Carling Gresham, 81 of Palatka, Florida passed away January 26, 2008. Carling was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He retired from the U.S. Army after 27 years of service where he flew mustangs. Survivors are his daughters, Tanya R. Gresham of Carlsbad, Ca., Myfanwy A. Gresham-Thomas of Denver, Co., Garnet G. Gresham of Las Vegas, Nv.; grandchildren, Kalo Copenhaver, L. Nyan, Fawnell and Lauren Gresham; great grandchildren, Savana and Bo Copenhaver.

Apparently his first name was Billie. I had not known that.

I believe our mystery man in the recent E-Sylum is the late Carling Gresham, long ago of the Coin World staff and a notable controversialist as editor of FUN Topics, where he lambasted FUN officers with spectacular abandon. Some early issues of The Asylum featured a number of verbal assaults of somewhat less violence on early NBS members. The story of a disaffected girlfriend driving his expensive sports car far out on the sands of Daytona Beach and leaving it there to greet the incoming tide made headlines in its day,

Carling was also a competent researcher, see his booklet on the Green Cross Medal issued by Scots adventurer Gregor MacGregor on Amelia Island, Florida in 1817. A veteran in the early struggle for South American independence, MacGregor led a storybook career that is little known in the U.S.