John "Johnny" Bender - KI6HVG 1959-2023
Dear MVARA Members,
It is with a very heavy heart that I am writing to you all today to announce the passing of Moreno Valley Amateur Radio Assiociation's Treasurer John “Johnny” Bender (KI6HVG). His passing has been a complete shock to me and those around him, including his family. Johnny was full of life and was enjoying his retirement from working as an editor at The Press-Enterprise.
Johnny is truly one of the kindest ham radio operators that I have ever known. His humor on the air could change even some of the dullest conversations when no one could come up with something else to talk about. He would often end his radio transmissions with his own phonetic ending as the “High Voltage Guy.” He was always full of energy and that is how I will remember him.
After getting to know Johnny over the years, I was impressed to hear about all the activities and organizations he participated in. Not only was he a ham radio operator that volunteered his time to be a MVARA board member, serving at first as secretary and presently in the position of treasurer, he would often help with being a net control operator for the club’s Tuesday night radio nets and often tried to get folks to use the new digital repeater afterwards.
When he wasn’t keeping me company on my long drives into work on the digital side of the club repeater, he would either be practicing on his bass with his jazz church worship group or his own band. He would also attend weekly guitar sessions at the local senior community center, where he discovered another club member Ed Nijst (AJ6ET) was also present. They not only shared ham radio in common but are both musically gifted and had planned to perform together. Johnny shared his musical talents with us when he performed with his son John recently at our Christmas dinner, they filled the room with the holiday spirit while we waited for our meal to be served. Afterward, many in attendance expressed to me how nice it was to have him entertain us and get us involved in singing along. His Christmas spirit will truly be missed this year at our holiday party.
Johnny was not only musically gifted, he also was an avid writer, editor, and mentor to those in the literary arts. Johnny was often writing original poems and literary works that he would recite at events throughout the Inland Empire with the Inlandia Institute, a literary society where he belonged and served as President for many years. John graced us once with one of his poems at a club meeting and it was apparent, he was a man of many talents.
Johnny loved riding his motorcycle, he and I recently talked about a trip he had planned in June to visit his son Michael. He enjoyed the open road and even though on some parts of the trip he would be alone for many miles, he was confident that his adventurous side and many years of riding would keep him safe during the journey. I remember one winter field day Johnny came riding up with a small trailer behind his motorcycle and was excited to show us his new purchase. He very quickly transformed the trailer into a tent camper that even was fit to sleep a man of his tall stature with plenty of room to move around inside. Johnny was always wanting the club to put together a camping and ham radio trip and I am very sorry that we never got around to making it happen.
Johnny did all this while still attending to his wife Rene, sons Michael and John and especially his elderly mother as her primary caregiver, often staying at her residence to make sure her medical needs were adequately met. It goes without mention that Johnny had many responsibilities even in retirement, but it is also remarkable how well he dealt with those that would normally overwhelm a regular person. In my eyes, Johnny was a superhero, a man of integrity and had a very special drive to live life to its fullest every day. His smile was always on display no matter what challenges faced him and his faith in God was steadfast and resound. May God rest his soul and look over his family during these trying times.
I spoke with Michael Bender, Johnny’s son, this morning, and I expressed our condolences to him and to his family during their time of bereavement. I let Michael know that the club membership and I would be there to help in any way we could. He assured me that he and the family will be working on arrangements and keep me posted, so I can keep you all informed as well. I will send out emails to the membership, post on the club webpage and Facebook group any information I receive pertaining to any services the family will hold.
73, Steve DeLong W7DTH
MVARA President
It is with a very heavy heart that I am writing to you all today to announce the passing of Moreno Valley Amateur Radio Assiociation's Treasurer John “Johnny” Bender (KI6HVG). His passing has been a complete shock to me and those around him, including his family. Johnny was full of life and was enjoying his retirement from working as an editor at The Press-Enterprise.
Johnny is truly one of the kindest ham radio operators that I have ever known. His humor on the air could change even some of the dullest conversations when no one could come up with something else to talk about. He would often end his radio transmissions with his own phonetic ending as the “High Voltage Guy.” He was always full of energy and that is how I will remember him.
After getting to know Johnny over the years, I was impressed to hear about all the activities and organizations he participated in. Not only was he a ham radio operator that volunteered his time to be a MVARA board member, serving at first as secretary and presently in the position of treasurer, he would often help with being a net control operator for the club’s Tuesday night radio nets and often tried to get folks to use the new digital repeater afterwards.
When he wasn’t keeping me company on my long drives into work on the digital side of the club repeater, he would either be practicing on his bass with his jazz church worship group or his own band. He would also attend weekly guitar sessions at the local senior community center, where he discovered another club member Ed Nijst (AJ6ET) was also present. They not only shared ham radio in common but are both musically gifted and had planned to perform together. Johnny shared his musical talents with us when he performed with his son John recently at our Christmas dinner, they filled the room with the holiday spirit while we waited for our meal to be served. Afterward, many in attendance expressed to me how nice it was to have him entertain us and get us involved in singing along. His Christmas spirit will truly be missed this year at our holiday party.
