Embry-Riddle pays tribute to our Eagles who have passed. Deaths are listed as they are received/reported to us. Please notify the Office of Alumni Engagement at alumni@erau.edu, if you are aware of any classmates who should be memorialized. For older obituaries, browse the archives.
Karl Christian Wentzel III died May 3, 2024 at the age of 71. After serving in the United States Air Force, he enjoyed a 35-year career with Lockheed Martin. He then established a simulator consulting business and was active in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Michael A. Southward, 57, died April 24, 2024. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Studies. He served in the United States Army and the United States Air National Guard.
Col. William H. Danzeisen, Jr., died April 19, 2024. He served 27 years in the United States Army, on the frontlines in Korea and Vietnam and in strategic positions in France and Germany. He commanded at the company, battalion and group levels and his leadership was recognized with Joint Staff and Army Staff assignments at the Pentagon. He retired as a colonel. For the next 13 years, he was a logistics support manager at Pratt & Whitney.
Carlos Guzman, Jr., died April 6, 2024, at the age of 65. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science in 1979. Most recently, he worked in sales for Open Road Auto Group.
Donald Lee Loudermilk, 91, died April 12, 2024. He served in both the United States Army and then the United States Air Force, where working on Thunderbirds inspired his love of aviation. He later helped establish and serve as president of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association.
LeRoy Glick died March 28, 2024. He worked for Singer Company, Montgomery Ward and building supply companies before opening his own businesses providing garage doors and solar and alternative energy products. During his chairmanship of the Penn Valley Airport Authority, the airport underwent a major expansion.
Gary L. Baumer died March 28, 2024, at the age of 66. He served in the United States Marine Corps for 23 years. He was dedicated to community service and supported a local food pantry.
Dean Hudock died March 23, 2024. After earning a degree in aviation maintenance, he went to work as a helicopter mechanic for Sikorsky, his employer for 35 years. He likely worked on every single Blackhawk helicopter they ever made over the years, and was known for catching problems that others missed.
Steven Jewell, 60, died March 23, 2024, after a brief illness. He worked for Continental Airlines (now United) for 25 years as a reservations agent and he traveled the world.
Arnold Wayne Zoller, 95, died March 22, 2024. After serving in the United States Army during the Korean War, he flew for Delta Air Lines, his employer for more than 30 years.
Michael Wayne Walker, 40, died March 21, 2024. After earning his aeronautical science degree, he pursued his love of flying at Continental Connection and United Express before pursuing a career in manufacturing.
John T. Connor, 90, died on March 20, 2024. As a United States Marine, he fought in the Korean War, As a civilian, he was an airframe and power plant mechanic for Mackey Airlines. He also flew as a commercial pilot for National Airlines and Pan American Airlines, retiring in 1989.
Lt. General Thomas P. Stafford died March 18, 2024. He received an honorary doctorate from Embry-Riddle in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to aviation and aerospace. He was a fighter pilot, flight instructor, test pilot, pioneering astronaut, author and advisor to federal agencies. His historic handshake with his Soviet counterpart during the Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975 marked a turning point in the space race. General Stafford received the Harmon award and Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy and led four Collier Trophy projects: F-117, B-2. F-22 and the International Space Station.
Lt. Colonel George L. Pavelko Jr., United States Air Force Presidential Navigator, Air Force One, died March 15, 2024, at the age of 63. Lt. Col. Pavelko was stationed at Plattsburgh, Castle, and Andrews USAF bases, and United States Air Force headquarters at the Pentagon. He served as navigator/evaluator instructor, combat crew training squadron instructor, combat flight instructor, C-137 training chief, operations group executive officer, operational flight training program manager, assistant Chief USAF Training Branch, special missions navigator chief, chief presidential navigator Air Force One and presidential mission director/evaluator navigator. He earned more than 40 service medals, awards and ribbons. He played an integral part in a secret visit to Iraq by President George W. Bush in 2003.
Roland L. Kelsch died March 14, 2024, at the age of 89. He served in the United States Air Force Reserve as an airfame technician. After leaving the United States Air Force, he opened Metal Air Service at Freeman Field in Seymour, Indiana.
Richard Ingraham died March 13, 2024, at the age of 68. He joined the United States Air Force in 1973 and served until 1993. His final tour was a deployment supporting Operation Desert Storm working on the F-117. After leaving the military, he worked for Airborne Express for 10 years.
