In Memory of Two Good Friends

Bill Hulen

We all lost a good friend yesterday, after a long and courageous battle with his failing health.

Bill Hulen (Click) was a Founding Member of the FDR "Riders of the Long Table" and a life-time member of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association (GWRRA). Riding his "Yellar" Wing, Bill loved to "bring up the rear" of the daily rides out of FDR Honda in Paducah. 

Bill rode with me on one of my County Courthouse Tours and commented regularly on this blog. Bill and I met almost every morning, riding down Broadway to check out the Ohio River, before joining the rest of the guys at FDR for a cup of coffee and a bull session. 

Bill was a class act and a genuine " good guy."

He will truly be missed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bill Coplen

It is almost surreal that we lost a second good friend barely one day later, due to a tragic accident. 

Bill Coplen lost his life (Click) Tuesday morning (8:30am) when a car pulled into his path.

Bill was a well respected member of the Long Table and regularly rode local daily rides. Bill had recently outfitted a new Wing and loved long distance motorcycle trips with his wife. Bill usually sat to my right each morning at FDR. I came to appreciate his life experiences as a Ballard County Deputy Sheriff, his reasoned intelligence and his subtle sense of humor. Bill was a caring person, always ready to help anyone in need. 

Bill Coplen will also be greatly missed.   

The World is my Country 
All Mankind are my Brethren
And to do good is my religion.
 ~Thomas Paine~