12 Aug RIP ALAN SCHECKLE
Killarney has lost one of its strongest pillars with the unexpected passing on Saturday 8 August of Alan Scheckle, racer, marshal, mechanic, maintenance engineer and a good friend to all those he helped over the years, just a month after his 59th birthday.
Alan began racing in Clubmans in the early 1990s, first in a Ford Escort and later in the Walker Brothers Skyline. He was always busy helping his rivals in the pits, always ready with advice and a helping hand, and soon became better known as gifted mechanic who would never say no to a request for help, than as a racing driver.
Nevertheless, he was game for anything, joining Brian Maunder and the Sunday Rider crew in some epic enduro rides and even competing in Short Circuit racing. Alan’s love of fine engineering also led him to a lifelong interest in aircraft. He and his father delighted in attending air shows, and also building and flying radio-controlled model aircraft.
After his racing days, Alan became a dedicated marshal, helping to man the response bakkie for many years, and in later years, maintaining and improving the Karting circuit as a full-time mission.
For many years he and his late father Gavin ran Scheckles Auto Services in Killarney Gardens, and you have only to mention Alan’s name among the Killarney family, to hear countless stories of advice (often very outspoken advice, for Alan didn’t tolerate shoddy workmanship from anybody!), of help freely given, of hours spent sourcing – and installing – scarce, hard to find parts.
He would never be wealthy, but he would never lack for friends willing to speak well of him – and, if you think about it, that’s not a bad legacy for any man to leave behind.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Fonny, his mother Priscilla and his brother Joe, in this difficult time; Alan will be sorely missed at Killarney.
Thanks to Patrick Vermaak for the great photo, taken at Killarney on 10 April.
