Missing a friend

When benchmark events in any life – even those of an association like OOIDA – happen, inevitably conversation turns to memories of events and friends who have been made along the way.

The Heart of America Trucking Show is no different.

One name in particular is coming up time and time again: Dale "The Truckin' Bozo" Sommers.

As you probably know, Dale died last year. To this day, while he is still sorely missed, the fonder memories and smiles outweigh the sadness.

Those late nights that many of you tuned in to listen to Dale while he was on WLW, you heard him chatting with OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer quite a bit. Todd would stay up late and the pair would wrestle with the issues facing truckers into the wee hours of the morning.

Sharon Sommers presents Dale "The Truckin'
Bozo" Sommers' OOIDA Life Member jacket
to OOIDA President Jim Johnston.

Dale was a staunch – to put it mildly – supporter of OOIDA. He would go so far as to ban callers from his show until they became members of the Association. He was a firm believer that if you weren't in on the fight and supporting OOIDA, you didn't deserve the right to complain.

As much as Dale loved OOIDA, the Association loved him. Dale was presented with an award of appreciation well before his death, but after numerous medical issues began taking their toll.

That mutual admiration was recognized once again at OOIDA's Heart of America Truck Show.

Sharon Sommers, Dale's wife, was in attendance to present a gift of gratitude to OOIDA President Jim Johnston. The gift? Dale's coveted OOIDA Life Member jacket carefully framed with some photos of "The Bozo" by OOIDA Member Jan McCarter.

Sharon, or "Lumpy" as listeners to Dale's show will know her by, told Jim of Dale's love and passion for the Association and felt that his jacket belonged best with the people he had supported, and fought the battles alongside.

I don't know if Jim teared up or not when he was accepting; it was too hard to tell through my own.

Here's to Dale. Still missed and still loved.