Jack McCurley died March 10, 2024. He served in the United States Navy during World War II then pursued a career as an aircraft engineer. In celebration of his memory, donations can be made to the Jak and Joan McCurley Endowed Scholarship at Embry-Riddle.
Michael “Mickey” Powers III died March 8m 2024, at the age of 68. He was a career law enforcement officer. He served in the United States Air Force, rising to the rank of sergeant. He was a patrol officer and then detective with the Daytona Beach Police Department and an inspector with Homeland Security.
Charles Eubanks died March 6, 2024. He joined the United States Navy in 1959 and served 22 years. He then worked for Raytheon on Naval Air Station Pensacola.
Jacquelyn Barnett-Rook died February 16, 2024 at 71. She worked at the Memphis Air Traffic Control Center and was a United States Navy veteran.
Shaun Curbelo died February 13, 2024, during a family outing in Puerto Rico. He was 39. He was a government contractor with Trace Systems and had recently taking a position as Agile deliver lead with C3EL, which builds command centers for our nation’s warfighters.
Ronald David Fisher died February 13, 2024, at the age of 56. In the United States Air Force he serviced avionics systems on the F-16 and B-1, supporting Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. After graduating from Embry-Rddle, he worked on the F-35 sustainment team as a manufacturing test engineer at Lockheed Martin.
Sam J. Priest, 38, died February 10, 2024. He worked at airports in Louisville and Seattle and most recently, Hartsfield Jackson International Airport in Atlanta in airside operations. He held a private pilot’s license and was accredited by the American Association of Airport Executives.
Frederick Hoffman died February 9, 2024, at the age of 65. He died when the private jet he was co-piloting crashed on Interstate 75 in Collier County, Florida. He was a professional pilot with more than 25,000 flight hours earned over 40 years.
John Grillion died February 8, 2024 at the age of 49. He was the senior manager, engine and component environmental test for Blue Origin at Edwards Air Force Base. He previously worked for United Launch Alliance – Boeing as a propulsion design engineer.
Kenneth Suominen died February 7, 2024, at the age of 79. He was a warrant officer and pilot in the United States Army. In civilian life, he worked for the U.S. Postal Service for more than 30 years.
M. Daniel LeBlond died February 3, 2024, at the age of 81. He served in the military and worked as an ironworker in New England and as a project manager Saint Cloud Welding and Fabrication in Florida.
Kevin Paul “Skipjack” Phelps, 55, died on January 31, 2024. As a United States Marine, he volunteered for three combat tours. He flew the CH-53D with the Red Lions. He served as a weapons and tactics instructor and achieved the rank of Major. After leaving the service, he worked for Hawaiian Airlines and then local island tour companies.
James Allen Williams died January 28, 2024, at the age of 80. He served in the United States Air Force and went on to work as a corporate pilot for United Technologies. He earned the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for 50 years of safe flying.
Elizabeth “Nell” McWilliams died January 28, 2024 at the age of 64. She was a pilot with US Airways (which later merged with American Airlines.)
Loran F. Stutz, 91, died January 27, 2024. He was U.S. Army veteran who served in Korea and was a tank commander in many battles, including Pork Chop and Old Baldy. After leaving the service, he graduated from Embry-Riddle as an aircraft mechanic and worked for airlines in Michigan and Washington, D.C.
Jarod M. Parker, 24, died January 24, 2024. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Human Factors in 2021 and was pursuing a master’s degree.
Jared Minjares, 25. died December 18, 2023. He graduated in 2021 and then went to work for Raytheon Technologies.
James Wilson Kincheloe, 89, died January 14, 2024. He served in the United States Navy for 31 years, retiring as a commander. As a civilian, he worked for Saalex at China Lake Naval Air Station as an aviation ordnance specialist.
Brent L. McNany died January 11, 2024. He was a United States Navy veteran who served during the Gulf War.
Lt Col Stephen M. Swartz (Ret), 64, died January 10, 2024. He joined the United States Air Force at 18, was commissioned after graduation from Embry-Riddle and served until 2004. He started his military career by working on KC 135 aircraft. As a general aviation enthusiast, he earned multiple ratings. He went on to earn two master’s degrees and a PhD, ending his career as assistant chief flight instructor and director of maintenance at Auburn University.
