Harold Askew

William "Harold" Askew, age 64 of English, died on Friday, November 4, 2011 in Select Specialty Hospital of Carrollton following complications from a surgical procedure. He was born in Dekalb on August 19, 1947, the son of Ewell and Margaret Ward Askew. Harold graduated from DeKalb High School in 1965 and attended Texarkana Community College. Harold grew up fishing on the Red River with his family and friends. He loved to fish for catfish, but later perfected the art of fly fishing and changed his love for fishing for catfish to fly fishing for trout and bass with his brother, Jim. He tied his own flies, and taught a fly fishing course at the Women of the Outdoors event in Clarksville each year. Harold received his Commercial Pilots License in 1969, and enjoyed many years of flying his own airplane and was often hired by farmers to fly over their fields and frighten the birds away. From the 1980's to early 90's he was on the Fire Patrol for the State of Texas and Oklahoma Forestry Service with his friend Danny Halley. Harold invented and produced the first Global Positioning System that the Oklahoma Forestry System was ever used. This was something Harold invented on his own and the Forestry system may still use it today along with the new GPS electronic systems.At the time of his death, he was currently serving as secretary on the Red River County Airport Board. Harold was most "famous" for his photography. In the 70's he took abstract pictures, pictures of people in the area just "living life", and landscapes. He used a view camera and SRL to take black and white and color photos. You can still see his photographs hanging in many homes in this area today. Harold was known by many as N5QOI. This was his Ham Radio call sign. He enjoyed many years of talking on the radio, and made many friends along the way. He hosted the Nashoba Net on Thursday nights by way of the KM5VK repeater for several years. He was a member of the Wednesday Night Net, The Trail Draggers Net, and was a member of The Honobia Big Foot Club. Harold retired from the state, The Texas Department of Human Services in 2004. He is survived by his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter, Ashley, Mike and Savannah Pickering of Paris; ex-wife and close friend, Paula Askew of Paris; brother, James [Jim] F. Askew and wife, Molly Browning of Austin; nephew, James M. Askew, his wife Wendy and their sons, James. M. Askew, Jr. Austin W.Askew and Sam H. Askew; nieces, Merideth Roddy and husband, Tedd and her children, Joe Seth Roddy and Georgia Bell Roddy; and Rachel Muir and husband, Mark Ronquist and her children, Luke Gronquist and Scarlett Gronquist, great-nephew, Seth Blackwell; special cousins, Rita Barnes and Tom Ward, both of DeKalb; many other cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and a niece, Heather Blackwell A Memorial Service Celebrating His life will be held at 2:00 on November 12, 2011, on the Red River at Chili Flats, 2468 CR 3302, DeKalb, TX. Wood Funeral Homes have charge of the arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to www.woodfuneralhomes.com. Donations can be made for the maintenance and upkeep of the Nashoba repeater. Please mail donations to: Danny Allen, HC 68 Box 217, Nashoba OK, 74558