Gary Patterson passed away on February 27, 2026. He was one of Whatcom County Cruising Association’s original founders and long time Treasurer. He was not only instrumental in starting this club, but also in shaping the spirit, friendships, and passion that continue to define WCCA today. Gary will be missed by all who knew him.
Lee Nelson passed away in 2023.
Warren Martin
Calvin “Jack” Foster
Tony Konkol
(taken from the typed photo on the left)
Irascible, cantankerous, stubborn, generous, lovable, hateable, mouth, kind, and a walking font of history as well as advice. Love him or hate him, he was his own man, and you had to just take him as he was. He was the world’s most experienced teenager, one of the original, founding members (and the only life member) of the Fifty 5-6-7 Club in this area, as well as a long time member of the Whatcom County Cruising Association. Anthony J. (“Tony”) Konkol has driven off to the big cruise-in beyond the sunset. He left us Saturday night, August 27, 1994 to join a new group.
Never again will we have to up with “the Old Fart” sitting at the back of the room and grousing about how he can’t hear because “everybody keeps mumbling! Will you speak up!”
Never again will we see him drive up, pleased and proud as a kid with a new toy, in his two-tone gold, ’56 Bel Air nine-passenger Brookwood wagon.
We’ll miss you, Old Man. Sleep well.
In his memory, the Vancouver and area chapter of the Fifty 5-6-7 Club will present the Tony Konkol memorial award tot he best station wagon at Aldergrove Lake.
William D. Hubbard
Whatcom County Cruising Association 