Johnny was not only musically gifted, he also was an avid writer, editor, and mentor to those in the literary arts. Johnny was often writing original poems and literary works that he would recite at events throughout the Inland Empire with the Inlandia Institute, a literary society where he belonged and served as President for many years. John graced us once with one of his poems at a club meeting and it was apparent, he was a man of many talents.
Johnny loved riding his motorcycle, he and I recently talked about a trip he had planned in June to visit his son Michael. He enjoyed the open road and even though on some parts of the trip he would be alone for many miles, he was confident that his adventurous side and many years of riding would keep him safe during the journey. I remember one winter field day Johnny came riding up with a small trailer behind his motorcycle and was excited to show us his new purchase. He very quickly transformed the trailer into a tent camper that even was fit to sleep a man of his tall stature with plenty of room to move around inside. Johnny was always wanting the club to put together a camping and ham radio trip and I am very sorry that we never got around to making it happen.
Johnny did all this while still attending to his wife Rene, sons Michael and John and especially his elderly mother as her primary caregiver, often staying at her residence to make sure her medical needs were adequately met. It goes without mention that Johnny had many responsibilities even in retirement, but it is also remarkable how well he dealt with those that would normally overwhelm a regular person. In my eyes, Johnny was a superhero, a man of integrity and had a very special drive to live life to its fullest every day. His smile was always on display no matter what challenges faced him and his faith in God was steadfast and resound. May God rest his soul and look over his family during these trying times.
I spoke with Michael Bender, Johnny’s son, this morning, and I expressed our condolences to him and to his family during their time of bereavement. I let Michael know that the club membership and I would be there to help in any way we could. He assured me that he and the family will be working on arrangements and keep me posted, so I can keep you all informed as well. I will send out emails to the membership, post on the club webpage and Facebook group any information I receive pertaining to any services the family will hold.
73, Steve DeLong W7DTH
MVARA President
In December of 2020, well into the Covid-19 lockdowns, as a distraction I joined INLANDIA's literary organization in order to participate in a live storytelling production (at a safe distance) by Inlandias THE FLAME producers. That was when I first met Johnny Bender.
The theme for the production was entitled, "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year". We all were to recall a personal time around Christmas that stood out, write the story, and practice reading it dramatically together on a new platform called Zoom over a few weekly meetings. Eventually, we would perform our creations individually on Facebook, before a live audience.
It was the first time for both Johnny and I to perform orally in this way, and it probably shows, lol, although we were both experienced and accomplished writers. While my own story was entirely true, recovered from personal notes of the actual event, Johnnys was a little different. Johnny told his story with such seriousness, it took a while for me to realize that he had greatly embellished an actual event, using his writer's prerogative to bring it into the theme boundaries. It is my fondest memory of Johnny, next to the pleasant surprise of running into him again, live and in person, at my first MVARA Club meeting in the radio room.
Interestingly, Johnny had invited anybody in our club to attend another event he was scheduled to perform with his guitar in, just two nights from now at San Jacinto Community College, a big band jazz concert, that I had placed on my calendar to attend...
The link will allow you to access the entire show. Johnny's portion begins at about 22 minutes and 15 seconds on the timer, and lasts until about 33:45.
https://www.facebook.com/Inlandia/videos/1312329425785078
I hope you will enjoy seeing another side of Johnny Bender, the side I met in December 2020, before I came to MVARA.
~ Assunta Maria Vickers
The theme for the production was entitled, "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year". We all were to recall a personal time around Christmas that stood out, write the story, and practice reading it dramatically together on a new platform called Zoom over a few weekly meetings. Eventually, we would perform our creations individually on Facebook, before a live audience.
It was the first time for both Johnny and I to perform orally in this way, and it probably shows, lol, although we were both experienced and accomplished writers. While my own story was entirely true, recovered from personal notes of the actual event, Johnnys was a little different. Johnny told his story with such seriousness, it took a while for me to realize that he had greatly embellished an actual event, using his writer's prerogative to bring it into the theme boundaries. It is my fondest memory of Johnny, next to the pleasant surprise of running into him again, live and in person, at my first MVARA Club meeting in the radio room.
Interestingly, Johnny had invited anybody in our club to attend another event he was scheduled to perform with his guitar in, just two nights from now at San Jacinto Community College, a big band jazz concert, that I had placed on my calendar to attend...
The link will allow you to access the entire show. Johnny's portion begins at about 22 minutes and 15 seconds on the timer, and lasts until about 33:45.
https://www.facebook.com/Inlandia/videos/1312329425785078
I hope you will enjoy seeing another side of Johnny Bender, the side I met in December 2020, before I came to MVARA.
~ Assunta Maria Vickers