Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Fencer51 on July 11, 2009, 08:47:46 AM
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It is with deepest regret that we of the 334th must tell the community that Rick "Merchant" Hatcher passed away on Thursday night. He was 53.
Rick or "Merch" as he was known both in this game and in Air Warrior was a long time online sim pilot. Merch flew in Air Warrior in the Genie days of the early 90s. He was a member of the WarHawks in Bland for all of those years. He flew solid up through the closing of AirWarrior. Merch joined Aces High a couple years ago and joined Boozer's 4th FG, the continuation of the WarHawks. He transfered over to the 334th Fighter Squadron this year.
Merch was a joy to fly with and be around. I had known him for almost 18 years now. I actually first met him at the Air Warrior convention in Florida in 1996. He was a great guy both online and in real life. He never complained or stood out above the rest of us by negative actions in game or otherwise. You never heard him cuss or complain about anything. He flew for enjoyment and the fun he had flying with his friends on all sides, of all colors, letters and chess pieces.
Take a few seconds and learn from him people. Don't bring your hate and your problems into the game, relax and get away for a few hours and enjoy yourself. Treat those you fly with and against with respect.
Clear skies Merch, you are going to be missed.
Services are in Riverview Florida on Monday. http://www.serenitymeadows.com/
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:salute
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Condolences to his family and friends...sounds like he was a genuine nice guy. <S> :salute
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<S> Merch.
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Hate to hear of guys my age going. :salute
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:salute & Condolences to those held dear.
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:salute Blue skies.
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Note the family suggests memorial donations can be made in his name to the American Cancer Society. www.cancer.org (http://www.cancer.org)
<Salute> Always sad to loose a pilot.
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Happy landings, Merch. :salute
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Clear skies and tail winds forever....
<S>
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Always enjoyed flying beside him...
Clear skies merchant
<<S>>
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:salute
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:salute
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:salute and may you have CAVU.
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wow..... That's too bad. I had flown with him a few times...real nice guy. He'll be missed. :salute
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:salute
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:salute
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(Salute) to a fellow pilot as we as a father to his kids, loving husband to his wife and a friend / comrad to all of us! You will be soarly missed Merch and may you continue to fly up in heaven bro!
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Sorry to hear this :(. Merch was one of the best FW pilots in the game <AW> and I always wanted to be as good as he was in an FW.
:salute Merchant :pray 'ers to the family.
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:salute
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:salute
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Farewell wingie, I have and will miss you. :salute
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Damn, thats a shame he was a nice guy :salute
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:salute
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In the old AW, ( cpid was Cuda ) heydays in BLand, I remember his kind spirit, and robust for life. My Hope and Prayers are with him and his family. :salute
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<S> Merch
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It is with deepest regret that we of the 334th must tell the community that Rick "Merchant" Hatcher passed away on Thursday night. He was 53.
Rick or "Merch" as he was known both in this game and in Air Warrior was a long time online sim pilot. Merch flew in Air Warrior in the Genie days of the early 90s. He was a member of the WarHawks in Bland for all of those years. He flew solid up through the closing of AirWarrior. Merch joined Aces High a couple years ago and joined Boozer's 4th FG, the continuation of the WarHawks. He transfered over to the 334th Fighter Squadron this year.
Merch was a joy to fly with and be around. I had known him for almost 18 years now. I actually first met him at the Air Warrior convention in Florida in 1996. He was a great guy both online and in real life. He never complained or stood out above the rest of us by negative actions in game or otherwise. You never heard him cuss or complain about anything. He flew for enjoyment and the fun he had flying with his friends on all sides, of all colors, letters and chess pieces.
Take a few seconds and learn from him people. Don't bring your hate and your problems into the game, relax and get away for a few hours and enjoy yourself. Treat those you fly with and against with respect.
Clear skies Merch, you are going to be missed.
Services are in Riverview Florida on Monday. http://www.serenitymeadows.com/
Thank You Fencer,
for keeping us all informed.........Merch ( Merchant ), along withe Boozer and Jherig ( of the Damned ), BeBop, was one of the few 1st FR Trainers back in those days to show me the ropes and teach me Good Game Etiquette........
a True Friend and wingman when flying together.........
it saddens me to hear of this news but at the same time I am enlightened, knowing God needed his Sunshine more then the rest of us at this current time
GODSPEED Merch :salute to be never forgotten in our thoughts & Memories of days gone by.......... what tremendous wonderful memories they all will remain!
