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Dear SMSC Friends,

The flags at Saint Margaret Sailing Club have been set to half mast. It is with tremendous sadness that I write to inform you of the passing of long-standing SMSC member Tony Lugar. Although I did not know Tony as well as many of you, all of my interactions were with a kind, supportive, and eternally optimistic man; conversations I have shared with others today suggest my assessment is a universal one. Tony personified what it means to be a gentleman.

Tony was also a tremendously vibrant man; as we worked together loading Lasers back into the trucks after the Worlds two years ago I could not have guessed he was my senior by a quarter of a century. Lee Myrhaugen remembers back to earlier days when they both raced dinghies and Tony was simply unbeatable in a Sunfish.  Being a gentleman did not stop him from being a formidable competitor.  Lee also remembers Tony and Rexanne’s service over many years as the race committee for SMSC. They gave our Club an extraordinary gift in this capacity but what strikes as truly remarkable was the degree to which husband and wife worked together as a team.

Tony has consistently made significant contributions to our Club over many, many years, typically outside the range of the spotlight. Tony sought to help; he did not seek recognition. It was this pattern and his indefatigable efforts during the Laser Worlds that prompted Commodore Wayne Trowse to award Tony with the 2009 “Bucket Award.”

On behalf of the entire SMSC community, I extend my sincere condolences to Rexanne, Judy, Bob, Matthew and all of Tony’s family and friends. SMSC has suffered a tremendous loss as have all of those who have ever benefitted from Tony’s kindness, dignity, and uncommon decency.