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Of the many thousands of York countians whose lives have crossed paths with Hespenheide over the years, half will know him for one thing, and half will know him for another.
Because Hespenheide -- a jack of many trades over the years -- has definitely mastered two of his life's passions: Fencing and aviation.
Hespenheide, a resident at an assisted living home in Dallastown for the past few months, celebrated his 100th birthday last Thursday -- his actual birthday is May 21, however -- at a party thrown by the York Hi-Fliars (a local aviation club formed in 1989) during a 9 a.m. breakfast meeting at the Manchester Café.
Sixty-six friends and acquaintances -- including 15 former flight students who were taught to fly by Hespenheide -- were in attendance. Hespenheide was a longtime pilot in the York area, working first out of the Haines Road airport -- 40 acres on the former Joe Kindig farm -- and later out of Forney Field in Hanover and, beginning in 1939, the Thomasville airport.
According to Al Raimer, a longtime friend of Hespenheide's, Jack first became interested in aviation in his early 20s, back in the days when planes had darned few instruments and the cockpit was open to the rushing air.
"He eventually learned to fly at the Dallas Aviation School at Love Field, in Dallas, Texas, earning his pilot's rating on Aug. 8, 1929, in a Swallow TP," Raimer said.
In early 1930, five York-area men, including Hespenheide, formed York Flying Services Inc., York's first organized airport facility in East York. Jack was one of several men who provided flying lessons and worked a commercial flying service out of the Haines Road airport for many years using a Waco biplane.
"Jack told us he accumulated more than 15,000 hours in the air," Raimer said. "And in his first 300 hours of flying, he had 30 forced landings. His last flight was on Sept. 24, 1999, at the age of 93, in a Piper PA-28."
As if flying weren't enough to occupy his time and energy, Hespenheide took up fencing at the York YMCA in 1927, and participated in the sport competitively for more years than he can now remember. He took lessons from Maestro Michel Alaux at the well known New York Fencer's Club, one of the oldest fencing rooms in the United States at that time, and he earned his instructor certification in 1931.
No, Hespenheide never won an Olympic medal. Not even a national championship. But he's won his share of regional and state tournaments over the years. He also taught fencing to students well into his mid-90s -- more than 50 years.
He's a member of the U.S. Fencing Association and the U.S. Fencing Coaches Association. He was presented with a lifetime achievement award by the U.S. Fencing Association in 1999.
In his free time, Hespenheide worked at the family business, a dairy and poultry feed manufacturing operation along the Codorus Creek and North Beaver Street in downtown York.
A quiet man, Hespenheide has always kept a low profile. Even when teaching fencing, you could hardly tell he was in the room. There was no need to yell when teaching fundamentals to beginners and more advanced moves to skilled fencing students, so he didn't yell.
But his feet were steady, and his hands moved with lightning quickness, even in more recent years, as he took an offensive posture with one of his students.
And, Raimer said, his mind is still razor sharp. But not perfect.
At one point, someone at the party asked Hespenheide how many flying and fencing students he'd had over the years. He thought for a moment, then had to admit he didn't have the slightest idea.
Too many to count. That's the right answer.
Think of the Energizer Bunny you see on TV. Hespenheide is the human version. He just goes and goes and goes and goes. Only age has slowed him down.
But since he's going to be 100 next Monday, you'd expect that, wouldn't you?
Columns by Larry A. Hicks, Dispatch columnist, run Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. E-mail: lhicks@yorkdispatch.com.