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:salute
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:salute Sad news :(
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<S>, Merch, and my best wishes to Merch's family and friends. :salute
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:salute
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:salute
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:salute
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Blue skies, Merch! :salute
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I hope there's a place, way up in the sky
Where Aces High pilots can go when they die.
A place where a guy could buy a cold beer
For a friend or fellow player whose memory is dear.
Just a quaint little place, kind of dark, full of smoke,
Where they like to sing loud, and love a good joke.
There must be a place where old Aces High pilots can go,
When their wings become heavy, when their airspeed gets low,
Where the whiskey is old, and the women are young,
And songs about flying and dying are sung.
Where you'd see all the fellows who'd flown Aces High,
And they'd call out your name, as you flew through the sky.
And there, through the mist, you'd spot an old guy
You had not seen in years, though he'd taught you to fly.
He'd nod his old head, and grin ear to ear
And say, "Welcome, my friend, I'm proud that you're here!
For this is the place where true flyers come
When the battles are over, and the map has been won.
Where all hours are happy, and these good ol' boys
Can relax with a cool one, and a well deserved rest!
This is Heaven, my friend. You've passed your last test!"
:salute
Badboy
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CRAP!!!!! :salute
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This was for my grandfather, i think it will apply well here...maby.
No Grave, my soul can keep.
Do not look upon my grave, then weep;
for no grave my soul can keep.
Forever one in nature, now this i know:
Both pilot & observer, i am in god's air show.
I am the thunder that roars throughout the night;
i am a white winged angel in immortal light.
When you awaken unto death's most seeming crush.
You'll come to know as i know, god's impowering rush.
Do not look to my grave, for there i do not lie;
I've been promoted to full -bird colonel, commanding god's angelic sky.
:)
:salute
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Oh man this is really sad news. I only flew with merch a couple of times but I could tell he was a great guy. Not only will he be missed by us in the 334th but this is a loss to the rest of the AH community as well.
:salute Merchant
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:salute Merchant.
Really sorry to hear the news Fencer. Thanks for passing it on. It helps keep it in perspective around here.
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:salute
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So Long Merch! Cya up!
(From another old AW FW Pilot)
Hajo
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:salute
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:salute
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Godspeed Merch! :salute
I'm a long time AW guy as well. It would have been incredible to meet a guy of that caliber.
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:salute
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:salute
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<S>
Pipz
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:salute
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:salute go with peace
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:salute
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Sad news. My thoughts go out to his family.
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<S>
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:salute
May you forever have clear skies and a tail wind.
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:salute
Godspeed Merchant.
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:salute
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Thanks for letting us know Fencer. I didn't know Merch but I heard his name more than a few times when I first started with this obsession in the late nineties.
:salute Merch.
asw
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:salute from HA's
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:salute :angel:
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Sorry to see you leave our world Merch, good luck in the next.
He was truely one of the good guys.
SB
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:salute
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:salute
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:salute
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Merch was a joy to fly with and be around.
I'm very sorry to hear this Fencer, Merch was a gentleman. <S>
Trip
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:salute
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Damn :salute
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Damn :salute
Ditto... :frown:
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My heart and prayers are with him and his family and it's such a loss to the community of a vet in such good standing and at such a young age. May he fly in peace!
All the Best...
Jay
awDoc1
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Sorry to hear about Merch. My condolences to his family and friends. :salute
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He was a great guy both online and in real life. He never complained or stood out above the rest of us by negative actions in game or otherwise. You never heard him cuss or complain about anything. He flew for enjoyment and the fun he had flying with his friends on all sides, of all colors, letters and chess pieces.
Take a few seconds and learn from him people. Don't bring your hate and your problems into the game, relax and get away for a few hours and enjoy yourself. Treat those you fly with and against with respect.
Clear skies Merch, you are going to be missed.
Services are in Riverview Florida on Monday. http://www.serenitymeadows.com/
Could not of said it better. :salute Merch
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:salute Merch
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:salute Buddy!
Merchant led me on my first hop in Air Warrior!
Merch, If I make it upstairs with you, I'm gonna need to lean on you again. Hope you can lead me on my first hop! Save me an FW!
SOUP de Dweeb
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Thoughts and prayers with Merch's family.
Regards,
Hammer