James Bewley died January 9, 2024. In a United States Army career that spanned 22 years, he served as a crew chief on a Huey in Vietnam, a military policeman and an investigator with the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
Capt. William L. Garvey died January 6, 2024. He was a retired Pan Am Airways pilot who owned Monticello Sky Ranch Airport (GA06) in Georgia. He served in the United States Navy and went on to fly for Eastern Airlines and Pan Am. Monticello Sky Ranch, established in 1988, is a 4,000-foot turf landing strip with hangars.
Col. Eric L. Nelson, 60, died January 3, 2024. He served in the United States Air Force as a weapons systems officer, flying F-111s then transitioning to F-15 Strike Eagles. He was deployed around the United States, the United Kingdom and completed combat missions in the Persian Gulf War and Afghanistan. He served in numerous command and administrative positions, overseeing squadron operations and combat missions in multiple tours of duty. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Filmer Lee "Bud" Smith, 88, died on December 21, 2023. He served in the United States Navy and the Florida Army National Guard. His military service spanned 37 years and he retired with the rank of Command Sergeant Major.
Herbert Ryde Swarr died December 21, 2023, at the age of 86. He was a pilot for Continental Airlines and Emery Worldwide Airlines. In his aviation career, he flew the Vickers Viscount, Lockheed Super Constellation, DC-3, DC-4, DC-6, DC-7, DC-8, DC-9, C-46, Beech-18 and the Boeing 727. After retirement as a pilot, he worked on the DC-10 as an engineer.
David Harding died December 19, 2023. He served in the United States Army and later worked as a long-haul trucker for 25 years, traveling to nearly every corner of the United States.
Richard Sidney Thomas, 71, died December 17, 2023. He served in the United States Navy and worked for Delta Air Lines and Lockheed Martin.
Warren C. Kohne died December 15. 2023. He was a retired Delta Air Lines mechanic who was part of the Strategic Air Command during the Korean Conflict.
David S. Lutz died on December 14, 2023. His service in the United States Air Force included a tour of duty in Germany as an aviation mechanic. After leaving active service he remained in the Air Force Reserve and was a member of the Virginia Air National Guard.
Steve Bastian died December 21, 2023. As a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force, his call sign was “Tin Man.” He flew F-4 Phantoms and F-16s with the 89th Tactical Fighter Squadron, C-141s and C-5s with the 89th Airlift Squadron, 445th Airlift Wing at Wright Patterson. He considered his time flying F-16s as the happiest time of his life. He flew planes to every continent, including deployments to Germany, Iceland, Puerto Rico, Denmark, New Zealand, and ten missions in support of Operation Deep Freeze to McMurdo Station in Antarctica. During Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom he flew numerous Medevac missions from Iraq and Afghanistan. He continued to fly worldwide until he retired with honors as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2008.
Daryl Mathews died December 13, 2023. He enjoyed a life-long passion for aviation and flew for American Airlines for 30 years.
Anthony Pinero died December 13, 2023. He served in the United States Air Force for 17 years. He was an engineering apprentice, most recently stationed in Germany
Nelson “Ed” Tatlock 76, died December 10, 2023, He enlisted in the United States Army in 1967 and flew a Cobra helicopter in Vietnam. During his career in the Kentucky Army National Guard, he was Commander of the Detachment 11 Operational Support Airlift Command. He was a standardization instructor and instrument pilot on seven fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft: OH-58 Kiowa, UH-1 Huey, AH-1 Cobra, UH-60 Black Hawk, T-42 Cochise, U-21 Ute, and C-12 Huron. He logged more than 15,000 flight hours during his career. In semi-retirement, he was a Medevac pilot and flew a helicopter for the Clark County Sheriff’s Department.
Bryan Kwan, 49, died December 8, 2023. He was an aircraft technician with the Phoenix Police Air Unit. While serving in the United States Army, he was a Black Hawk Crew Chief and Squad Leader. He received full military and police honors in Phoenix on December 22.
Gordon Peel, Sr., 88, died December 6, 2023. He served in the United States Air Force and worked as a flight engineer for aircraft contracted to NASA for transporting Saturn rocket personnel and astronauts. In 1965, Peel joined Inland Container as a pilot and chief aircraft mechanic. He retired in 2000.
Tomaso Santomauro, 58, died on December 6, 2023. He joined the United States Army Reserves and completed basic training in Fort Dix. He served in the United States Army for 23 years, stationed in Hawaii, Virginia, Kuwait and Haiti.
