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Wisconsin Federation of Stamp Clubs (WFSC)
Across the Fence Post
Newsletter
2003 "Who's Who in the WFSC" columns
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This page includes The "Who's Who in the WFSC" columns from the 2003 issues of Across the Fence Post.
January issue No column this issue
February issue
Member: Rob Henak
By Robert J. Mather, Waukesha County Philatelic Society
Rob
Henak, at 45 years of age is a ray of hope for the future of the stamp
collecting hobby. He is extremely active in the philatelic community in the
Milwaukee area and was recently nominated for the Distinguished Philatelist of
the Greater Milwaukee Area by the North Shore Philatelic Society (NSPS) of
Milwaukee. He has been a member of that club for about 10 years and currently
serves as Vice President of the club. He acts as auctioneer for the club for the
numerous auctions that it conducts. He is the Bourse Chairman for TRI-PEX, an
annual Milwaukee stamp show hosted by three Milwaukee area clubs, including the
NSPS. He allows the club to share his post office box and in numerous other ways
is a major contributing force to the success of that club.
Rob is a member of the Milwaukee Philatelic Society (MPS) and is Exhibits
Chairman for MILCOPEX, the annual exhibition of that club. He is a charter
member of the American Topical Association Chapter V of Milwaukee (ATA-V) and a
member of the Wisconsin Postal History Society (WPHS). He also belongs to the
American Philatelic Society (APS), the Iowa Postal History Society (IPHS), the
American Revenue Association (ARA), and the State Revenue Society (SRS). Rob is
a Wisconsin Federation of Stamp Clubs (WFSC) certified judge and serves on the
WFSC Judging Committee. He has established and keeps current a web site
(milwaukeephilatelic.org) which provides information to collectors to collectors
about events, clubs, etc., in the Milwaukee area.
Rob has been married to Ellen for 18 years, and they have two daughters, Sara
15, and Danielle 13. Though young in age, these two girls are already well known
in the hobby because of their multiple award winning exhibits at stamp shows
around the country. It appears that Rob wants to ensure that the hobby is
well represented long into the future, and he has encouraged these girls at
every step of the way. Rob and his family live in the village of Fox Point. Rob
is an attorney in Milwaukee and his office is Henak Law Office S.C. He is a
defense attorney and limits his practice to post conviction and criminal
appeals. Rob is on the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Association of
Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is also an ad hoc member of the Appellate Practice
Committee of the Wisconsin Judicial Council.
While going to school in Madison in 1982, Rob started collecting stamps. He
dabbled a little in both coins and stamps, but since the stamp club meetings
were closer than the coin club meetings, he gradually became more serious about
stamps than coins. He collects State Marijuana Tax Stamps, Iowa Postal History,
Anti-drug Abuse First Day Covers, and Non-equine horses (a topical interest). He
is working on, or has exhibited every one of these subjects with very good
results. He has won every level of award from bronze to gold on a national
level. He has won numerous special awards as well. He has obtained some of the
Marijuana Tax stamps by registering with the state as a drug dealer (Rest
assured that he has not dealt any drugs however). It is a whole lot cheaper
getting these stamps this way than getting them from a stamp dealer. For
example, a $3.50 stamp from the state would cost $45.00 on E-bay.
Rob’s words of wisdom are that you should share what you have learned while in
the hobby. This can be done by exhibiting, writing articles for publications, or
even just by talking with others. You should not take what you have learned to
the grave, however, without sharing it as doing so does no one any good. Rob has
our best wishes for a long and happy life of stamp collecting.
March issue No column this issue
April issue No column this issue
May/June issue No column this issue
July/August issue No column this issue
September issue
Member: Fay Heller
By Robert J. Mather, Waukesha County Philatelic Society
Fay Heller is one of those people who quietly serves a group or an organization that she has been affiliated with, and does it with no fanfare or celebration. Yet, when the event or project that was being undertaken is all over with, one suddenly realizes just how much she has contributed to the undertaking. She does not seek the limelight, yet is always willing to put in the effort and contribution needed to make things successful. Many are the hours that she has spent behind the Gen. Billy Mitchell Air Mail Society table at stamps shows selling publications for that group. She was the organizer for the first Christmas parties—now called Holiday parties for the Milwaukee Philatelic Society many years ago.
