Lt. Col. (Ret.) A. D. “Jack” Joseph, 93, passed away on Thursday, April 4, 2019. “Mr. Jack,” as he was known to all, was a fixture at Alabama skeet shoots for many years. His pleasant personality and enjoyment for the sport and the people involved in the sport were always an enjoyable part of the shooting experience.

Born in Lancaster, Kentucky, he spent his entire youth in Louisville. He entered the armed service as an Aviation Cadet and completed his training as a pilot. He was a veteran of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. While serving, he represented the Air Force at the World-Wide Armed Forces Invitational Skeet Shoot Tournament as a member of the winning 5-man team in June, 1967. He was the recipient of many awards and decorations and retired from the U.S. Air Force after 30 years of service.

Mr. Jack held Masters Degrees in Education, History, Political Science, and Criminal Justice. He received the Education Specialist degree from the University of Tennessee. After leaving the Air Force, he was employed as Director of Administrative Services and as an Associate Professor of History and Political Science at Troy State University in Montgomery.

Mr. Jack was still competing in skeet shoots in the state of Alabama as recently as March, 2019. No longer shooting all four guns in competition, he always shot his beloved 28 gauge and became well known for his skill with the little gun. Mr. Jack was an avid hunter, fisherman and skeet shooter. His presence and support to the Alabama Skeet Shooting Association will be missed.

Mr. Jack was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Julia Hite Joseph. He is survived by his son, Mark Hite Joseph, who is also a part of the Alabama skeet shooting family.

NSSA extends its condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Jack.

– Contributed by Roy Jorgensen

D. G. “Skeet” Hier of Lincoln, Nebraska, passed away March 2, 2019 at the age of 72.  He was a U.S. Navy veteran, serving on the U.S.S. Ticonderoga aircraft carrier.  Skeet was an avid hunter and skeet shooter.  He won numerous local, state, and national skeet shooting awards and was inducted into the Nebraska Skeet Shooting Hall of Fame in 2003.  Skeet also served as a state director for the National Skeet Shooting Association for many years.

He participated in 17 world shoots, which he thoroughly enjoyed (he possibly liked the card games as much as the shooting!).  Skeet was a longtime member and director of the Lincoln Trap and Skeet Club and lifetime member of the National Skeet Shooting Association where he amassed almost 200,000 lifetime registered targets.

Skeet will be remembered, among many things, for his dedication and devotion to promoting the shooting sports.  Skeet’s incredible work ethic didn’t wane in the least after his retirement in 2014; he spent countless hours at the Lincoln Trap and Skeet Club where he gave new meaning to the term “volunteering.”  He was extremely computer savvy and had every answer to any registered skeet shooting question after running shoots for so many years.

Skeet is survived by his loving family, including wife Jill, daughters Stephanie (Scott) and Nicole (Brian), and son Brian (Lindsay), grandchildren Kennedi, Hunter, Caleb, Kylie and Jaxson, and countless friends in the shooting community.  Skeet shooting in Nebraska will certainly not be the same without Skeet Hier.

– Contributed by Chris Lutz

Former NSSA Executive Committee member and Zone 7 Hall of Fame inductee Donald R. “Don” Blaylock of Cody, Wyoming, passed away on February 28.

Don served on the EC representing Zone 7 for six years, 2001-2006. He was instrumental in building registered skeet shooting in the state of Wyoming and was a two-time Wyoming State Champion. He was inducted into the Zone 7 Hall of Fame and was awarded the Kinkner-Dubois award in 2009 for his service to Zone 7 skeet.

Don’s friend Billy D. Williams inducted him into the Hall of Fame and shared his induction speech, parts of which are below:

Don started shooting skeet in 1987 in Cody, Wyoming, with Dick Myers, George Keesler, and Donovan Allen as a warm-up for bird shooting. Hooked on the game, he must have shot and tried every gun he could find. He now owns as many guns as cars.

I met Don in 1989.  We started traveling to shoots in Zone 7, making between 12 and 14 shoots a year.  When Don started winning his class, he treated himself to a Beretta EELL.

After George Desatoff helped adjust his stock, Don won the Comstock 12 Ga. Retired Military Championship in 1992.  That same year, Don made the Zone 7 Retired Military Team and the All-American Honorable Mention RM team.  He was also on the RM All-American teams in 1996 and 1998.

Don doesn’t talk about his military career very much, but I think he and Rambo were best friends.

Don has been the force behind registered skeet shooting in the state of Wyoming.  Many of you have been to his club for the Cody Friends shoot and enjoyed his hospitality.  Everyone that goes to Don’s shoots gains about 5 pounds because he feeds you good while you are there. He has been the Wyoming State Champ twice and runner up five times.

He truly loves the people in this sport. – Billy D. Williams

Louise Terry recalls Don as a gentleman and the consummate host, citing an EC meeting he hosted in Cody. He owned a restaurant in town, so the EC members had breakfast there every morning on the way to the gun club and other meals at the club. “He went out of his way to make sure that all of the out-of-town guests were treated royally,” she said. “They did things the old-fashioned way, and it was quite a treat … They said grace before the dinner began, and they made sure that all of the women went through the line first for their food. He was quite the gentleman!”