first=class Marine Corps DI?
in a different incarnation, he probably could have played the role?
Next to Greg - Marine Corps DI's are wimps!
Greg knew he had a standing invitation at my home- whenever he wanted to drop in. He quit attending the BPCR matches at Whittington several years ago,(which would have put him through my AO) because of his proximity to an illegal immigration route - didn't feel he could leave his place unprotected. (And he was probably correct)
I've always wanted to build a fire pit like his. Only on a little smaller scale. I'm going to have to look up those old posts of when he was putting his together and get started on it.
Murder/suicide wouldn't surprise me. The interactions I had with Greg via PM and on the forum were very negative, he was a loudmouthed [bleep] with an anger problem.
Whilst he was an acerbic so-and-so I found his word to be good, and say what you will fellow...he was a man.
he might have missed his calling? he might have made a first=class Marine Corps DI?
in a different incarnation, he probably could have played the role?
Next to Greg - Marine Corps DI's are wimps!
Greg knew he had a standing invitation at my home- whenever he wanted to drop in. He quit attending the BPCR matches at Whittington several years ago,(which would have put him through my AO) because of his proximity to an illegal immigration route - didn't feel he could leave his place unprotected. (And he was probably correct)
he lived only a few miles from the san pedro river, a major narco people smuggling route, and probably six/seven miles or so from palominas and the international line. He had told me of hearing automatic weapons fire at night from the river, where people were hitting the drug shipments. One thing may be of interest to people, the clantons as in tombstone came from around hereford/palominas which greg lived on the edge of.
I don't log into here too much anymore, but was still shocked and saddened to read of Gregs passing. He also struck me as a true frontier man, as old school as they come. May he rest in peace.....
I'll offer a couple of more details, these from my recollection of interactions I had with Greg, with the disclaimer that my memory is far from perfect.
His dad owned one or more tramp steamers, and Greg went to sea with him at an early age, learning his way around seagoing vessels from stem to stern, and bridge. Whether he actually held or was eligible for an official license or ticket as a ship's officer I can't say. He also told me that at one time he was offered a Navy commission. He worked not only in Central America, but from what I recall from our conversations and the memorabilia he showed me, in some deep dark parts of South America as well. I also seem to recall that he learned or mastered the welding trade in the oil fields of SW Louisiana.
We shared an interest in single shot and black powder cartridge rifles, knew some of the same people and had both been screwed over by a certain individual. For reasons he never shared, he was not shooting actively or competing when I met him, but we did go the the local Sierra Vista range and shot our .22 single shots at little buffalo silhouettes at 200 yards. I got the impression that he had been instrumental in the development of the range, but later had a falling out with their establishment. No surprise, he was not one to compromise over matters of his principles. We had a good time, and he was gracious in complimenting my modest shooting skills and equipment.
He never did any major gun work for me, but he did overhaul a couple of parts, as well as the spindle on my ancient Buffalo drill press, sort of a family heirloom.
Thanks to those of you who have taken the initiative to gather info and tie up his affairs, so that he may be laid to rest in well-deserved peace.
Greg being an Oilfield toolpusher = PERFECT his type of personality must be a prerequisite for that job .
I had to laugh when I read it , Robert the Toolpusher I worked for was just like Greg , two peas in a pod personality wise [from what I've read here] . Robert served in vietnam also . When he would come up on the drill floor I'd holler down from the derrick HEY to the top of my lungs - he'd look up and I'd wave at him . He would just shake his head and give me a disgusted look and keep walking . Greg a toolpusher = perfect !!
Thank you for the great information about Greg. May he rest in peace.
Desert Rat surely hits on much of Greg's life, it seems. I had forgotten of Mr Murphy's great abilities even after seeing him at a small auditorium back in the 80's. I suspect his writings and songs were on Greg's favorites list. Wildfire is one of mine.
I am sorry for your loss. I wish I had met Greg, and am glad many of you knew Greg and befriended him. He sounds like a Man's Man, service to God and country greatly appreciated by myself. Greg's Bio sounds larger than life, many talents to share.
Your stories help fill in the blanks I had about Greg, I always enjoyed reading his posts, and I can now see the Marine in his words and attitude. I am sure Greg appreciated your friendship, and it seems you enjoyed his as well. A better friend is hard to come by.
May the sadness go swiftly, and the joy of knowing Greg replace the sadness.
You know that sense of awe you get when you watch a true master of a skill when they are totally immersed in their craft? Like watching and listening to the greatest guitarist or other musician?
Watching a master portrait or landscape artist create a picture you could step into, that you could almost hear the sounds and smell the odors in that picture?
Seeing them work as if they were a part of the tools they were wielding, seeing and hearing their creation come to life before your eyes?
That was what it was like standing in Greg's shop, watching him restore an old gun. Lathe, mill, files, grinder, saw, hammer, wrenches, screwdrivers, and vise, they all were a part of him, moving at his bidding, precision motions, nothing wasted, neither time, energy, nor materials.
He was extremely focused on the task, but still could talk about what he was doing, step-by-step, to a bystander, explaining in simple terms and clear enough to be understood, without ever losing that focus.
He was a simple and complex man, if that makes any sense. Living alone without being lonely.
I will miss him and his late night and early morning calls before and after the light has left, not forgetting his friends while working every minute unless the heat was too much.
I mourn now, and know that the loss will be less as time goes by, and look forward to seeing him again.
Ed; Good afternoon, I trust the day in your part of the world is slightly sunnier and/or warmer than here, but as they say, "into every life a little rain must fall".
I wanted to add my voice to those who've said thanks for filling in some of the parts of Greg's life of which I wasn't aware. You have a way with words and I appreciate you taking the time.
From what I knew of Greg, he'd approve.
Thanks again and all the best to you as we head into winter.
Crossfireoops/ Greg was a crusty old bastard but I liked having him here.:)
I didn't agree with everything he posted or the way he posted it, but I liked him and knew his point of view was based on truth and real life experience...
We both liked the same type of guns and saw the world much the same way.
I hope he went out in the manner HE wanted .
RIP .Greg..
PS - Ed thanks for filling out some of the details of Greg's life -much appreciated.
I'm posting this in Greg's memory as it prompted the first PM exchange I had with the man, which in my case, were all positive. Greg had started a thread "Songs of the Southwest" or something along that line. It went on for a while and I posted "El Paso" by Marty Robbins. Within minutes of posting it Greg PM'd me and thanked me. I told him it was one of my favorites and he said the same. Vaya con Dios Greg.
Edited to say thanks to Ed. I didn't know many of the things you posted about Greg. He was a remarkable man.
WOW!!!!!!! I can't believe he is gone. I always enjoyed his projects. He was smart and sharp as a tack. He was a man of honor. You will be missed Greg. RIP.
Bob, Greg would be tickled to know that you gave it to an up and coming young curmudgeon.
If you don't know one, perhaps you could mentor one. if you don't have one on tap, perhaps some of the runners-up of the Campfire Curmudgeon Contest such as TLee, curdog4570, ingwe, or Bristoe have a candidate they have coming along.