Fay has been a member of the Milwaukee Philatelic Society since about 1970. She is a member of the German Philatelic Society (Milwaukee Chapter), and is a charter member of the General Bill Mitchell Chapter of the American Air Mail Society, serving as Secretary of that group for some time. Fay usually presides at the monthly club meetings when the President is unable to attend. She is instrumental in getting programs set up for that group and keeps the club on a straight and even keel. Fay got her husband, Gunther, to join the stamp clubs too, because, as she said, "I needed a chauffeur." She was recently honored as the Greater Milwaukee Area Distinguished Philatelist for 2003, a well-deserved honor.
Fay lives in the city of New Berlin. Retired from various teaching position, including Special Education classes mostly in the Milwaukee area, she has enjoyed the experience of teaching in Japan, Europe, and Africa for dependents of Air Force personnel. In 1970, she was selected as the Wisconsin Teacher of the Year in Special Education, an honor for which she is rightfully proud. Fay is also involved in a significant amount of volunteer work for various organizations, such as the University Milwaukee Guild, an organization for anyone older than 60. She organizes activities and functions as well as teaches some classes for that group.
Stamp collecting first came into her life when she was 11 or 12, but by the time she was ready for college, she had to sell everything that she had collected to buy books for school. She returned to stamp collecting when she was in her thirties and has collected ever since. Fay originally was a general worldwide collector, but they turned to first day cover collecting, and has been serious about it ever since. She has specialized in Air Mail philately since about 1990, and now mostly collects airmail items.
In addition to collecting stamps, Fay also collects dolls. She enjoys weaving and crocheting. Fay and Gunther enjoy traveling and travel photography. They have been to every U. S. state and have circled the world three times in addition to many other trips. Fay is a Packer and Badger football fan.
One of her most treasured philatelic items is a Christmas gift from Gunther--that is three Zeppelin-stamped postcards. One postcard was for each leg of the Bremerhaven to Rio, Rio to New York, and New York to Bremerhaven first flight of the Graf Zeppelin.
Fay suggests that collectors do not get too serious too soon, but rather just have fun with the hobby. Everyone can choose to become more serious later if he or she want to, but fun should come first. Fay was written up in the American Air Mail Post, the journal of the American Air Mail Society in recognition of her successful sales of Air Mail publications at MILCOPEX. The hobby is enriched because of the efforts of Fay, and we all are deeply indebted. We wish her only the best for the future and hope that the hobby is as good to her as she has been to the hobby.
October issue No column this issue
November issue
Member: Howard Shaughnessy
By Robert J. Mather, Waukesha County Philatelic Society
After
all these years of Shaughnessy Takes On...columns in Across the Fence Post, it
is time to “take on the author,” who is a life member of the Lake County (IL)
Philatelic Society, where in his 35-plus years of membership he has been
President, Vice-President, and Secretary, the latter post re-elected to for the
coming year. As longtime editor/publisher of Lake County Philatelic Society’s
monthly newsletter, Perforations, Howard recalls some of his first issues years
ago run off on a mimeograph.
His father introduced him to stamp collecting in 1937 while living in Denver. At
that time, there was a dealer, A. E. Pade, who imported stamps by the railway
boxcar in addition to his retail shop. After purchasing five pounds of United
States stamps, Howard decided to soak all of them at once in the basement set
tubs. For days after there were stamps drying out all over the house!
Currently, Howard collections Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Ireland, and the
United States, although he has cut back on collecting since his retirement. When
the Lake County Philatelic Society had annual LACOPEX exhibits, he did exhibit,
one of his most popular was Waste Basket Philately, of mailed covers using other
than stamps for postage. At one time, Howard was a cachet maker, a talent passed
on to his artist son, McKevin.
Stamps are great educational tools with a story behind each stamp. It’s a FUN
hobby, witness his “Who Says the Brits Have No Sense of Humor” on the Lake
County Philatelic Society’s website, www.lacopex.netfirms.com. However,
philatelic knowledge is essential for the serious collector.
In addition to being a life member of the Lake County Philatelic Society, Howard
is also a life member of the American Philatelic Society, and was recently
honored with the Wisconsin Federation of Stamp Clubs’ District Representative
Award. Other interests include the local Civil War Roundtable Group, the local
computer group and his World War II Reunion Group, for each of which he writes
articles or serves as editor of their newsletter.
Howard and spouse, Diane, share their Gurnee, Illinois coach home with two Toons
(Shelties) and he has a son, McKevin; a daughter, Jody; three grandchildren, and
one great grandson.
December issue No column this issue
Latest update: June 14, 2005
URL: http://www.WFSCstamps.org/wfsc_atfp_whos_who_2003.shtml