James R. Brown, 63, died December 4, 2023. He served in the United States Air Force from 1978 to 2000, earning the rank of master sergeant in aerospace ground equipment. He served in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf Storm War, at Minot AFB, North Dakota; Robins AFB, Georgia; Ramstein AFB, Germany; Lakenheath AFB, England and Hill AFB, Utah. After his military service, he worked for Simmons Mattress and Rockwell Aviation.
Carl P. Wittenberg, 95, died December 3, 2023. He served in the United States Air Force stationed in Germany, Japan and Vietnam. He retired at the US Air Base in Panama as a full colonel. In civilian life, he worked for Troy State University.
William M. Brown died December 2, 2023. He served in the United States Army, assigned to the 282nd Assault Helicopter Co., call sign Black Cats, at Marble Mountain, Danang, in the North of South Vietnam. The 282nd AHC's mission supported the 1st Infantry Division of the South Vietnamese Army and the 3rd U.S. Marine Amphibious Force throughout the first Corp area. Brown joined the 282nd Gun Ship Platoon and became fire team leader with the call sign of Alley Cat 3. He was awarded several commendations for his aerial achievements including the Distinguished Flying Cross. Returning to civilian life, he built a long and successful career in real estate.
Lance K Erickson, 77, died December 2, 2023. He served in the United States Army and completed a tour in Vietnam. After leaving the service, he earned degrees in the sciences and a PhD in astrophysics. He taught on the Daytona Beach Campus and received a Fulbright Fellowship that enabled him to teach space science at Kyiv National Aviation University. He retired in 2016.
Robert Coyne, 62, died December 1, 2023. He earned his bachelor of science, A&P license and pilot’s license while at Embry-Riddle. He worked in aviation throughout his career, most recently as a senior aerospace systems engineer with Lockheed Martin/Leidos Innovations. He was a director with Sierra Nevada Corporation for six years. He was also a program manager at Northrop Grumman.
Mark Johns, 71, died November 27, 2023. After he earned his pilot’s license he attended crop dusting school and later graduated from Embry-Riddle. He crop dusted with both fixed wing aircraft and helicopters, he flew cargo with Mountain Air Cargo and he flew passengers with Sun Country. His final job was a dream job with Federal Express.
Carol Hakkila earned her MBA from Embry-Riddle and spent most of her career as a nurse-manager for Holmes Regional Medical Center. She retired in 1994.
Richard Thurz, 77, died on November 23, 2023. He was a pilot who worked as an aerospace engineer for several United Technologies companies, including Sikorsky, and at Hamilton Standard and Pratt & Whitney. He later worked for Cigna Insurance and launched his own financial planning firm.
David M. Selig, 71, died November 19, 2023. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force, serving 24 year and earning the rank of Master Sergeant. Selig was stationed at Pease, AFB, New Hampshire, Castle AFB, California and March AFB, California as a flying crew chief aircraft maintainer on both KC-135A and KC-10A. He was decorated during his service in the Desert Shield and Desert Storm conflicts. After leaving the service, he worked for GE Aerospace.
Robert J. Wasielewski, 73, died on November 22, 2023. He served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War He went on to work as a corporate helicopter captain. He flew for Bristol Myers Squibb, RCA, Michael Bloomberg, Schering Plough Kenilworth and Mack Trucks. He retired from AAR in Florida. Across his career, he logged more than 15,000 flight hours.
Charles Thad Pikron, 94, died November 17, 2023. He became a commercial pilot in 1955 and retired from Delta Air Lines as a Delta Gold Wings member. He also served in the United States Air Force and was stationed in Guam and the Philippines.
Stephen Allan Wilhite, Jr., 83, died November 12, 2023. In the United States Air Force, he served as a navigator on C-130 and C-141 aircraft in Vietnam and flew more than 10,000 hours throughout 80 countries in western Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. He retired as a major in 1981. In civilian life, he was an airport operations manager at Baltimore-Washington Airport for 20 years.
Delbert Dreyer died November 4, 2023. He served in the United States Army as a helicopter pilot, earning the Air Medal for heroism in Vietnam. He left the service in 1973. He led a varied professional life, owning his own business and working for the United States Postal Service. He retired in 2010.