Very sad to hear this news... Cross seemed to be a man that was very adapt a reading his own moral compass bearings and sticking true to his course. A vanishing trait it seems now days. ... He will be missed but remembered often...RIP
To Greg's friends, I'm so very sorry for your loss. To Dan, and Ed, and the others that have gone so far beyond expectations, thank you very much. You are good men.
tt's taking me some time to digest all this. Obviously, I've read Greg's posts for well over a decade, but I never knew him. Perhaps he read some of mine, though I don't recall any specific interactions. Somehow, I have been part of the same virtual community, yet never became part of the real community it so obviously has created. That's giving me pause.
I've been gone for quite some time and I find this out. Greg helped me when I was teaching welding and machining several times. I miss him already. RIP, my friend. Thanks soooo much to others that have commented here about him..
Has it been discovered yet how he died? Or how his dog died? My thinking has been that he died of natural causes, and that his dog then died from dehydration. I hate to think of it, but I guess I'm hoping that the dog didn't die of dehydration, which is why I'm eager to know one way or another. Seems the most likely situation, though.
Has anyone here seen the dog yet? I know there's been talk of someone caring for the body.
Has it been discovered yet how he died? Or how his dog died? My thinking has been that he died of natural causes, and that his dog then died from dehydration. I hate to think of it, but I guess I'm hoping that the dog didn't die of dehydration, which is why I'm eager to know one way or another. Seems the most likely situation, though.
Has anyone here seen the dog yet? I know there's been talk of someone caring for the body.
The guy is dead.... this is like the billionth time you have asked this question in a different angle. You don't have a need to know for " closure" or whatever. The dudes on here dealing with their dead friend ain't even asked how he died either if you can fricking read and comprehend English from their post they have made. Gawd,,,,,, go file a freedom of information request with the county coroner if it's eating at ya this bad.
i am hopeful our good friend did not succumb to an armed invasion, especially from illegal aliens looking for resources, food, money, etc. i hope the dog transitioned peacefully, and not from bullet wounds from invaders, etc. i don't know what happened, and knowing won't bring either one of the individuals back. they're gone.
i don't have to "know" it aint required. but we all know an individual and his pet dog has left us, and left the scene.
Has it been discovered yet how he died? Or how his dog died? My thinking has been that he died of natural causes, and that his dog then died from dehydration. I hate to think of it, but I guess I'm hoping that the dog didn't die of dehydration, which is why I'm eager to know one way or another. Seems the most likely situation, though.
Has anyone here seen the dog yet? I know there's been talk of someone caring for the body.
The guy is dead.... this is like the billionth time you have asked this question in a different angle. You don't have a need to know for " closure" or whatever. The dudes on here dealing with their dead friend ain't even asked how he died either if you can fricking read and comprehend English from their post they have made. Gawd,,,,,, go file a freedom of information request with the county coroner if it's eating at ya this bad.
Well, I haven't read every single post in this thread, and if it had been stated, I would appreciate any info. I believe I've been respectful.
And if it is really bugging the heck outta ya TRH go grab a dictionary and look up the word DIGNITY...... A consenus word his friends dealing with their dead friends matters they might just be doing in this situation.
And if it is really bugging the heck outta ya TRH go grab a dictionary and look up the word DIGNITY...... A consenus word his friends dealing with their dead friends matters they might just be doing in this situation.
I won't participate in turning this into a pissing match. Sorry.
Unfortunately as stated here already we were not able to recover Gracie, while waiting for permission to access the property, the fiduciary who knew we wanted Gracie decided to dispose of her instead. I know this person needed the place sanitized to do their job... but damn it we were ready would have taken care of it.
Greg's ex has been contacted and given some possible name/names as to the nephew and possible sister in law, which have yet to pan out.
There are some real good guys here working on Greg's behalf, this will take time I'm sure. I'm relaying what I know as far as facts.
Examiner's report probably won't be out for weeks.
Unfortunately as stated here already we were not able to recover Gracie, while waiting for permission to access the property, the fiduciary who knew we wanted Gracie decided to dispose of her instead. I know this person needed the place sanitized to do their job... but damn it we were ready would have taken care of it.
Greg's ex has been contacted and given some possible name/names as to the nephew and possible sister in law, which have yet to pan out.
There are some real good guys here working on Greg's behalf, this will take time I'm sure. I'm relaying what I know as far as facts.
Examiner's report probably won't be out for weeks.
Unfortunately as stated here already we were not able to recover Gracie, while waiting for permission to access the property, the fiduciary who knew we wanted Gracie decided to dispose of her instead. I know this person needed the place sanitized to do their job... but damn it we were ready would have taken care of it.
Greg's ex has been contacted and given some possible name/names as to the nephew and possible sister in law, which have yet to pan out.
There are some real good guys here working on Greg's behalf, this will take time I'm sure. I'm relaying what I know as far as facts.
Examiner's report probably won't be out for weeks.
Kent
Thanks.
Yes, Ken. Thanks for being there for all of us as well as on Greg's behalf.
I have been ineffective as chit besides giving the examiner some small info and finding out the funeral home. Otherwise I've just been giving moral support to those in the trenches and basically useless. It's been a chithole week with two other disasters affecting me besides Greg's passing.
at this point, is it ok to suggest that someone be designated as the official "go-between" between us campfire members and the on the ground reality in arizona? just trying to offer a possible way to maintain a consistent flow of communication. is there a close-in volunteer that might take on this task? or maybe it's a less than good idea.
i am hopeful our good friend did not succumb to an armed invasion, especially from illegal aliens looking for resources, food, money, etc. i hope the dog transitioned peacefully, and not from bullet wounds from invaders, etc. i don't know what happened, and knowing won't bring either one of the individuals back. they're gone.
i don't have to "know" it aint required. but we all know an individual and his pet dog has left us, and left the scene.
I strongly suspect if that were what happened and Cross was at all physically able, there would be at least one or more other cadavers to be dealt with.
Sorry to hear of his passing. Sorry for all who knew him well. I had a few convo with him, he was always a gentleman with me but as we all know he did not put up with fools. He was one of the reasons I read this forum.
There is a message here for all of us with friends who are older or have heath issues.
Recently a pal, who has no internet and was always letting his cell phone go dead, was out of touch for 3 days. We talked every day. Got in the truck and went to his house. His dog was outside and barking up a storm. Nobody here locks doors, I went in and found him passed out in bed.
Called 911 and he was "life-flighted" to the hospital 80 miles away. He had advanced pneumonia (70 years old) and the Docs said in two days he would have died. Three weeks in hospital, three more with visiting nurse and he's OK.
I had never had a problem with Greg. Ever. Then one night he decided to attack me over something stupid. Before I replied on the open forum, I PM'd him to ask if he was serious and told him that I'm only questioning his chastising post via PM, because I respected him.
Then he got pretty nasty.
I got nasty back and the next day removed myself from the conversation.
We never did make it right and now I feel bad about that...
May he be at peace. After reading the first couple of pages can't help but to notice a lot of regret, not contacting him, not saying something meant to say, etc. Really reminds you that the time to share some friendship or kind words is now not later.
