MTFCA Forum

Howard Genrich, aka Lucky 7 died yesterday afternoon. Decorated WW11 Hero, retired science teacher, legendary model T speedster friend that pretty much touched us all. I was honored to have him as my riding mechanic in our annual endurance runs for the last 15 or so years. Nothing will be the same. What a dark day.
Ed aka #4

Oh Geeze, Ed! I am so saddened to hear this. We of course knew for several years that he was nearing this point. But it still saddens the heart so much to realize the day has arrived. Howard touched so many, in the antique automobile hobby in general. In the speedster crowd in particular. And in so many other parts of life and the world as well. He was always the bright light that improved everyone's day, at whatever they were doing. There was always a crowd hanging around him, and they also hung on his every word. Whether one agreed with how Howard ran his model Ts or not, one had to know he was one of the very best in the hobby.
To say he will be missed doesn't even come close to saying how much he will be missed.
My deepest condolences to his family, to you, Ed, and to all his so very many friends.

Ed so sorry to hear! Our thoughts and prayers are there for the family.

Hank Lee and Family

Thoughts and prayers for his family and friends.



Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

I never knew the man, but I hope he rests in peace

Howard will be missed by all who met him. I am happy to have known him.

Andy

I am sorry to hear the news of Howard's passing, another member of the greatest generation now gone. My prayers for his family and friends.

Oh dear me, saddened to hear that. Had the opportunity to have met him a number of times and it was always memorable.

Sorry to hear the sad news, Howard was a great guy.

This is a very sad day for our Model T hobby. Howard was one of the best & will be missed. Our prayers go to his family and friends.

Keith and Carol Gumbinger

I met Howard on Tony Bowker's Sierra Vista tour almost 6 years ago. He was a very personable man.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

A sad day indeed, but we should all be so lucky to have had as much fun in a Model T as Howard did. He drove the wheels off of #7 and he had a grand time doing so. What a ride he had! RIP Howard.

Rest in Peace. I never met the man, but I still have my copy of Car Classics from Dec 1972 that he tells about building No 7. I do go back every so often and look at that copy. The copy of The Vintage ford shown above, I just looked at it last night.

My wife and I had alot of love for Howard, he has always been a blessing for our hobby. I am truly pleased his Grandson's are carrying on the hobby and Number 7 lives on. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the family.
Eric, and Jennifer

Here is a link to a former thread about Howard. He was one of those guys that if you ever met him you would never forget him.

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/11 ... 1271888128

A great loss to the T community and to speedster people in particular. I have met Howard many times and had the privilege of talking with him and Fast Frank Harris weeks ago when they they came to see us race Chris Egsgaard’s blue Long Beach champ in Murietta. They had not seen it race in 45 years when it was retired. I have pics of Howard and Frank together with the car. Posting them here is a headache but they will be on the Facebook speedster page.

So sorry to hear about Howard's passing. I think I first met him in the early 1980's. He always had a smile and a kind word. He was such a fixture or the Long Beach club. Rest In Peace Howard.

I will miss Howard. He was a great man and a good friend to many. We will miss him on tours and speedster runs and at the Long Beach swap meet.
Norm

While I did not know Howard I can share the feeling of loss. We lost our touring companion for the last 50 years two weeks ago. Some of these fellows are more like brothers than our brothers. This is the downside of having such wonderful friends over the years. You and I have been saying goodbye to some wonderful people for a very long time.
I cherish remembering the great times we had.
Rich

Howard was a great guy who loved to drive his speedster. He went on our Canyonlands Tours (he was always awarded banner number 7) and was always ready to tour in his super clean white racer's outfit. He had a great sense of humor, always had a smile on his face and never said an unkind word about anyone! He was a wonderful promoter of the Model T hobby, and he will be missed by those who knew him. Our prayers go out to his family. Russ Furstnow

Howard was always fun to be with! I remember lots of lours and speedster runs and him throwing out bags of M&M's for the right answers at LBMTC meetings.
R.I.P. Humble
Condolences to your family!

I did not know Howard but it sounds like he was one of the good guys.

The downside of being a member of my generation (I'm 50) is that we seem to be bringing up the rear of the various old car hobby groups (with the exception of the muscle cars and a few others). The rear guard has to watch, with sadness, as the troops out front disappear.

I took over the leadership of a 33 year old club in 2014 and have lost more irreplaceable members (including the founder) than I can count.