Sean Godley, 61, died November 3, 2023. Lt. Col. Godley (Ret.) served in the United States Marine Corps. Assigned to both Marine Corps VMA211 and VMA311 squadrons, Yuma, Ariz., he flew the AV8-B Harrier. He served a total of 26 years and retired in October of 2013. For the next ten years, he flew a 737 for United Airlines.
Allen Wayne Kochenderfer, 78, died November 3, 2023. He served in the United States Army and earned aviator wings in 1968. He served as a helicopter pilot in the 7th Armored Squadron 1st Air Cavalry “Blackhawks'' in the Republic of Vietnam in 1968-69, flying 2,111 combat hours. He was shot down seven times. He continued his aviation career as an instructor pilot and aviation staff officer at Fort Rucker, Alabama, until 1975. After leaving active duty, he became an infantry officer and served another 18 years with the Wisconsin Army National Guard in the 32nd Separate Infantry Brigade, Mechanized (Red Arrow) and the Army Reserve. He retired in 1995 as a Lieutenant Colonel with 28 years of service.
Sherri Sahs-Valencic, 62, died November 1, 2023. For 15 years, she served as assistant director of the Institutional Research Department of Embry-Riddle. She was also president of the Florida Association of Institutional Research. As a solutions engineer for SPSS Inc., an analytic software company, she focused on new software solutions for the higher education market. Her career culminated with a senior solution engineer position – predictive analytics with SAP.
Adam Morrison, 21, died November 1, 2023. He pursued a degree in mechanical engineering and was a member of the United States Reserve Officers Training Corps on the Daytona Beach Campus. He was an active member of the Eagle Leaders (an Army ROTC-affiliated group), the Sports Car Club (SCICC) and the ERAU Motorsports Formula SAE team.
Eugene Heighton, 78, died October 31, 2023. He served in the United States Army in flight operations. After his military service, he worked in technology and was a frequent and generous volunteer, seasonally taking on the role of Santa Claus.
Gina Costrello died October 29, 2023, at 36. She was most recently the Northeast regional safety and loss control manager at PEOPLEASE
Bernard Blount, 36, died October 26, 2023. He earned an air traffic management degree with a minor in applied meteorology.
Gil Rodassao died October 25, 2023, at 85. He served in the United States Army and then as an aircraft mechanic at LaGuardia Airport. He later worked as a corporate pilot and retired at 62
James Francis Grippo, 80, died October 25, 2023. His aviation career included work as a corporate pilot and commercial pilot, flying for WarnerBros and North American Airlines.
Jerry Alvey, 65, died on October 21, 2023. After attending Embry-Riddle, he worked for Dobbins Air Reserve Base and proudly served in the United States Air Force.
Timothy Ledoux died October 19, 2023, at 57. After graduating from Embry-Riddle and the ROTC program, he served in the United States Army as a first lieutenant. He later embarked on a career in construction and manufacturing.
William Whitehouse died October 17, 2023, at 76. After serving in the United States Air Force, he earned a pilot’s license and became an A&P mechanic. He later flew for Piedmont Airlines, becoming a Silver Eagle. He retired after flying with USAir for 20 years.
Matthew Espiritu, 25, died on October 17, 2023. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering in 2021.
David Lee Larson, 59, died October 15, 2023. He served in the United States Army and worked for the Department of Transportation at the National Highway Safety and Traffic Administration.
Kenneth Pate died October 12, 2023 at 96. He served in the United States Navy and was later a captain for Eastern Airlines.
Lt. Gregory Scott Powell, 60, died October 11, 2023. He served in the United States Air Force, beginning his career in Texas. He flew C141 cargo planes in the Pacific until he was called to serve in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Gregg completed his active-duty military career in 1998 and went to spend another six years in the reserves, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Gregg joined Southwest Airlines and flew as a Captain from 1998-2006.
Wayne Howard Stephens, 75, died October 10, 2023. His 33 years of military service included more than 1000 hours as a combat pilot in Vietnam and assignments in Korea and throughout the United States. He was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal (with five Oak Leaf Clusters), the Air Medal (with Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendations Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (with Oak Leaf Clusters) and the Master Army Aviator Badge.
Nancy J. Sauter, 58, died on October 10, 2023. She worked as a civilian contractor for the government for the Seawolf-class nuclear submarine and later was a database administrator for Rancocas Valley Regional High School.