I really don't understand what everyone seems to think they are entitled in knowing,.
I've thought that from the get-go. And it's funny that the Real Browneye wants to know what Greg succumbed to. I can remember talking to Greg on the phone and hearing exactly what he thought of him. I guess that saying that he had a low opinion of him is being overly kind. Greg helped my late father with paper patch loads for his Sharps 45-120. Then told him that a 45-100 or 110,whatever Greg's latest boom stick was at the time, was as good, without the recoil. Was damned funny if you knew my Pop.
This news has hit me hard. My relationship with cross started in a thread on this very site. If my memory serves me correctly, he called me out as a troll and I immediately offered to drive down and meet him. He agreed and to SV I went. What a great first visit. We talked dogs, tractors, milling, gardening, hunting, the border, etc...
I have some pretty good stories of my visits...one involving a restaurant, I'm still not sure I'm allowed back into.
I visited him enough to consider him a friend. I loved his dogs. They would regularly kill all sorts of invaders at his place. I will miss that old girls smile. Having just lost my dog, I would gladly take on Nip but I believe that has been taken care of.
I will miss his wit and intelligence combined into replies. Usually, so crafting worded that no one knew the better.
RIP Greg. I will miss our visits nd communications.
I can remember talking to Greg on the phone and hearing exactly what he thought of him. I guess that saying that he had a low opinion of him is being overly kind.
Funny, because lots of people had the same opinion of the deceased.
I can remember talking to Greg on the phone and hearing exactly what he thought of him. I guess that saying that he had a low opinion of him is being overly kind.
Funny, because lots of people had the same opinion of the deceased.
Based on the responses here and my time on the 'Fire over the years I'd question "lots".
I'd guess I was insulted by Greg as much as anyone over the years, off and on.
I never did take it seriously but then I grew up with brothers and sisters. I have oft noticed over the years that only children are a WHOLE lot more thin-skinned than those that grew up in a rough and tumble household.
I can remember talking to Greg on the phone and hearing exactly what he thought of him. I guess that saying that he had a low opinion of him is being overly kind.
Funny, because lots of people had the same opinion of the deceased.
Based on the responses here and my time on the 'Fire over the years I'd question "lots".
I'd guess I was insulted by Greg as much as anyone over the years, off and on.
I never did take it seriously but then I grew up with brothers and sisters. I have oft noticed over the years that only children are a WHOLE lot more thin-skinned than those that grew up in a rough and tumble household.
Maybe the same thing applies on the 'Fire.
Question all you want. Go back in this very thread and see how many times the word curmudgeon was used. All that is is a nice way of saying the guy was an azzhole.
Back in the days of my alliance with Greg vs that 1960 guy, we were quite friendly over PMs, discussing strategies for dealing with him. I assume that some folks here turned him against me at some time after that (I have my suspicions as to who). He hit me pretty hard suddenly, after the death of 1960, on the open forums, and out of respect for what had been our friendly alliance previous to that, I PMed him about it, rather than confronting him on the open forums. He immediately apologized, and said he wasn't serious. But then it continued, and that was that. But regardless, I don't wish the death of, or even bad things for, anyone here. Quite the contrary.
i always thought that 1960 guy was a pretty good dude. a deputy sheriff in tenn. if memory serves? retired military? not sure. he was from oregon or some other far off place. what was the catalyst that set those two old dudes off against each other? i recall that hunter 60 was always wanting to get a welfare check on the dude from AZ. maybe he had an intuitive sense that was missed by the rank & file?
i always thought that 1960 guy was a pretty good dude. a deputy sheriff in tenn. if memory serves? retired military? not sure. he was from oregon or some other far off place. what was the catalyst that set those two old dudes off against each other? i recall that hunter 60 was always wanting to get a welfare check on the dude from AZ. maybe he had an intuitive sense that was missed by the rank & file?
Oh please. 1960 told me he was going to arrange for a SWAT raid of my home. Rick immediately confronted him on the open forums about it, and he backed down with such talk. That was the sort of thing he threatened for Greg also. 1960 was a loose cannon that should never have been issued a badge, and Greg was right to give him a hard time.
i always thought that 1960 guy was a pretty good dude. a deputy sheriff in tenn. if memory serves? retired military? not sure. he was from oregon or some other far off place. what was the catalyst that set those two old dudes off against each other? i recall that hunter 60 was always wanting to get a welfare check on the dude from AZ. maybe he had an intuitive sense that was missed by the rank & file?
Oh please. 1960 told me he was going to arrange for a SWAT raid of my home. Rick immediately confronted him on the open forums about it, and he backed down with such talk. That was the sort of thing he threatened for Greg also. 1960 was a loose cannon that should never have been issued a badge, and Greg was right to give him a hard time.
i don't seem to recall any of that high adventure. i do remember hunter & AZ (crossfireoops) dueling about cross needing a local courtesy check by the sheriff's dept for his own well-being & safety. but, just how often is a local courtesy check cost effective??
i don't seem to recall any of that high adventure. i do remember hunter & AZ (crossfireoops) dueling about cross needing a local courtesy check by the sheriff's dept for his own well-being & safety. but, just how often is a local courtesy check cost effective??
No, Greg and I often discussed 1960 via PMs, and I got from him that 1960 was making serious threats to abuse his police access in such a way as to intentionally cause Greg trouble with local authorities.
I assume that some folks here turned him against me at some time after that (I have my suspicions as to who).
Dude,you really are a loon. Greg was his own man,he didn't need any help with knowing what you are. Turned him against you? You are really paranoid Chris. I liked him. He was very good at something that most folks cant grasp. He could laugh at himself. He didn't take as much seriously as alot of folks thought he did. His habit of stating a fact then following it up with...."what", was typical. His BPCR knowledge was vast. I wish I had some of the bullet lube he concocted. He also could be very descriptive. He tried to tell me how to make my bone structure as as ridged as possible while holding my big assed Sharps. Adjusting my windage by moving my feet. I just wish I could have shot with him. I'm pretty sure he would be content with those who didn't like him. I know that there's a whole bunch of us that will miss him....What?
I can remember talking to Greg on the phone and hearing exactly what he thought of him. I guess that saying that he had a low opinion of him is being overly kind.
Funny, because lots of people had the same opinion of the deceased.
Based on the responses here and my time on the 'Fire over the years I'd question "lots".
I'd guess I was insulted by Greg as much as anyone over the years, off and on.
I never did take it seriously but then I grew up with brothers and sisters. I have oft noticed over the years that only children are a WHOLE lot more thin-skinned than those that grew up in a rough and tumble household.
Maybe the same thing applies on the 'Fire.
I'm sure you heard the Cam Newton deal where he said it was cute that a female reporter asked him about pass routes. The reporter unwittingly validated Newton by stating she was "dismayed" by what he said thus reaffirming her chickness to the male world. She should have said 'suck my dlck' and the world would have given her a medal.
The fact that some here are...dismayed...over Greg's style speaks volumes.
No,you are disrespectful and wanted to be heard. Does it cross your mind that maybe nobody wants to hear what you have to say? Especially when it concerns a friend who has recently passed? Your best option is to back away silently.
