05/18/2023

Section Manager of the ARRL South Carolina Section Marc Tarplee, N4UFP, passed
away on Sunday, May 14, 2023.

Tarplee served as the South Carolina Section Technical Coordinator for 7 years
before becoming the South Carolina Section Manager in 2010. He was the
longest-serving Section Manager of the century within the ARRL Roanoke
Division.

He was a member of the York County Amateur Radio Society (YCARS), the Carolina
DX Association (CDXA), a founding member of the York County Contesters Group,
and he recently retired as the Chief Financial Officer of York Technical
College in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He completed his undergraduate degree in
physics at the State University of New York in Brockport, and then he pursued
an M.Sc. at the Rochester (New York) Institute of Technology. He earned his
Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of South Carolina.

After spending many years as a shortwave listener, Tarplee became licensed in
1988. He was an avid CW operator and was chasing ARRL's Fred Fish Memorial
Award, which is granted to hams who work all 488 maidenhead grids in the
continental US via VHF/UHF. He had more than 420 grids confirmed.

Tarplee also enjoyed 160 meters and particularly relished working the top band
from a large piece of marshland he owned on the South Carolina coast. From
there, he had the space to run a full-wave Beverage antenna. As both a
committed DXer and contester, Tarplee could be found anywhere from 160 meters
to 23 centimeters.

"Marc's service to the South Carolina Section was legendary. He served as
Technical Coordinator prior to my successful election as Section Manager in
2003 and continued in that position throughout my tenure. When I was elected to
the ARRL board to start in 2010, I was looking for a replacement.  As I was
considering candidates, Marc came to me and wanted to give it a shot. I
admitted to him that I did not even consider him at first, but that he was
absolutely the right person for the position," said Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, Director
of the ARRL Roanoke Division.

ARRL Field Organization Supervisor Steve Ewald, WV1X, said, "Marc was a
wonderful ambassador for ARRL. While working him over the years, I sensed that
he really enjoyed sharing his interest in amateur radio, and he knew how to
encourage others to participate and get involved."
 
Tarplee is survived by his wife, Lee, W7LEE, and his daughters, Austin and
Marley.

A memorial service for Tarplee will be held at the Learning Commons in Building
L at York Technical College, 452 South Anderson Rd., Rock Hill, South Carolina
on Saturday, May 20, 2023, at 1:00 PM.

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