Very sad news regarding Semroc and Carl McLawhorn

Very sad news.

So sorry to hear the sad news. My thoughts and prayers go out to Sheryl and the rest of his family. Carl was a classy guy. When I posted about losing my Golden Scout at NARAM (which was a real trick), Carl sent me a new one without me asking.

Heartbroken...saddened beyond words. Prayers for the Family.

Very sad news - my thoughts and prayers go out to Carl's family.

very sad news indeed. Lost my brother-in-law to the same thing 2 weeks before my wedding. Carl will be missed by many.

Words fail me at a time like this. Kathy and I met the mcLawhorns back at the first TRF launch during our first full year of operation, and we all became fast friends. The loss is immeasurable.

This makes me sick on the inside. My condolences to the family.

I am deeply saddened to read the news. I have never met him face to face, but 100% of my business with him exceeded any expections. His word was alwasy kept and was a testimate to his character. Every product produced showed his love of the hobby. He will be greatly missed.

Our Prayers are with his Family and all the Semroc folks. I Know they must all be devastated.
He was truly one of the Great GOOD guys.

A good man will be missed. My thoughts go out to the family and friends affected.

I had a chance to meet both Mr and Mrs MacLawhorn about 2 years ago. Visited their shop and both Carl and Sheryl showed my family and myself around their shop. They seemed so proud of their work, shop and product line. Carl gave me an indepth story on the April Dancer. I even meet their super fast shipping Genie. I thought they were such genuine and down to earth people. Even though I was 52 at the time I asked them both to excuse me for being like a kid a Christmas. My wife took photos of them thru the visit.

May God bless you with His mercies Carl and May God bless you also Sheryl.

You folks are among the last great rocketry people.

A huge loss to all of us for sure, but it pales in comparison to what Carl's loved ones are going through right now. He certainly advanced the hobby by an order of magnitude, and was loved by all who met him.

Our thoughts go out to Sheryl and the rest of the McLawhorn family. I've never met or talked to Carl and Sheryl but it's my understanding they're a class act. I know some of the small manufacturers owe them a huge debt because without their mentorship, they wouldn't exist. The entire rocketry community has been diminished in more ways than we know at the moment. This is truly a sad day for us all.

My condolences and prayers for Sheryl and the family. I'm another who never had the chance to meet them face-to-face, but had a number of really lovely interactions with them through my orders with Semroc. Our hobby, and the broader world, are diminished by his loss.

Oh no... That's terrible. Carl will be missed. RIP.

I came across this very nice photo earlier today:

https://www.cv41.org/personal/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=16642

-- Roger

I am saddened to hear this awful news. I just got back into rocketry about a year ago and had not even heard of Semroc till then but as soon as I checked out their site, I thought it looked like an awesome company. Just did my very first order with them about a month ago and was very pleased with the merchandise and the service. My prayers and condolences go out to Sheryl and the family.

What extremely sad news. I talked to Carl at numerous NARAMs and always enjoyed our conversations. He was the epitome of class and a true southern Gentleman.

Anyone wishing to send cards of sympathy or condolence can send them to the Semroc address:

Semroc Astronautics Corporation
Box 1271, Knightdale, NC 27545

I'm sure that Carl's family would appreciate hearing what he has meant to you over the years.

Mine is already done and signed by my boys. It will go in the mailbox tonight.

A few days ago I had managed to destroy the 1/70 scale Saturn IB I'd built as a teenager. But that was OK, because I could replace it, because Carl McLawhorn had produced his replica kit. Carl brought back the look and feel of what model rockets *should* be. There is a feel to the wood, to the paper tubes, to the printing that brings many of us back to the time when we first learned to create complex things from simple parts.

I had the chance to talk to him at a few NARAMs, including the most recent a few weeks ago, and he kindly gave me a free "deci-scale" kit of the Nike-Tomahawk, because he appreciated what I had done with my books. He was still full of ideas of what he wanted to create, and told me all about his special CNC lathe that produced such beautiful turnings.

I confess that I'm not sure how Semroc could really make money--I've kind of suspected that he had retired from his "real" work, and was simply happy not to lose money making our corner of the world a better place. I assumed I'd see him again at another NARAM, and his next deci-scale kit, which he'd show off to me (and all the other assembled rocket geeks), along with whatever unexpected cool stuff he'd come up with.

Really a fine human being. He will be missed.

OH NO!!! Man, I am SO saddened to hear about this... I feel just terrible!

I've had the pleasure of meeting Carl and Sheryl on a couple of occasions, at NSL in Muncie a few years back, and at NARAM just north of Cincinnati year before last. WONDERFUL people! I was visiting with some folks and ate supper at the next table in a burger joint at NARAM the first night, and visited with them "across the aisle" so to speak... You just can't find better folks in this hobby, or in the business supplying us, than Carl and Sheryl, to be sure...

SO very sorry to hear of this. My condolences and God bless. I lost an uncle to this very same thing back in 88... SO sad. God bless you all!
Jeff Roberts

I just saw the Facebook post from SIRIUS Rocketry. That is so very sad. Why does this have to happen??

Horrilbe news, I can't believe it!

Rest in peace Carl, and my condolences to his family and everyone at Semroc.


Braden

Just got home ,I`m shocked by this terrible news.

Sincerest condolences

Paul t

I just heard about this on Jon's website.

Rest, Mr. McLawhorn, you made at least our part (if not more) of the world a better place to be.

FC

This is really sad to hear. My condolences to Carl's family and friends.

Carl was one of the greatest guys in the world - my sympathies to the family

Very sorry to hear this. Deepest sympathies.

Wow. That's a shock. I met Carl and Sheryl at NARCON 2009. What a nice couple. They supported and contributed to the hobby like few do. My condolences to Sheryl. She lost a great husband and the hobby lost a great guy. RIP Carl.

Truly a great man to the rocket community, you will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go with the family.

Thank you for all you have done.


TA