I try not to let it get me down. After all, this hobby is about having fun. But there are times that it's easier said than done. I concentrate on continuing the good work started by those who've passed and knowing that they'd probably slap me upside the noggin if they caught me being overly melancholy. I also get out in the old iron as much as possible and simply enjoy it and share it with anyone and everyone who shows interest.

Losing valuable club members like this shines a light on the fact that we'll all meet the same fate at some point and that these cars are simply "things". Keeping them cloistered like a precious jewel is meaningless. It's the working on them, driving them and sharing them that is our therapy.

Rest in peace Howard.

A very dark day indeed. Howard was an exceptional human being and a wealth of speedster information. He was a kind and caring individual who never had a course word to say about others. A true gentleman. God speed "Humble Howard".

Thanks for the notice Ed,

I am glad I got to talk with him a few times over the years at the SCVMTFC endurance run.

Tim Williams

So sorry to hear of Humble Howard's passing. He was certainly a legend in the model T community. His passing will most definitely leave a huge void not soon to be filled. It was nice to have seen him riding with Ed one last time at the SCVMTFC 50th anniversary endurance run this last June. Howard will be missed, R.I.P.

The hobby will never be the same. Howard was a true friend to everyone. There will never be another like him. He truly earned the name humble. He was a great supporter of me and my business and for that I am thankful. He will be missed by all who knew him and he and his family will be in my prayers. God bless you Howard. I know God will enjoy his company. Glen

I talked with HH at our last T club meeting in November, our "assigned" seats were together in the front row. We all knew he had some issues but that didn't stop him from giving some advice about changing tires to everyone.

My two most memorable times with HH driving his Lucky 7 and me with my '12 Torpedo was when we drove back home from the HME in Pasadena down the 605 freeway together. Howard needed to be home early so didn't want to follow the Long Beach club on surface roads. He asked me if he could follow alone with me? I said sure as long as you can keep up!. Of course the Lucky 7 could leave me in the Dust! We cruised along mostly around 60.
The second was when we were on a Death Valley tour together and the two of us decided to head back together to the motel about 50 some miles away. it was one of those wide open runs with no traffic, gently rolling hills, and the warm wind hitting out smiling faces as we pulled up beside each other to give a wave with the humming of the Model T's in our ears.

Today I wished I had reminded him about that day so we could have had one last laugh together.....

RIP Humble Howard and Lucky 7

at Long beach Model T meeting we start buy flag salute led by Howard, he always sat in front seat next to Gene.
I met Howard 24 year ago, he helped me with my speedster, he had three radiator shell made for Bear Cat Racer I was lucky to get one of them.
he will be missed in our club, and by me
Tom Leroux

I met Howard once on a tour near San Diego. I was admiring (7) in the parking lot of the host hotel when he said you look like you need a ride. Man did I get a ride ,in a wet parking lot with lots of painted stripes. He liked to turn left and I didn't put the seat belt on. The slow ride I was expecting was truly exciting.
He will be missed.

I was just saying to Erik after rpm (needed to let both Howard ,And Frank see egsgaards faultless speedster run and with the mega phone that Howard reunited me with ..
so off to murrietta we went. Ererybody asked where the wild cherry 2 was .For they did not know my intent or story behind this (cause u never know When it will be your last) and thats what i told Erik Barrett if not now when attached is a picture of both Frank Harris & Howard Genrich RIP. My friend

This was taken november 4th this year

Here are a couple more of Erik's photos of Frank and Howard.

Very sad news indeed. Howard was a wonderful Model T ambassador and a friend to all in the hobby. I had the pleasure of meeting him on tours in both Australia and the USA. At our most recent meeting, he was a wonderful host and let me drive the famous "lucky 7". He was most complimentary as to my ability to handle the many options of gear changing in his car! I enjoyed a visit with him to a Longbeach club meeting and a wonderful brunch with him and his great buddy , Fast Frank. I am blessed that I had opportunity to spend time with such a great guy and will cherish the memories forever. RIP Howard.

God speed Howard. Drive em hard, and say hello to to my dad on the roads above.

