S. Hallock du Pont, Jr., of Vero Beach, Florida, and Wilmington, Delaware, passed away peacefully on February 23, 2021, after a lengthy illness. "Hal," to all who knew him, lived life to its very fullest, passionate about each and every one of his endeavors. His contributions and service to NSSA-NSCA were pivotal and unparalleled in the organization's history. "In my 28-year tenure with the organization, no one has bridged the gap between shooters, the Executive Committee, and industry in both skeet and sporting clays as Hal did," said Michael Hampton, Jr., NSSA-NSCA Executive Director. "He … [Read more...]
Final Shots: Ray L. Harding
NSSA-NSCA member Ray L. Harding of King George, Virginia, passed away on November 15, 2020. Ray left behind many friends who will miss him. He was involved in skeet and sporting clays shooting for more than 50 years, being top in his class for many years. During this time, he served on the Board of Directors of the Fredericksburg Rod and Gun Club, serving as president for several years and as skeet chairman. He also served as president of the Virginia Skeet Shooting Association and was well respected throughout the skeet community, as was shown by his induction into the Virginia Skeet … [Read more...]
Final Shots: Allen “Al” Morrison
Long-time skeet shooter and NSSA Hall of Fame member Allen "Al" Walker Morrison, Sr., 88, of Newberry, South Carolina, died Monday, August 31. Al was a retired United States Marine Corps veteran, having served during the Korean Conflict, and following his retirement from the military worked as a professional shooter with Hal duPont. He then worked as the Newberry County Veterans Affairs Director from which he also retired. He was a member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Mr. Morrison was a Shriner, a former member of the Newberry Rotary Club, served on the Newberry County Council on Aging … [Read more...]
Final Shots: Donald Watt
Donald Andrew Watt, age 73, of Hampton Township, Pennsylvania, passed away on Friday, August 7, 2020. Don was one of three founding partners of Elite Shotguns, a local shotgun vendor that has expanded to venues across the continental US. He was known as an incredible man full of kindness, integrity, and knowledge. Elite Shotguns staff expressed their sorrow and their thanks for everything he brought to their lives, the shooting industry, and the company. Don was a lifelong resident of Hampton and spent years working as a journeyman electrician, a member of the IBEW. Early on, Don was a … [Read more...]
Final Shots: John Martin “Tito” Killian
We are saddened to report that John Martin "Tito" Killian, a member of the famous Cosmic Cowboys 5-man team who competed together in the 1970s, passed away on July 27 of COVID-19. Killian, 64, lived in Devine, Texas. Robert Paxton, another member of the Cosmic Cowboys, called his friend Tito "one of the most underrated shooters in NSSA history." He pointed out that it was "difficult to get noticed when you were shooting on the same squad with one of the most natural and best skeet shooters ever to walk onto a skeet field, Ricky Pope." Paxton cited a couple of examples: In 1977, Tito broke … [Read more...]