No,you are disrespectful and wanted to be heard. Does it cross your mind that maybe nobody wants to hear what you have to say? Especially when it concerns a friend who has recently passed? Your best option is to back away silently.
Does it cross your mind that I don't give a fugg what you or others want to hear? If you can't deal with your friend being an azzhole, that's your problem not mine.
i always thought that 1960 guy was a pretty good dude. a deputy sheriff in tenn. if memory serves? retired military? not sure. he was from oregon or some other far off place. what was the catalyst that set those two old dudes off against each other? i recall that hunter 60 was always wanting to get a welfare check on the dude from AZ. maybe he had an intuitive sense that was missed by the rank & file?
Oh please. 1960 told me he was going to arrange for a SWAT raid of my home. Rick immediately confronted him on the open forums about it, and he backed down with such talk. That was the sort of thing he threatened for Greg also. 1960 was a loose cannon that should never have been issued a badge, and Greg was right to give him a hard time.
No,you are disrespectful and wanted to be heard. Does it cross your mind that maybe nobody wants to hear what you have to say? Especially when it concerns a friend who has recently passed? Your best option is to back away silently.
Does it cross your mind that I don't give a fugg what you or others want to hear? If you can't deal with your friend being an azzhole, that's your problem not mine.
His friend is deceased and cannot respond to your attacks. Do you have a decent bone in your body you [bleep] piece of [bleep]?
I'll just say that I enjoyed Greg's hospitality, his photo albums, the books that he gave me, the phone calls, and our extended visits over a cup or three of coffee when I had reason to be in Sierra Vista. He loved my wife's diatribes in The American Thinker and never failed to call and give her a verbal pat on the back. He was the first to call when our good friend Rob Krentz was murdered.
No,you are disrespectful and wanted to be heard. Does it cross your mind that maybe nobody wants to hear what you have to say? Especially when it concerns a friend who has recently passed? Your best option is to back away silently.
Does it cross your mind that I don't give a fugg what you or others want to hear? If you can't deal with your friend being an azzhole, that's your problem not mine.
His friend is deceased and cannot respond to your attacks. Do you have a decent bone in your body you [bleep] piece of [bleep]?
Lighten up, I'd be pissed too if I worked my whole life just so I could move to Oregon...
I do not know what transpired. They were found inside his home. My guess is they will send his remains to the medical examiner to determine COD. Other than informing me of his passing, no specific information was provided by the deputy that called following my request for a wellness check. In truth I did not want to know and did not ask. I will remember him as he is in the picture, with a gun he restored in my behalf.
My last communication with him was on 9-23 via email and by phone a few days prior when he called to inquire how we fared with H. Irma. He mentioned that he had been having a bout of back pain, but otherwise seemed normal in all regards.
I'm fairly hardened to such things, but this one hits kind of close to home. He had done a fair bit of gun work for me in days gone by and provided guidance on the topic many times. To hear him speak of better days he came from many lands and lived life to the fullest. From his days on board the sea going ships with his father, to Canada and other points of the compass. He lived as some only dream of and he has my undying respect.
Dan
I am sorry to hear this...but I'm glad with whatever transpired, that he is with Gracie...
JHC! I just got home from a trip to IL. ANY details yet? I will miss him sorely he was a real mans man.
Damnit all to hell what a loss.
It seems so unusual to open onto this forum and not have a forum reply or message from Greg. He'd bust my chops often, and he was usually right. He was a bit unique. He would bust you down but still be a friend. He never took things personally.
Question all you want. Go back in this very thread and see how many times the word curmudgeon was used. All that is is a nice way of saying the guy was an azzhole.
While Greg could be an azzhole - he would readily admit to it. (Unlike many here!)
(I've used the self-description of "old curmudgeon" for many years on another site! Does that make me an azzhole?)
I'll just say that I enjoyed Greg's hospitality, his photo albums, the books that he gave me, the phone calls, and our extended visits over a cup or three of coffee when I had reason to be in Sierra Vista. He loved my wife's diatribes in The American Thinker and never failed to call and give her a verbal pat on the back. He was the first to call when our good friend Rob Krentz was murdered.
YMMV.
I took a moment to read up on the Rob Krentz murder. Every ranchers nightmare who lives close to the border.
Guys, out of respect for Greg, please refrain from responding to, and especially, quoting Squirrelnut.
Anyone who would do what he is doing is not worthy of replies nor any attention.
Thank you,
Ed
I don't say very much of late. Seems like the place has filled up with a bunch of loudmouth know nothings. I do however use the "ignore feature quite often. He just joined those in the coral.
Doubt there will be more like him.... One of my favorites and still hurting here so some of ya'll can go.... Nevermind, it's implied and ya'll know better. RIP Crossfireoops!
Loosing men like Greg also means loosing a wealth of knowledge and ability that is getting damn near impossible to replace. As the old country song says, "who's gonna fill their shoes"? I never spoke to Greg personally but did PM from time to time, and he helped me out on several occasions when I needed the type of advice that he was so well suited to provide.
I suspect the man had his demons, as we all do, but despite that he was a productive and respected member of society which is a damn sight more than can be said for a lot of people. I'll miss his posts here, both the knowledge and the wit that he could display when the mood took him, and know that we are diminished by his loss.
I've used the self-description of "old curmudgeon" for many years on another site! Does that make me an azzhole?
No, Mark, it doesn't - but there are other things you could try.
How is Joy doing? Been thinking about both of you.
Many times SHE thinks I am! She got a rash about 3 days before the 2nd surgery - they did it anyway. She's a little beat down, but doing well all-in-all. Thanks to you and Maddy for the flowers - that was a very nice thing!
I had never had a problem with Greg. Ever. Then one night he decided to attack me over something stupid. Before I replied on the open forum, I PM'd him to ask if he was serious and told him that I'm only questioning his chastising post via PM, because I respected him.
Then he got pretty nasty.
I got nasty back and the next day removed myself from the conversation.
We never did make it right and now I feel bad about that...
RIP Cross.
Rooster, I understand your sentiments, however, my understanding of Greg & the situation is that "you would have been good to go", to the next battle/issue/conversation the following day. No ongoing grudges held !
Greg and I talked about falling block's and rolling blocks. He did a beautiful job of converting a stock to fit a Favorite I was building. Bristoe readily donated a tool he needed to complete the job. I sent him some odds and ends now an then as I was giving up my 'smithing doings as my hands got too bad to keep up.He sent me a book (Old Wolfville) he traded some black powder for cases of and we often referred to it in posts.
Greg will be seriously missed by me like many of the others here that have passed on.
Keep shooting the big BP boomers Sir, keep the Angels on their toes.
I did not know Cross.....and I doesn't matter to me one way or another how he met his demise.
If we find out fine...if not fine....its none of my business.
I do have lots of people close to me that I would care to know how or why they died. I reckon there are only a few ways to die that are not preventable.
Its too late for the ones that are gone, but maybe we can learn from them and try to help the folks we know that are living. Sometimes its easier not knowing of course.
