CLIFFORD D. CRASE --- REST IN PEACE

Clifford D. "Kip" Crase, editor/publisher of the Paralyzed Veterans of America's Paraplegia News magazine, passed away on August 15th of pancreatic cancer. Cliff and I knew one another from PVA functions over the years but became much better acquainted once my book went to print. I was granted access to the Paraplegia News achieves and spent many hours at his office researching old copies of the PN dating back to the inaugural issue in 1946 up until the mid-1980's. Matter of fact, Cliff was first to review QUADALAJARA - The Utopia That Once Was and wrote his "Reasons & Remarks" column in the April 2006 PN (See December 9, 2006 BLOG Post) about the book and the story behind it. Seems like just last week (it was April, actually) that I was showing him some old photos of paraplegics and quadriplegics who he may have rehabbed with in the late 50's/early 60's at Chicago's Hines VA Hospital. Cliff's story is slightly different from most quads I've met. It wasn't until three years post-rehab that Cliff went out on his own. He knew about Quadalajara --- had a number of friends venture down there --- but was just independent enough to attend the University of Illinois, the most wheelchair accessible university at that time. Cliff married Nancy Thatcher in 1969 and the couple moved to Phoenix that same year. An excellent athlete both prior to and after his injury, Cliff soon founded a wheelchair sports magazine, Sports 'n Spokes, and years ago took over as PN editor as well. Been working every day for the past 38 years! Rest in peace, my Friend.....