Morty.... Rest in peace...
 

Our friend Morty passed away earlier this afternoon.

I'll miss his funny stories,I'll miss his gravely voice, I'll miss his laugh, and most of all I'll miss calling him a friend

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Re: Morty.... Rest in peace...
 

May he RIP.

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He'll ALWAYS be your friend. Someday you'll meet on the other side.

Rest in Peace Morty!

steiny
:32:

Re: Morty.... Rest in peace...
 

First time I met Morty was back in the early to mid 90's at Terre Haute in the infield during warm-ups. My wife Cindy had a Tony Elliot t-shirt on and he came up to me an introduced himself to us as a big Tony Elliot fan. He acted like he knew us his whole life. It was really cool. Seen him many times after that over the years and it was always the same friendliness he displayed the first time we met. Really a cool dude and class act. Hard to believe he's gone. I'd assume he's already up there trading racing stories with Jack Kraemer and Crazy Darryl from Arizona.

R.I.P. my friend.:22:

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Every time I've come to IOW for the last couple of weeks, I've held my breath while I scanned the topics, hopeful that I wouldn't see this thread. My heart goes out to all his family and friends.
Chief: Enjoy watching tonight's race completely at peace and free from pain.

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Rest in Peace Morty, I will miss you at the races.

My thoughts are with Drew and Debbie.

I write this with a heavy heart and sick in the stomach. Rest easy my ol' race friend. Although our paths didn't cross often enough, when they did it was alot of fun and alot of laughs. You will be missed by many. Thinking of Debbie and Drew. Signed: Karen, Emily and Scott

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Andrew, I just sent you a PM.

Robert Richards.
robert@conceptauto.com.au

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My thoughts and prayers are with Debbie and Drew as well as Randy's good friend Andrew and the rest of his racing pals.

RIP Morty!

Patti

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Very sorry to read this...I first met Morty at Terre Haute in the infield in the early 90's when I was selling Speed Sport. He always went out of his way to come over and say hi and talk for a bit.

RIP Morty

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My condolences

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From Twitter:
RT@Amy Coons ‏@amyjcoons
Jerry, Cale, Kynlie and I are sponsoring lap 34 IN MEMORY OF MORTY... Gonna miss you bud
:6:

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So sorry to hear this. Must have been a vicious form of cancer to take him this quickly. Enjoy heaven, Randy.

___________
Wes Stafford

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Rest in peace Morty,you will be missed.

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RIP my friend :22:
ROB

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RIP Morty, I'll never forget that night at Kaser's. I bet Drew never will either. Good bye friend.:13:

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Morty, you are and always will be a real race fan. This checkered flag is for you. RIP!

Rest in peace Randy.

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RIP my old friend. The races just got less fun.

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When I first came to IOW (USAC Fans at the time) the first person I wanted to meet was Morty. Because his niceness came across in what he posted here and I knew he would be a great person to know. I actually met Danny Burton first at Putnamville and he introduced me to John Hoover, but at the next race at the Terre Haute Action Track, Morty invited me to meet him and some others by the rabbit building, behind the ticket booth. That day I met Morty, Jack Kraemer, Steve Turner, Brent Goodnight, Koonzee and I think Merrillville Al. What I learned that day is that Randy Mortland was the real deal. A genuinely friendly guy, who loved racing, loved the Action Track and was funny as hell, too. And the entire time I knew him, none of that ever changed, because that's just who he was.

Today, when I got the news, I was on the road, driving to Smackdown. For a little while, it was just so sad, because someone I always looked forward to seeing when I went to the track, I would never get to see again. But the more I thought about it, the more I knew that this wasn't exactly right. Because as long as Drew is still around, a part of Morty still will be with us, too. Because he raised a son that's turned out to be a good man, very much like his father. And also, because he was sick, Morty wasn't going to get to see Smackdown. I knew tonight, he'd be watching it with Jack. RIP Morty. We lost one of our best today.:13:

Jerry

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So sorry to hear this. Rest in peace, my friend!

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I had never met Mort but always enjoyed his posts here. One of the good guys along with Dwight Clock and others
gone too soon. #Godspeed to both.

Re: Morty.... Rest in peace...
 

Originally Posted by Tony Barhorst:
I had never met Mort but always enjoyed his posts here. One of the good guys along with Dwight Clock and others
gone too soon. #Godspeed to both.

My thoughts exactly. Rest in peace race fan.

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Sorry to hear this. Rest in peace.

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Thanks for all the great times we had at the races. I'll never forget them or you. RIP buddy.