Greg and Gracie both screams foul play to my cop instincts. Those same instincts would like to know ho such a man met his maker. I will keep an eye on the Sierra Vista paper.
I can't say that I care and I certainly don't feel entitled to know, but one dog dead and the other not, makes me curious just because it's my nature to be curious.
It doesn't matter how he went. My uncle was a pool of liquid when they found him alone in his cabin. Still not curious as to how, doesn't matter, even tho it might have even been foul play by the bitch he willed everything to. Wouldn't let the family in even for important papers or photos. And immediately sold off everything.
Once a person is gone it's best for those close to him to get their closure, the struggles are over.
It doesn't matter how he went. My uncle was a pool of liquid when they found him alone in his cabin. Still not curious as to how, doesn't matter, even tho it might have even been foul play by the bitch he willed everything to. Wouldn't let the family in even for important papers or photos. And immediately sold off everything.
Once a person is gone it's best for those close to him to get their closure, the struggles are over.
Since when is being an azzhole a bad thing? The older you get the more of an azzhole you should become. That is nature gentlemen. After all, they have to suffer the stupidity of the young a million times over.
In my mind Greg went out with his boots on...Even if he did not have them on I believe I his dying act would be to try to put em on to be ready for the trip. I will never be convinced otherwise...
In my mind Greg went out with his boots on...Even if he did not have them on I believe I his dying act would be to try to put em on to be ready for the trip. I will never be convinced otherwise...
I never had any correspondence of any kind with Greg, but did enjoyed reading most of what he posted. It was obvious he was fairly opinionated but I recon any man with his amount of experience deserves that right.
To all who knew him personally, I am truly sorry for your loss. From all descriptions from you, it appears he was definitely a man to "ride the river with". It is tough to lose such people as there just aren't enough of them to begin with.
I know somewhat of how you feel as our own muledeer, aka Dennis Neill, was someone who I considered a friend and miss him now that he has left us. Hopefully good times spent with Greg, whether in person or through other correspondence, will help ease the pain of your loss.
Greg and I talked about falling block's and rolling blocks. He did a beautiful job of converting a stock to fit a Favorite I was building. Bristoe readily donated a tool he needed to complete the job. I sent him some odds and ends now an then as I was giving up my 'smithing doings as my hands got too bad to keep up.He sent me a book (Old Wolfville) he traded some black powder for cases of and we often referred to it in posts.
Greg will be seriously missed by me like many of the others here that have passed on.
Keep shooting the big BP boomers Sir, keep the Angels on their toes.
He sent me a copy of Old Wolfville also. And... as you mentioned... he would refer to it now and again to make a point.
I kinda think he’s looking down and getting a kick out of how this thread about his passing has outed so many worthless priiicks.
any word on services, funeral arrangements, if i can get away i'd make the road trip.
No word yet stx, as the local officials need some time to seek Greg's relatives. If any of those step up in time and decide to have some sort of event, guys in the SW are doing their best to know that and, in addition to trying to be present, certainly would post the date/location here.
If no relatives step forward, it appears that the SW guys are first in line to deal with Greg's remains and conduct proper honors. In that case, it surely would be noticed here. If not before, quite likely there would be some special activity during the winter gathering in Tonto Basin (usually Feb.). The lead guys for that meet are in AZ (Kent, Dennis, etc.).
Just occurred to me - I need to re-read "Old Wolfville" and still have a part bottle of Alpen Wolfe he gave me at the last Sierra Vista shindig! I believe a toast is in order!
My name is Greg. My wife, Cathy, and I were local friends of Greg Cameron. I helped Greg set up The Rusty Iron for, and met some of you at, the Campfire get together he hosted several years back.
I was not aware of Greg's passing until last Thursday night, when I received an email from a mutual friend asking if I knew what was going on. Having not seen the Campfire thread about Greg, Cathy and I went to his home yesterday AM to get some answers, hoping he would be in his shop sportin that wonderful chit eatin grin when he saw us. We ended up speaking with one of his neighbors that Greg had introduced me to early in our friendship. Unfortunately, he confirmed what y'all already knew.
I read the entire thread last night. The vast majority of Y'all are great folks.
Ed, Thanks for doing the bio about Greg; thoughtful and very well written. I'd like to add a couple of things:
I recall Greg, or maybe it was his mother, mentioning a sister? His neighbor said he thought she lived in Utah.
His mothers name was Virginia; a grand lady. Cathy enjoyed going to Greg's and visiting with her. Like her son, she was active and sharp as a tack; without the "outch"
Greg told me his legs got screwed up in a logging truck accident while he was in Alberta. As I recall, it had something to do with two trucks trying to occupy the same piece of real estate.
I met Greg 10 or 11 years back at the SVSR. He had just finished a rifle match and moseyed over to where we had just finished a IDPA-like shoot. After shootin the breeze for a spell, found we were both machinist. Greg invited me over to his place. "The Iron" So, after getting the grand tour, we're shootin the chit in his office, chasing some pretty fair whiskey with brews. All of the sudden, he jumps on my case. I don't recall the details but I was quite agitated. I'm headed out the door and he says where ya goin? I tell him I got 3 choices: leave, stay and get disrespected, or make a fence post outta him. He says at least stay to finish my brew. I made the right choice; been friends ever since. Spent a lot of time at his place the next 5-6 years and less often after that. No issues between us. Just other things needing attention.
Simple fact of the matter is, you couldn't be Greg's friend and be thin skinned.
Greg had asked me to look after Gracie, way back when? I know she didn't make it through this. I called the shelter where Nip is at, and found some good folks from Tucson have that covered. THANKS! If that doesn't pan out we got it.
Missing my fellow Border Rat.
GAC
If you want to post this please do so, but only share my contact info with those handling Greg's affairs and those that were at his Campfire get together.
I've been out of state for work the last couple weeks and just found this, I'm at a loss for words.
Greg was a character for sure, and also one of the most intelligent and talented guys I've ever known. We first met at the SV range where he and a customer were test firing a Hepburn he'd recently finished and I wandered over to take a look. Strangely enough, like others here I'd been thinking that I should give him a call recently. He could be pretty hilarious, if you never saw his Canadian Mountie impression, you really missed out.
How about a motivating tidbit from the past. It is like he never left...
Originally Posted by crossfireoops
I could be living in a cardboard box behind a dumpster and have more class in my morning stool than you've ever, or ever will have.
Lemme repeat something, if you ever repeated what you said here about my Mom (someone that a LOT of the members here knew, as well) to my face, I'd cut your tongue out, and feed it to the Coyotes.
How about a motivating tidbit from the past. It is like he never left...
Originally Posted by crossfireoops
I could be living in a cardboard box behind a dumpster and have more class in my morning stool than you've ever, or ever will have.
Lemme repeat something, if you ever repeated what you said here about my Mom (someone that a LOT of the members here knew, as well) to my face, I'd cut your tongue out, and feed it to the Coyotes.
GTC
Ha! Classic CFO material. A few months back I sent Greg and DD some prose I knew they'd both enjoy and appreciate, which they did. In that same correspondence I invited them both to come here and be my guests for as short or as long as they liked, with as much fishing and whiskey and fresh seafood they could stand. Both thanked me for the offer and stated that timing for this summer past wouldn't work but that they'd both revisit the invitation in the future. I am most saddened that the visit never came to be. DD, open offer stands to you.
