[AARA] Mark Dugal N5TBU - Silent Key

[Herman Campbell]

https://cache.legacy.net/legacy/images/cobrands/acadiana/photos/4c3773d7-b32d-4b58-a091-b33a010293b9.jpgx?w=712&h=600&option=1

Mark Owen Dugal N5TBU of Opelousas, Louisiana became a Silent Key on 
Saturday, October 17, 2020.

Mark began working full time at the age of 16. His jobs included stints 
as a diesel mechanic, a grain elevator operator, and as
a truck driver for Clover Farm Creamery. Eventually, his interests 
turned to radios and computers. He worked for several
communication companies before opening his own, Versatile 
Communications, which provided professional radio communications
equipment, including high and low band, and 700 and 800 radio systems to 
public safety agencies, public services and farmers
throughout Louisiana. If you didn't know what that meant, Mark could 
have explained it to you. Mark lived and died doing things
his own way. He was opinionated, stubborn, adventurous and generous. His 
drink was Seagram's 7 and Sprite and he smoked
cigarettes, as he always said he would, until the day he died. He would 
give the shirt off of his back to help someone in need. His
family, technology, and travel were the most important things in his 
life. He was an excellent cook, known to spend hours browning
the meat of choice into a fine gravy or to whip up an even finer 
macaroni and cheese. As a licensed ham radio operator and technician,
N5TBU communicated with friends and family located around the country. 
He had an innate understanding of electronics and was
the go-to person for problems ranging from questions regarding the 
history of a piece of farmland to figuring out that new remote
control for your TV. He loved hunting, motorcycles, camping, and fresh 
bread. He despised crab meat in any form and salads with
"strange" ingredients. He liked to be notified to "save room" for 
dessert if it was going to be made available. Mark was an explorer
at heart. He did his best to leave no lonely country road untraveled. He 
was an avid motorcycle rider who passed many a weekend
riding through the old Camp Claiborne. His family has fond memories of 
camping trips, some of which include flooded tents, and all
of which include lots of laughter. He spent hours pouring over internet 
forums on abandoned rail lines and train depots. He especially
enjoyed his yearly motorcycle trips which, more often than not, took him 
out West. He designed a small trailer to pull vacation
essentials behind his bike. Friends and family back home looked forward 
to photos of beautiful scenery, GPS data, topography maps,
and other trip reports including weather conditions and average miles 
per gallon.

Mark is survived by his parents, Paul and Mary Ann Patout Dugal of 
Opelousas, his two sisters, Claudia Ann Dugal of Round Rock,
Texas and Catherine Lynn Dugal Cahanin, and one brother in law, Lee 
Cahanin of Opelousas. He has one niece, Aimee Cahanin,
her husband Phirun Meach, and three nephews, Charlton Harrison and his 
wife, Liz, Dimitri Dugal-Hammond, and Eric Cahanin
and his wife Mary Trigg. He also has two great nieces, Christa and Stacy 
Harrison and three great nephews, Brent Harrison, Vaylen
Hammond, and James Cahanin. He was preceded in death by his brother 
James Patrick Dugal, his paternal grandparents, Clifford
and Irene Dugal, and maternal grandparents, Oswell and Claudia Bourque 
Patout, Sr., as well as his dog, Mimi, who set the bar for
"good dog" so high that, years later, no other could compete. Mark also 
had one brother James Dugal N5KNX who is now a Silent
Key and was a member of the Acadiana Amateur Radio Association, Inc.

Mark will be sadly missed by his family and friends. In lieu of flowers, 
the family requests that you simply drive down a lonely
back road and enjoy the scenery in Mark's honor. The family plans to 
hold a Memorial Mass which will be announced at a later date.
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/acadiana/obituary.aspx?n=mark-owen-dugal&pid=196977544&fhid=12386 
<https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/acadiana/obituary.aspx?n=mark-owen-dugal&pid=196977544&fhid=12386>


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