We are saddened to report the passing of John B. Dinning, Sr., on July 27 at the age of 91. Dinning was a member of the NSSA Hall of Fame and a Life Member of Loch Raven Skeet and Trap Center in Maryland. NSSA Executive Committee Member Alessandro Vitale remembered Dinning as a true gentleman. “He was my coach when I was in high school,” said Vitale. “He taught for the love of skeet; his pay was seeing the joy of others breaking targets.”

Always an outdoorsman and avid shotgunner, he found his way to the Loch Raven Skeet and Trap Center soon after it opened in the late 1950s.

Among his survivors is his wife Kathleen “Tucky” Dinning, who is also in the NSSA Hall of Fame, as well as a son and two daughters.

You can read his full obituary here.

We regret to report that Allan Lehman of Dewey, Arizona, owner of Lehman Optical Sports Glasses, passed away on July 3. Lehman was both a shooter and a friend to skeet and sporting clays shooters who bought glasses from him and socialized during his many years of attending major shoots. In addition to shooting, he had many hobbies that included hunting, fishing, horse racing, and travel.

According to NSSA Chief Instructor Ralph Aaron, Lehman taught the Level 1, 2, and 3 instructor classes for 16 years. “He was truly a subject matter expert and was always generous with his time,” said Aaron. Other shooters, including Louise Terry and Andrea Lehr, recalled being customers of Lehman’s for decades and had an appreciation for his dedication to helping shooters get just the right glasses to enhance their shooting. “In many ways, he moved his industry into the modern era with blue-blockers, polarized lenses, and new tints,” commented Lehr, “always telling you what ‘Wayne (Mayes) and Todd (Bender) are wearing’ for colors.”

A celebration of life for Lehman is being planned for the fall. You can read his full obituary here.

NSSA regrets to report that Hall of Famer Doug Burdett lost a courageous battle against cancer on June 13, 2019.

Doug is survived by his wife of 61 years, Margaret Burdett, his shooting companion of many years and husband/wife team partner, with whom he won many titles. Both were inducted into the NSSA Hall of Fame.

Doug was a Master Warrant Officer in the Canadian Air Force and spent many tours in Germany during the cold war years with Margaret, who was also Air Force personnel.

During his shooting career, Doug shot skeet in Europe, the United States, and Canada, attaining many accomplishments, including winning many titles at the World Skeet Championships: six HOA World Championships, ten 12-gauge, five 20-gauge, two 28-gauge, and six .410 titles spread over Open, Military and Husband/Wife categories.  Doug and Margaret were inducted into the NSSA Hall of Fame in 1981 as the first couple to be inducted at the same time. He was a member of the All-American Military First Team in 1969 and held a place on the team until 1980, when he retired and was captain of the Military Team in 1974, 1975, 1978, and Co-Captain in 1977 and 1981. He was also a member of the All-American Open Second Team in 1972 and 1973 and won many European Open Championships while posted overseas in the 1970s.

Doug was inducted into the Armed Forces Skeet Association Hall of Fame in 2011, being the only non-American to be inducted. He was also inducted into the Canadian Armed Forces Hall of Fame in 1976 and the Canadian Skeet Shooting Hall of Fame.

Doug was very humble regarding his accomplishments, but he was a key player in Canadian/NSSA skeet shooting over the years. As well as being a winner, he was also an expert stock builder and gunsmith. Doug was always there to offer great advice on improving other shooters’ scores and helping with the mental game of skeet.

Doug had a large circle of friends both in the NSSA, OSSA, and Oshawa Skeet and Gun Club and will be missed by many.

– Contributed by Don Yaraskavitch