Of the countless gem quality CFO responses, one in particular stands above them all in my mind. Some fool had made a disparaging remark combined with a loose threat directed at Greg's beloved Gracie after Greg posted a pic of her. Greg was on the guy like Gracie on a crippled roadrunner and said something like, 'I'll PM you my address, mister, and will make it a point to be waiting for your arrival should your actions actually back up your cowardly words, but know this: if you get here and even so much as LOOK at my dog in a threatening manner, so help me I'll burn you *alive*. Look for PM"
Greg and I talked about falling block's and rolling blocks. He did a beautiful job of converting a stock to fit a Favorite I was building. Bristoe readily donated a tool he needed to complete the job. I sent him some odds and ends now an then as I was giving up my 'smithing doings as my hands got too bad to keep up.He sent me a book (Old Wolfville) he traded some black powder for cases of and we often referred to it in posts.
Greg will be seriously missed by me like many of the others here that have passed on.
Keep shooting the big BP boomers Sir, keep the Angels on their toes.
He sent me a copy of Old Wolfville also. And... as you mentioned... he would refer to it now and again to make a point.
I kinda think he’s looking down and getting a kick out of how this thread about his passing has outed so many worthless priiicks.
I too received a copy of Old Wolfville from Greg a few years back. Gotta look it up... it's somewhere in my bookshelves.
That picture always made me happy. His Mom tenderly holding her “little boys’” hand and both beaming with pride at having lunch with the most important person in each others’ life. I’m sure they had one hell of a reunion here recently.
Cross kindly gifted me with a copy of "Old Wolfville" with a beautiful inscription written in it. After I read it I placed it on my bedside table and it has been there ever since, other than to read it again, I am thinking it is going to stay there, as reminder of a great man, a good man, and a dear friend, who never passed judgement on me, and who according to him, "liked me just the way I am".
I don't think my heart will ever stop hurting, he was rare, and life is not as sweet without him.
Miss Lynn, I always got a kick out of somebody making a comment or snarky remark to you and by the time I counted to 10 Crossfire was reading them the riot act. It was obvious to this observer that you held a special place in Greg’s heart just as he does in yours.
Miss Lynn, I always got a kick out of somebody making a comment or snarky remark to you and by the time I counted to 10 Crossfire was reading them the riot act. It was obvious to this observer that you held a special place in Greg’s heart just as he does in yours.
Thank you for the kind words.
I adored Cross more and more every time he took another of the troupe of idiots down, those who somehow convinced themselves that I was fair game, and that crapping on me made them men. Not a one of them could ever walk in his shoes.
In the end, if I were to draw a blueprint of a true and loyal friend, with all that I have learned in this last 56 years, that portrait would be of Cross.
When I read about Cross's passing one of the first thoughts I had was of you, I know you and Greg were very close, I'm very sorry you lost your friend Lynn, I know he will live on in your heart forever.
Miss Lynn, I always got a kick out of somebody making a comment or snarky remark to you and by the time I counted to 10 Crossfire was reading them the riot act. It was obvious to this observer that you held a special place in Greg’s heart just as he does in yours.
Thank you for the kind words.
I adored Cross more and more every time he took another of the troupe of idiots down, those who somehow convinced themselves that I was fair game, and that crapping on me made them men. Not a one of them could ever walk in his shoes.
In the end, if I were to draw a blueprint of a true and loyal friend, with all that I have learned in this last 56 years, that portrait would be of Cross.
Miss Lynn, I always got a kick out of somebody making a comment or snarky remark to you and by the time I counted to 10 Crossfire was reading them the riot act. It was obvious to this observer that you held a special place in Greg’s heart just as he does in yours.
Thank you for the kind words.
I adored Cross more and more every time he took another of the troupe of idiots down, those who somehow convinced themselves that I was fair game, and that crapping on me made them men. Not a one of them could ever walk in his shoes.
In the end, if I were to draw a blueprint of a true and loyal friend, with all that I have learned in this last 56 years, that portrait would be of Cross.
Lynn
I reckon that at some point he figured it out that your and my banter back and forth was all in good fun. Wonder his thought on one subject[i feel certain that 'over the top' would be his choice]. wink
Sorry for your and everyone elses loss of such a great friend. RIP GTC
Been hunting steady. And just saw this. Although I never met the man. I've always respected a man that wouldn't hesitate to tell ya where the bear chit in the buckwheat. OOPS was that kind of man. Really not hard to recognize when ya know what to look for. RIP
Those with “professional bent” were just engaging in speculation. The circumstances around Greg’s death are not at all uncommon.
Nor is the lack of official disclosures at this point uncommon.
Old guys who live alone are often not found for several days after their deaths and sorting out the next of kin is important and time consuming.
Exactly this, and as one of the people involved with this locally I can say there aren't answers yet. There may not ever be answers either. I don't want to be blunt but Greg died in his home with Gracie and was not found for some time... until the medical examiner can say anything there is nothing to say. They may not even be able to determine or disclose a cause of death. I am sorry to say that.
Greg was a friend. All of us that are involved are doing our damnedest to do right by Greg. Period.
I feel an incredibly empty void when friends die. Greg was an internet friend that I conversed with. I turned 57 a few days ago. My dad died at 58 and I feel the impending mortality.
Rest in peace Greg. A prayer to you and the people that loved you.
Timber Creek ! I was there on highway 11 at the end of August this year doing bridge work. Greg was a great help to me when I needed to weld a cast iron wood stove fire box a while ago. His advise was right on. He was nothing but kind and helpful. I appreciated it and told him so.
- - - - - - Greg was a friend. All of us that are involved are doing our damnedest to do right by Greg. Period.
Thomas, thanks for posting that excellent reminder to the crowd. Those who immediately went to work on 10/18 on Greg's behalf, particularly some in the SW who stayed on the matter hard until all local issues had been addressed and potential actions explored, will do their best to follow through for Greg in the best possible ways. That is a given. Yes, due to proximity and local interactions, some of us know things others don't. Yes, due to respect for our friend, none of us are feeding non-essential info to the curious. Period. Kindly try to desist.
As I was quoted, simply RIP Greg. If something was the cause of his passing by another's hand, then that needs dealt with. If it was the sky chiefs will, then so be it. I feel no need to get the scoop as simply a person that I had interaction with has passed and feel that only respect and proper dignity is the proper decorum
You guys have a lot of class. He would have been pleased.I wish I had stopped by when I could. But that might make this even harder. The World does not have enough good men.
Greg Cameron's relatives have been located and are taking care of burial and other arrangements. They have voiced sincere interest that Greg's Campfire friends be included in such considerations and will inform us about date/time/place of any such event(s), once decided.
That picture always made me happy. His Mom tenderly holding her “little boys’” hand and both beaming with pride at having lunch with the most important person in each others’ life. I’m sure they had one hell of a reunion here recently.
