eorge Morrow - W8BKP - *1908-1994* George W. Morrow, 85, of 244 Fair Av. New
Philadelphia, formerly of Washingtonville, died 1 a.m. Thursday at Morning View Nursing
Center following a one-year illness. An end of a era, one fine operator and his family states
so in his Obit. He was born July 22, 1908 in Salineville, the son of Guy and Sarah Ware Morrow andhad resided in Washingtonville most of his life.

GMr. Morrow founded Morrow’s Radio& TV service in 1947 and operated the business until hisretirement in 1974. He had been previously employed by Mullins Manufacturing until 1946. He wasa world renowned licensed amateur radio operator for 72 years. He was a member of the DX Century
Club of the American Radio Relay League; DX is the radio designation for distance - to rare, orsemi-rare places on earth. His call letters were W8BKP. George was the only radio operator incontact with the 1928 Antarctic expedition of Admiral Richard E. Byrd, relaying news releases andmessages from Byrd’s party to The New York Times. He has made in excess of 55,000 ham contacts
during his amateur radio career.
Author had communications with George on a few occasions, mainly to ascertain anything of the lifeof W3CRA Mr. Lucas, another world class DX operator from Pennsylvania. George was very
friendly and had a lot to say about the subject of W3CRA. He mentioned visiting many times in thepast and the fellows in thosedays enjoyed each others
company, they would sit andchat in the shack of Frank
Lucas in Cannonsburg, Pa,smoke Lucky’s and drink beerwhen it wasn’t a sin. He
laughed at that statement hemade! Author would hear
George on the nightly DXgang on twenty meters
exchanging tidbits about thehobby and making
conversation. George always
knew of a rare station on thehook awaiting to work the DXcommunity. The favorite SSB frequency was 14.236 MHZ.
Obit; GWM – His first wife, the former Mary Belle Weikart, whom he married in July 2– 1927, diedin may 1974. He is survived by his wife, Laura Major Morrow, whom he married Aug 2, 1976. Sixsons, George Lee of Greenford, Gene and Charles Morrow, both of Washingtonville, Donald
Morrow of Albuquerque, N.M. Jerry Morrow of Garden Grove, Cal., and Paul Morrow of Vindor,
Tx; three daughters, Helen Morrow of Albuquerque, Anne Wellman of Bradenton, Fl. And Patricia
Sutton of Garden Grove; two stepsons, Richard Major of Orlando, Fl and Robert Major of Niles; abrother, Orville Morrow of Minerva; 26 grandchildren; and 33 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Jan Bruce; and a brother, Harold Morrow. Cremation washandled by the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home, New Philadelphia. Graveside services will be held ata later date. In a note from Claire Sutton, George may have been 8DFM prior to 1928 in old callbook reference lists. Claire is now deceased. An internet eulogy by K8MFO; W8BKP succumbed
July 7-1994 at age 86. Until the very recent past he was active on the bands, chasing DX on both CWand SSB, just as he had been doing since the mid 1920s. Continued W8BKPIf ever anyone could be termed “The Ole Dxer” it would be W8BKP.
Among his accomplishments; He came in 2nd in the ARRL DXC test in 1929 in 1964 he was firstplace, both times in Ohio. After the death of his first wife, George went to work for Dale Hoppe
K6UA, then W6VSS. George’s job was to maintain the top notch contest station that Hoppe put
together. It was back to Ohio and eventually another marriage.
Then George was inactive for somewhere between 15 and 20 years and fell off the DX Honor Roll.
Again he became active with a modest station a Kenwood TS520 and a homebrew 20 meter vertical,
he scratched his way back to the top of the honor roll again after 5 years.
If you ever saw a “city lot” then you saw the W8BKP location, in downtown New Philadelphia,
Ohio. There was not enough width on the lot to handle the turning radius of a TA33 beam.
Friend and Dx’er; No matter, the grizzled, chiseled and wise old Dx’er got them all! He was morethan a legend and we will really miss the old guy. RIP, old timer, 73 from your friend Don, K8MFO
also excerpted K3KR.
Our photo QST Nov 57 - Geo has often represented Ohioin a big way via both modes. This year W8BKP talked hisway to the top W8 spot with 322,875 points and displayed
the 3rd highest 20 Meter multiplier (85) countries. QSL
courtesy of W8JYZ Bob Green collection.
(W8SU 2005)