Virginia Section Manager Joe Palsa, K3WRY, of North Chesterfield, Virginia, died on December 7. An ARRL Life Member, he was 80.

Palsa was appointed Virginia Section Manager in February 2015, and had since won elections in his own right. A radio amateur for more than 50 years, he also served as the Virginia State Government Liaison.

Palsa held a PhD in electronics technology and was a Life Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He enjoyed researching and designing ham equipment and building projects, including some specialized military applications on electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), electromagnetic interference (EMI), and electromagnetic pulse (EMP). His professional experience included design, product development, and application engineering support, as well as positions in senior sales and marketing and senior executive management.

During 2014, he served as president of the Richmond Amateur Radio Club. In past years, he has held ARRL Field Organization positions as Official Bulletin Station (OBS), Official Observer (OO), and Official Emergency Station (OES).

Active in the Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®), he received two ARRL public service awards. Palsa enjoyed DXing, contesting, and public service communication.