+1 tells me a lot about the man , and I could not have phrased it any better. Even though he was a grown man he was still her "little boy"
Greg Cameron's relatives have been located and are taking care of burial and other arrangements. They have voiced sincere interest that Greg's Campfire friends be included in such considerations and will inform us about date/time/place of any such event(s), once decided.
Greg Cameron's relatives have been located and are taking care of burial and other arrangements. They have voiced sincere interest that Greg's Campfire friends be included in such considerations and will inform us about date/time/place of any such event(s), once decided.
Like a good percentage of those on here, I never met Mr. Cameron but I did enjoy his comments. From reading the eloquently penned tribute by Ed and the other tributes expressed, I can envision him as being a whole lot like the man named Hub and portrayed by Robert Duvall in Secondhand Lions. RIP sir and Gracie.
had a dream last night him and i were sharing a little of my shine.
We should do a road trip to the next Tonto gathering, Roger. I went two years ago. A great trip.
Ed get a hold of Doc, if he can, he plans on flying, weather permitting and might have his new plane by then. Flying or driving the three of us could go up together.
had a dream last night him and i were sharing a little of my shine.
We should do a road trip to the next Tonto gathering, Roger. I went two years ago. A great trip.
Ed get a hold of Doc, if he can, he plans on flying, weather permitting and might have his new plane by then. Flying or driving the three of us could go up together.
Careful guys, that would be too cool. There are a lot more good Campfire men I would like to meet. I invited myself to the last one but work cancelled my days off.
Well I knew at some point I had communicated with Crossfire, here is part of what we covered, makes me wonder what happened to ken's info. he was compiling
You wrote:
"Quote: Would have been nice to know he had been taken to the hospital and was that close to the end"
It was a VERY conscious decision, made by a LOT of Ken's close friends NOT to tell the general population of Campfire denizens about the reaper's obviously final approach.
Look at the chit that some azzwhole's already put up, and get ready for a whole herd of other trash turning up to generally sling chit, and demean the man. Frankly, we were just not up for it.
I've got a compendium of his unpublished writings, and per his final wishes, will be compiling them, ....this WILL take some time. If you want to get ahold of em' lemme know, I'd be glad to fire em' North.
I would be VERY interested in Ken's musings, also. He, like Greg was a very entertaining, educated, and interesting man. I first met many 'fire members, including Ken, at Greg's "ranchito"
Most of Ken's writings he didn't publish he put on here at some time or another. He gave many of us unpublished religious writings in a memory stick form, I believe I've seen them here also, it may be quite a search to find them though.
Though he may also have given Greg some technical writings, I know he granted permission to the publisher to republish his Blue book with no royalties to himself.
If I could write at all I'd write the novel he wanted, Hr explained it in detail for hours on some late night talks, in the old West, a real life event he was told about from his cowboy mentor who lived in that history... but I'm not a writer.
Mark, I regularly encouraged Ken to organize, codify and lodge his many writings - on many topics - on the the Campfire and anywhere else that would enable folks to find them easily. I requested a copy of the whole thing. He was an outstanding writer whose work should have been shared widely, but in those last years he seemed to have other things in the front of his mind and the project never took full flight. But, he was good in sharing various of his writings with many people - quite a few of them here on the Campfire - and quite a number of things might be gathered up from these folks. I do have one or two pieces he wrote - about how to write.
Partsman - there is more than a bit of myth in some of those explanations why people did not know of Ken Howell's hospitalization and last days. Well before he died, he had withdrawn - firmly - from any communication related to the Campfire. The timing of his burn incident and hospitalization during a holiday period inhibited the flow of news. I was 2,000 miles from here when it happened. It was difficult to get good info, but we managed to connect via Campfire PMs and some did get to visit him in the hospital in Albuquerque. When I got to him, he was in very serious pain from the burns and had been in threat of death since being flown there. Although he hung on for quite a while, our interaction indicated that his will had been greatly diminished. In the little communication we managed, he made known his wish that his situation was not for broadcast. There was no plot to exclude info from here or anywhere else. Due to noted circumstances, only a few knew about it and folks simply honored Ken's earlier decision to withdraw from the Campfire.
I never met or corresponded with Crossfireoops, but I learned from and thoroughly enjoyed his individual posts and his illustrated threads on using, repairing, and rebuilding black powder arms, whether the arm used loose components or fixed ammunition. I learned about his death today: I can't write anything that hasn't been better written by others before I got the unwelcome news. The best I can do is to imagine Pope, Freund, Brockway and others meeting him at the Pearly Gates to register him for a 200 meter "stand on your hind legs and shoot like a man" match a day or three after his arrival. May he rest in peace.
Mad Trapper of Rat River I have just spent 3 hours reading this thread, I have not been on a lot in the last 6 months and year and a half since my wife's passing ,was supprised and dishartened at Greg's passing ,. thanks to DD and ED ,Magnum, and others for their help and responce. As has been said many of us on here are of that age bracket where things happen and we pass on. To be remembered as he is being is an honor to his life, knowledge and persona,RIP Greg.
depending on my health and treatments I may be able to show up in late Feb.
Most of Ken's writings he didn't publish he put on here at some time or another. He gave many of us unpublished religious writings in a memory stick form, I believe I've seen them here also, it may be quite a search to find them though.
Though he may also have given Greg some technical writings, I know he granted permission to the publisher to republish his Blue book with no royalties to himself.
If I could write at all I'd write the novel he wanted, Hr explained it in detail for hours on some late night talks, in the old West, a real life event he was told about from his cowboy mentor who lived in that history... but I'm not a writer.
Aw Crud...... Cross I was just looking you up for another quick chat..... Sorry I missed this thread..... I was super busy the last few months...... It wasn't that I didn't care.... I was just busy...... dagnabbit...... well I'm opening up that restaurant I mentioned to you.... keep an eye on us if you can..... 😔 Definitely an irreplaceable one of a kind..... Yep you were a diamond...
The SW gang and some good guys from afar will be remembering Greg in a special way during the gathering at Tonto Basin in late February. All are welcomed.
Greg gave some of the best advice ever conerning firearm ownership, after having been robbed and losing all my guns. He told me, "It's okay to discuss rifles, cartridges, and the like, just don't ever post what you own because sinister opportunists are watching and waiting for that chance to make your life hell."
Greg's remaining family was found by the authorities through efforts by members here chasing down rumors and leads.Once that family was contacted the remaining worldly issues of Greg's are someone else's responsibility.
Since the initial contact with the remaining family when they expressed good intentions of involving his friends with a service and such, no other contact attempts have been returned. I'm sure it was a lot more work and involvement than they were prepared for. We will not attempt contact again.
We don't need strangers supplying us with an orbit or service, we were his friends, we were the ones that knew the man, we are his legacy and will be his memorial service.
Damn!... I haven't come in here much in the past several months, but I did yesterday and found this, was shocked, and sat down and read all 75 pages. I don't know what to say. I'll miss Greg's posts: the salt, the wit, and the wisdom. And he was a dog man, made 'em part of his family. His vision and craftsmanship amazed me at times. The new hood assembly that he built out of an old water heater tank for his Kubota tractor was pure genius. He was a hell of a man and one of the good guys in the Campfire that I hoped to be able to meet someday.
