Penny L. Burdick

Wade,
So sorry to hear about Penny.
I had no idea you had moved to Indiana.
I haven't played racquetball in 11 years, thanks to a foot injury, two knees wrecked by 35 years of the game and most recently atrial fib.
Still, I had a great career playing racquetball, thanks to your teaching. Yeah, we started with wooden racquets, but for me, ceiling balls never went out of style and I never changed how I played. I won at least 12 tournaments using what you taught me, even with composite racquets and livelier balls. Nobody could beat the best player in Olean ... except me. I didn't beat him every time, usually 7 of every 10 games, but one day, after he won a game, he paid me the ultimate compliment: Even when I beat you, it's not fun, you make it hurt too much.
I'm not sports editor at the Times Herald any more, but at age 73, I'm still a columnist, but rather than working shifts, I write at home or the game I'm covering and I love it.
I noticed Penny's obit on the Era site and recalled our talks about how much you loved her. Yours was a marriage to be envied.
My thoughts are with you, my friend.
Be well,
Chuck