Am/Bda/Can Champion Charlamar’s Noah and his breeder, John Lee
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CH Charlamar’s Noah W ROMO
January 30, 1965 was a bright and fun day in the household of John and Charlotte Lee of Cairo, GA, as it was in the household of this editor and publisher. On that day in Georgia, Mr. and Mrs. Lee helped with the whelping of a litter of Standard Wires, one of which was to become a great. In this writer’s household, it was a special day, also, as we celebrated our only child’s first birthday and lightened the 21-year candle, made home movies and blew up balloons to the delight of a wide-eyed youngster.
CH Charlamar’s Noah W winning a BISS under Judge Rose Heying with Lorraine Heichel handling
But the litter of Standard Wires bred by John Lee was not just a litter of well-bred youngsters, there was an ebullient male among the pups that was destined to carve out a big niche in the pages of wirehaired history. American, Bermudan and Canadian Champion Charlamar’s Noah W ROMO has been written about in most years since his birth. His show and producing record, managed at first by Mr. and Mrs. Lee. later was professionally handled by Lorraine Heichel and sponsored by Dr. William Fritz and Richard Ruehle of Carlton, Michigan. Most of the fine breeder-judges of Dachshunds in the mid-’60’s have passed judgment on Noah and awarded him the “winner’s circle”. The May 1968 issue featured Noah, on the front cover, on the back cover, and up front, in a seven-page advertising display, in full color and in black and white, and that issue became known as “The Noah Issue. (The magazine was completely re-designed to accommodate such a presentation to this great wire.) If Noah was in the spotlight before then he has certainly remained in that same “bright-spot” ever since that memorable year of 1968.
CH Charlamar’s Noah W winning BIS under Judge Phil Marsh
Noah’s career in the show ring included 4 Bests in Shows, 14 Specialty Bests of Breed, 20 Hound Group Firsts, 65 Group placements and 113 Bests of Variety. But, he always was a producer, too. The sire of 20 litters with a total of 122 live puppies whelped, 48 champions have finished. There may be more. And, he was a Top Producer in Dachshunds in 1975. His son, and perhaps his first champion, CH Westphal’s Shillalah W tied with his illustrious sire at the top of the Producer’s List for last year. Without access to official records, we can’t say with certainty whether Noah, or Shillalah, was the sire of the most Dachshund Champions of Records during 1975. Our records show both as having sired nine each. Noah was Top Producer in 1970, ’71, ’72, ’73 and 1975. Noah was 9th in Group Winners in 1967. In 1968 he was No. 1 in the breed, and in 1969 he was No. 5 in the breed.
CH Charlamar’s Noah W winning a BISS under Judge Gordon Carvill with Lorraine Heichel handling
In December 1970, his fine show career over, Noah went home to enjoy the good life with his breeders and live the life of a great.
About two years ago, this writer tacked a note on the bulletin board near this typewriter with the words: “Noah–History!” Early this year we began correspondence in earnest to Mr. and Mrs. Lee about the coverage we planned for Noah and engaged their assistance in producing a record of his champion get, his matings , a four-generation pedigree, etc.
CH Charlamar’s Noah W winning a BISS under Judge Phil Bishop with Lorraine Heichel handling
About fifteen months ago, Mr. Lee had Noah checked for a complete physical evaluation and we present the attending veterinarian’s reports here from Auburn:
” January 17, 1975: As I mentioned on the day of the examination, there was a heart murmur but no signs of congestive heart failure. These signs may begin to occur within a year
Thank you for bringing Noah to Auburn.”
R.Henderson, D.V.M.
“Thorax–exhibits right ventricular enlargement with the remaining cardiac silhouette to be within normal limits. The bronchi and vascular patterns are prominent, but all appear to be within normal limits for breed and age. Thorax chronic interstitial peribronchila and perivascular reaction, but with normal limits for age and breed. Slight enlargement of the right ventricle is noted.”
J.G.Boring, D.V.M.
CH Charlamar’s Noah W winning a BISS under Judge Mr. Van Court with Lorraine Heichel handling with Mrs. Hill as Trophy Presenter
CH Noah died of congestive heart failure on Monday April 12, 1976, 11 years and nearly 3 months from his date of birth.
On Tuesday, April 13, John Lee phoned and told the news of Noah’s death and that he appreciated the proposed feature that we planned on Noah, and that he was working on it at that time. His wife, Charlotte, was with him when he phoned us.
On April 15, John Lee died by his own hands of carbon monoxide poisoning from the exhaust of his own truck. He was 46 years of age. Two days later we again wrote John with further ideas of what we desired to publish about Noah. We did not now that his internment had taken place the previous day.
Following a recent phone call, Mrs. Lee wrote, ” It has always amazed us that in this area of heavy heartworm infestation problems, Noah never had shown microfilaria in his routine tests and only one dog ever did (a Smooth) and was treated. These wire coats serve many good purposes–and, of course, the kennel was screened.”
CH Charlamar’s Drum Major and Handler John Lee
Mrs. Lee continued,” I have completed the data as current as possible and I’m enclosing my favorite photo of John with a Smooth we bred, CH Charlamar’s Drum Major, of whom John was very proud. I am also enclosing a snapshot taken before we went dancing while on our last trip together. Dancing was his ‘next best’ thing to do, and like breeding dogs, he did it well. The evening we went dancing was one of our happier times together. The day he phoned you was another happy one, under the circumstances, as he genuinely appreciated talking with you, and of your keen interest in Noah.”
John and Charlotte Lee
The late Mr. Lee is survived by his wife, an 18-year-old son, a 15-year-old daughter and a six-year-old daughter.
We asked Mrs. Lee’s approval to publish the medical history on the late Noah for readers’ information, and we also asked if we might publish the facts of Mr. Lee’s death, and she agreed. It is not known if there is any correlation between the death of CH Noah three days earlier and the demise of Mr. Lee.
Our respect and good, good wishes go out to Mrs. Lee and her fine family.
Sanford Roberts
Editor and Publisher of ‘The American Dachshund’
This article was published in the April 1976 AD Issue