Digital Dan, CCCC, Kent, and the others that have grabbed the bull by the horns and done the right things for Greg and Gracie, my hat's off to all of y'all. Every man should hope to have friends like y'all.
Since Greg left a short while ago, we also have said goodbye to Bigbuck, ThomasMagnum and mudhen. It looks as though the originators of this most enjoyable SW Campfire outfit are thinning. So Darby, Dennis, Kent, Mark, Ron - maybe we need to bring in some solid local youngsters for the sake of posterity.
Since Greg left a short while ago, we also have said goodbye to Bigbuck, ThomasMagnum and mudhen. It looks as though the originators of this most enjoyable SW Campfire outfit are thinning. So Darby, Dennis, Kent, Mark, Ron - maybe we need to bring in some solid local youngsters for the sake of posterity.
Gilbert16 is off to a good start. Just give him time. He has an excellent mentor.
Ben's passing last week has been another hard hit.
Tom's passing may have been the hardest, he was the person I knew in person the longest, back from the coues whitetail forum days.
Ken Howell Ivan (bigbuck215) Greg Tom Ben
And it all get's convoluted...
Life is convoluted... the good and bad with all relationships. unintended consequences.
I have to tell this. it's bugged me for some time.
After Greg passed his other dog Nip was taken by animal control in Tombstone, a member here wanted to take it so Tom went down with his family and adopted the dog to hold for delivery. When they took it home the kids came home from school finding one of their family dogs dead and the other ran out from hiding and Nip killed it in front of them. Tom called me devastated and I went over and took the dog.
At first the plan was to take it to animal control in the morning, I did but they didn't open till noon. My 2 year old grandson was coming over for daycare, I was already hesitant to have that dog rehomed to unsuspecting prospects, I wasn't risking my grandson... the dog was fine with me but an obvious danger... I took it and put it down.
I really cared for Greg and really cared for Tom.... sometimes caring for others has a cost that pushes the limit.
I apologize if it seems I've pulled away from people I care for lately, and not embraced new people, the price of loss is sometimes high.
Ben's passing last week has been another hard hit.
Tom's passing may have been the hardest, he was the person I knew in person the longest, back from the coues whitetail forum days.
Ken Howell Ivan (bigbuck215) Greg Tom Ben
And it all get's convoluted...
Life is convoluted... the good and bad with all relationships. unintended consequences.
I have to tell this. it's bugged me for some time.
After Greg passed his other dog Nip was taken by animal control in Tombstone, a member here wanted to take it so Tom went down with his family and adopted the dog to hold for delivery. When they took it home the kids came home from school finding one of their family dogs dead and the other ran out from hiding and Nip killed it in front of them. Tom called me devastated and I went over and took the dog.
At first the plan was to take it to animal control in the morning, I did but they didn't open till noon. My 2 year old grandson was coming over for daycare, I was already hesitant to have that dog rehomed to unsuspecting prospects, I wasn't risking my grandson... the dog was fine with me but an obvious danger... I took it and put it down.
I really cared for Greg and really cared for Tom.... sometimes caring for others has a cost that pushes the limit.
I apologize if it seems I've pulled away from people I care for lately, and not embraced new people, the price of loss is sometimes high.
kent
well being aware pretty much of the whole story, i don't know you had much choice other than to do what needed to be done. you should not have any issues with doing that. I would have done the same. I have often thought it wasn't nip's fault really given the circumsances of his life, but nevertheless, had to be done. I can somewhat understand it but unacceptable risk.
Rest in peace. All has been said before about a straight up good guy. I still would like to know the way Greg left us. PM me if you know. Be Well Guys. RZ.
The resurfacing of this thread has stirred memories of some moments and events that were - well - quite saddening, challenging and frustrating, especially during the initial period after Greg left. It was not an easy go. What to do, how to do it, whom to contact, what to say, what to keep to ourselves?
As three or four guys in this SW group stepped up and cooperated in quiet but very significant ways, we learned some life lessons - about others on the Campfire and about ourselves - some rewarding and others we could have done without. We gained enhanced understanding and, in some cases, appreciation for one another as local guys who became connected through the Campfire.
Our semi-annual SW gatherings have been blessings in many ways - have brought to us some outstanding men (and some families) who travel from from far and wide to share lives and experiences. As we experience one another at those times, we learn a lot about the variables in human nature - enables us to more appreciate the deep goodness in others and keep distance from some aspects not so rewarding.That has been about the best of the outcomes and that helps work through the rough times.
Thus, my wish that we can make ways to perpetuate this particular effort down here in the SW - for those coming after.
Rest in peace. All has been said before about a straight up good guy. I still would like to know the way Greg left us. PM me if you know. Be Well Guys. RZ.
greg was a long time contentious gruff ol guy but a long time friend. the circumstances around his last days are now in the past, and i see no purpose in bringing them up. the expression is: via con dios. one thing i will always wonder about is he had called me on my cell phone about a week prior to his death. i missed the call and didn't catch it until some time after his death. I will always wonder about that.
Rest in peace. All has been said before about a straight up good guy. I still would like to know the way Greg left us. PM me if you know. Be Well Guys. RZ.
greg was a long time contentious gruff ol guy but a long time friend. the circumstances around his last days are now in the past, and i see no purpose in bringing them up. the expression is: via con dios. one thing i will always wonder about is he had called me on my cell phone about a week prior to his death. i missed the call and didn't catch it until some time after his death. I will always wonder about that.
hate calls like that, buddy called me to bitch about my brother, they were always arguing. i was down in the land cut hunting with Doc and Allan Kidson, was surprised i even got the call almost no cell service down there, i talked to him calmed him down. when i got back i found out he had died sitting in his chair watching the cowboys play shortly after i talked to him.
as to nip, the dog that might bring some peace to KRP. keep in mine nip was a rescue from unkown circumstances, but was put into a fenced compoun with gracie, the other dog. gracie was or could have been considered a killer, as she was taught to go after yotes, or anything else in the yard. I never let my dogs out of the truck exept on a leash by my side in her presence. I am sure nip learned from this. nip then spent some time uncared for in that yard in the desert, water, food issues. then thrown into strange circumstances with city dogs that he could have seen as competition, which might explain why he acted the way he did. tragic, all the way around. there are parts of that whole affair which are unsettling to me clear through to this day. they will continue to be so given i have no intent to pursue any followup, i think.
![[Linked Image]](https://i.imgur.com/RtA06jW.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://i.imgur.com/oGHVEsJ.jpg)
That is what the book was about that he gave me.
)![[Linked Image]](https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/full/55278.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/full/55275.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/full/55276.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://i.imgur.com/6TeNK5q.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://i.imgur.com/DFLAAU8.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](http://kramersapartment.com/wp-content/uploads/uncle-leo-1.jpg)
What a sad sack.....
![[Linked Image]](https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/medium/55912.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/medium/55917.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/medium/55920.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/medium/55923.png)
![[Linked Image]](https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/medium/55915.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/medium/55916.jpg)