I first met both Bruce and Howard at the Hamilton (Dust) Bowl in 1976 during the Long Beach club swap meet before I bought my first T, a 1924 Coupe. Bruce convinced Heather that I needed Rocky Mountain Brake’s and Howard convinced me that Model Ts were a great hobby and I should immediately get involved. Ever since Howard and I worked on many projects together including some 30 Speedster Endurance Runs, tours to Catalina, Sierra Vista and Death Valley. We had lots of fun together and life will not be the same without Howard looking over my shoulder.
I’ll miss him more than I can express.
Love and support to the family.

Ray, Was that picture you posted of HH driving Lucky 7 taken on the 605?

The late Ralph Ricks took it, on the 605. Here is the link.

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/25 ... 1325486887

I can't remember when I first got acquainted with Humble Howard but certainly remember him when I was a kid from the old Long Beach Hill Climb. I hadn't seen Howard in several years but always enjoyed visiting with him. Great guy. Always happy, always smiling. In 1998 I found a magazine ad from 1916 for the Parker Hydraulic eight spoke wheels on his speedster. I gave it to him when we were both on the national tour in Post Falls, Idaho that year. Literally every time I saw him after that he would grab anyone nearby that he could find and tell them how I had driven all the way to Idaho to give him the ad! For 20 years he expressed his appreciation for a simple friendly gesture. That says a lot about the man. I'll miss you Howard.

Humble Howard was a true gentleman and a trusted friend, rest in peace , say "Hi" to RD for us.

I hope many of you opened the link posted by Ray, AKA 3 Pedal Dancer, referring to the picture RDR, Ralph Ricks, posted back in 2011. Even years before his passing the many testimonies and praise of HH was evident.

There's also some more cool pictures of that run home down the 605 of Lucky 7 taken from my Torpedo.

Next to Fast Frank I think RDR was the only person at the time that could keep up with him

Sounds like a life well lived. Well played, Mr. Genrich, well played.

My wife and I were having dinner last night aboard the Queen Mary in, where else, Long Beach with some former coworkers and their wives when I received a text from Jeff Hood stating that Howard Genrich had passed away. I was shocked. I looked across the table at my wife, Danielle, and gave her the news. Her reaction was the same as mine.
When I joined the Long Beach Model T Club in 1995, I was trying to build a "bitsa" car. Had just about everything but a body. Attended my first T Club meeting. Up stood a small of stature man with white hair that dominated the beginning of the meeting so he could give out thanks to fellow club members who did good deeds that month. His "Meritorious Machinations" as Howard called them. He'd toss them a bag of M&Ms. The first thing that came to my mind was "Where the Hell did they find this guy?"
Then I got to know Howard and Dorlyne Genrich. It was nothing for Howard to drop what he was doing and come to your house to help you with a problem that you might be having with your T. Bring over a spare part he may have that you need to get your car up and running for the next tour.
It was always interesting to stop by his swap space at the T swap meet and get some sage advice and some shade.
I wound up the President of the club in 1999 and Howard was there to help. Not only with the duties of being president (he had held that spot twice before) but with the daunting task of moving the location of the swap meet to a new location with just three months till the event. He even helped find the location, just as he did when the meet moved from Hamilton (the Dust) Bowl to Long Beach State University's Atherton Street parking lot. Again with just a short time to go, due to a freak Summer rainfall that filled Hamilton Bowl with water.
Well, that's it. It was truly a pleasure knowing Howard, and his lovely wife, Dorlyne, who only passed away recently. He gave much more than he received. The Long Beach Model T Club, all the organizations he belonged to, and the world we live in will surely be just a little less enjoyable without them.
Good bye and have a safe trip Howard.

Mike Spaziano.

Humble Howard's youngest son Tim asked if I would post the attached Celebration of Life announcement. It will be held at The Covenant Presbyterian Church 607 E. 3rd St. Long Beach, CA. 92683, on December 14, beginning at 11:AM. Lunch follows in the Fellowship Hall.

Howard’s WW2 interview, and it’s quite a story.

https://www.ww2online.org/view/howard-genrich

I met Howard a few times.
He would seek me out to thank me for laying out the route of the annual Santa Clara Valley Speedster Run.
I always took it as not that he enjoyed the route so much but that he just wanted to thank me me for the effort.
Great fellow.

Howard had a very nice service. There were at least 200 people present to pay their respects and about 10 model t's to accompany him to the grave site. They all honked their horns for him. His 3 sons are restoring his #7 racer. I had the privilege of driving it on the Yosemite tour. Glen