Coach and Carol

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We put our yard sign back out today,
sad it happened so fast.
Thoughts and prayers to Debbie and Drew!
R.I.P. Buddy, we miss you already!:13:

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I received the news yesterday afternoon at the Smackdown. It is always difficult to understand why good people are taken from us way too early. Morty was one of those good guys. I didn't know him well but whenever I did see him it was always special.

Sitting in the stands last night watching the race it wasn't quite the same. Morty had been battling the big C and in talking to Andrew he was battling it hard. My hope is that Jack and Dwight were part of the welcoming committee yesterday when Morty arrived.

To Debbie and Drew you have my heartfelt sympathy. Rest in peace Morty! Gone but certainly not forgotten.:13:

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Thanks for posting that, Andrew. Not only did so many of us here lose a friend and great guy, it's obvious East Alton is mourning the loss of a real pillar of their community.

Jerry

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RIP Morty, We will miss your grin and laugh. My prayers our out to your family and friends.

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R.I.P. Morty! My thoughts and prayers! :13:

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I guess I try this take 2. I first met Morty at the Eldora Million or my first trip out for ISW. The next time we crossed paths was at the Chili Bowl. Drew was going deep into the HH beanbag tournament When Randy remembered that I was from Mass he felt that we should have a little wager for the upcoming Superbowl. Well it did end up the Patriots vs the Rams. Our wager was for a case of beer. Anyway the Patriots won, and the wager would be repaid at our next meeting, the Chili Bowl. Fast forward a year, and I eagerly awaited collecting on our wager in Tulsa. After the end of the first night at the Chili Bowl I finally met up with Morty, and company. My prize winnings consisted of the remnants of a case of beer! Morty explained that he had been looking for me all night, and as the beer got warmer he felt that consuming it was the proper thing to do, so he shared it with a few other willing participants. Morty explained to me that if he was to give me warmed over beer that I might have felt slighted, so he did what he needed to do so as not to have me feeling offend by being presented with obviously undrinkable beer! RIP Randy. We only got to cross paths a few times, but my eyes are welling up with tears thinking about your passing. RIP.

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Rest in peace Randy! You will be missed!
Old Joe and little Joe

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Funeral arrangements from Debbies Facebook page:

Visitation for Randy will be at Pitchford Funeral Home Friday 1-8 p.m. Service will be at East Alton Middle School Gymnasium Saturday at 10 a.m. Thank you all for everything. I am so overwhelmed with all the kindness and outpouring of support everyone has shown. I am so honored that I was a part of his life. He was the love of my life and I'm sure gonna miss him.

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From "Dirty Driving Drews" Facebook page:

Funeral Arrangements for Randy Mortland have been set.

Visitation: Friday August 30, 1pm-8pm @ Pitchford Funeral Home - 2555 Vaughn Rd. (IL Rt. 111), Wood River Uniformed Personnel walk-thru will be at 7pm.

Funeral: Saturday, August 31, 10am @ East Alton Middle School Gymnasium (1000 3rd St., East Alton) with procession to Rose Lawn Memory Gardens in Bethalto.

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My heart sank when I saw the story of Morty's passing today in today's Alton Telegraph. RIP Morty.

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Our Thoughts and Prayers are with the family and friends. Lloyd & Gail

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I am not sure what year it was the first time I met Morty. I do know I was introduced to Morty by Brent Funk, most probably at Terre Haute.

Randy had to be the most personable fan/person I knew. One particular memory was during a trip I took out to Illinois by myself. Went up to Pecatonica IL.to watch some midget racing and then down to Bellville IL for some Midget racing the next night. I gave Morty a call and let him know I was heading down to Bellville that night for some midget racing, and hoped he would be able to join me. Not only did he say he'd come over to the races that night. But he also told me to swing by his house early to show me his place, along with the infamous Tracy Hines victory trophy.

When I stopped by Morty told me now that I was at his house, he might as well grill up some burgers for us. When he got ready to fire up the grill he found out he did not have any gas in the cylinder. But that did not stop him. He says "hey Hoosier you want a grand tour of East Alton". Hopped in his truck to run out and get a gas cylinder for the grill. He showed me the fire company he worked at. And one of the other dirt tracks just north of East Alton. But the funniest part was when he stops at a convenience store to get a new gas cylinder for the grill. Randy (A East Alton Fire Fighter) walks right into the store carrying the empty cylinder. And the clerk behind the counter tells him "Sir you're not allowed to bring the empty gas bottle into the store. After we walk out Randy does a face palm and says to me. "you'd figure I would know that being a fire fighter and all"

I will always cherish the memories I had when Randy "Morty" Mortand was at the races I attended.

Rest in peace Randy. you will be missed.

Bill Maurer

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Nice story on Randy when he stepped down as Fire Chief in East Alton.

http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/loc...9bb30f31a.html

___________
Wes Stafford