16th CALLERLAB Convention 
Milestone Award
Presented by Earl Johnston
Born in Oklahoma, “Decko” retired from the Air Force as Lieutenant Colonel in 1962. He started calling in 1950, and together with his wife, Lou, organized his first square dance club. The Decks created the first leadership organization in the Washington DC area and fostered dance activities in the Virginia and Maryland suburbs.
In 1954 “Decko” was transferred to Ottawa, Canada, where he introduced western style square and round dancing and trained local leaders in the techniques of western style calling and modern cueing. He organized the Callers Club of Ottawa and was an influence in the development of square and round dancing in the Ottawa area.
In the 1950’s “Decko” traveled the eastern seaboard, calling and conducting home-club caller training programs. While stationed in Detroit, he conducted caller training classes and organized the Detroit Callers Club. Returning to Washington DC in 1960, he became president of the leader’s association he had helped to organize earlier. During the 1960’s and 70’s the Decks organized and operated the Washington Fall Cotillion, a three-day festival, developed to bring the local callers and cuers in front of the dancing public on an equal basis with the featured calling and cueing staff.
Starting in 1964, the Decks have conducted square dance tour in England, Europe, Scandainavia, the South Pacific, Hawaii, and Mexico, working with the callers and leaders in those areas.
In 1986, “Decko” organized the Virginia State Callers Association and became its first chairman. During his tenure he assisted in founding the annual Virginia State Convention, where an all-volunteer staff of local callers and cuers gain wide exposure to the dancing public.
In 1985, “Decko” became an accredited CALLERLAB Caller-Coach. Over the years he has served as a chairman of the CALLERLAB Mainstream Quarterly Selections Committee and chairman of the Caller-Coach Committee. He received CALLERLAB’s Outstanding Service Award for his federal level lobbying effort of behalf of Canadian callers working in the U.S.
“Decko” was awarded lifetime membership in his local leaders organization, received plaques in appreciation for the “many years of dedicated service”, and for his work as organizing chairman of his state leaders association.