Carl Dwayne Newman, 68, died October 9, 2023. He worked for the City of Phoenix for more than 34 years, joining the city’s aviation department in 1980 and holding several positions, ultimately becoming the assistant aviation director. He then served as general manager of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and CEO of Jackson Municipal Airport Authority. His last position was aviation director for the Glendale Municipal Airport in Arizona.
Richard Moran, 76, died on October 27, 2023. He served in the United States Army from 1968-1970. He then spent more than 30 years as a fleet service team member at American Airlines at Hancock International Airport in Syracuse.
Michael John Kick, 60, died October 6, 2023. He joined the United States Air Force as an airplane mechanic and served on air bases throughout the United States. After 21 years of service, he went to work for Amentum, a government contractor.
Donald Ebden Zink, 81, died on October 5, 2023. He served in the United States Air Force and later worked for Delta Air Lines as an aircraft maintenance supervisor.
Barret Anthony Brown, 43, died on October 2, 2023. He began his career at Bangor International Airport working for ramp service and then moved to Fitchburg Airport in Massachusetts. For more than 17 years, he was employed by the FAA as an air traffic controller and supervisor at Boston Center and later moved to Boston TRACON as supervisor and operations manager.
Thomas Slack, 52, died October 2, 2023. He served in the United States Navy and was an aviation maintenance technician, retiring as a senior chief technician. He served proudly for nearly 26 years.
Robert W. Hatfield died September 30, 2023, at 89. He was a tail gunner on a B-36 bomber in the United States Air Force. In civilian life, he worked as a corporate pilot for the Travelers Insurance Company and flew a Gulfstream aircraft for Key Air in Connecticut.
Rudy Placido died September 29, 2023, at 51.
George Allen Nicholas died September 29, 2023. He served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. He continued to work in aviation, retiring from Northwest Airlines as an avionics engineer in 2001.
Roman Woloszyn died September 23, 2023. Over a 35-year career, his employers included Rockwell International and Boeing and he worked on the weapons systems engineering program for the B-1 Bomber, A-10 and F-14 aircraft and the Sidewinder missile stations for the F-14. He was a test engineer on the instrumentation for the Space Shuttle Endeavor and senior project engineer for the Freedom/Alpha Space Station. He finished his career as a systems engineer focused on ballistic missile defense.
Thomas Stockton died September 18, 2023, at 76. He was a veteran of the United States Army, retiring as a chief warrant officer after 23 years of service. He was a helicopter pilot flying the AH-1 Cobra and UH-60 Blackhawk during the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm. He volunteered for multiple tours to Germany supporting NATO Allies during the height of the Cold War. In civilian life, he worked for L3 Harris Technologies and Raytheon as a field contractor and test pilot.
Larry Comstock, 72, died September 3, 2023. He worked in the agricultural and timber industries from an early age.
Jeffery Eugene Shaw died September 28, 2023, at 54. He served in the United States Navy for 20 years in aviation ordnance as a chief petty officer. In civilian life, he worked at Yorktown Naval Weapons Station and with the Defense Logistics Agency.
Anthony Paul Pinto, 67, died September 17, 2023. He was a United States Army veteran who was later employed by the Transportation Security Administration for nearly 14 years. He was also a maritime pilot program screening supervisor and he served with the National Guard and reserve units.
Ronald Horak 76, died on September 15, 2023. He was a Federal Aviation Administration safety inspector for more than 20 years. He retired in 2013.
Todd Wilson died September 12, 2023 at 59. He served in the United States Air Force, achieving the rank of second airman. He worked in sales and custom motorcycle design for Harley-Davidson and Triumph and taught in technology positions for several high schools.
Conrad Pierson Shad died September 7, 2023, at 81. He was a member of the Georgia Army National Guard's 159th Aviation Company as an aircraft mechanic and the New York Air National Guard's 109th Tactical Airlift Group as an LC-130 Flight Engineer. He was a pilot for General Electric Corporate Air Transport out of both Schenectady County Airport, N.Y. followed by Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field, Ohio. Conrad finished his professional aviation career as a corporate pilot for the Kroger Company.
Alan Collins, 65, died September 7, 2023. He served in the United States Air Force for seven years and enjoyed a 20-year career as a pilot and captain for American Airlines. He flew wide-body planes, including the Boeing 777, to international destinations.
Donald Rowe, 80, died September 5, 2023. He served in the United States Marine Corps and his tours of duty included Vietnam, Japan and stateside assignments.
Thomas McWilliams died September 5, 2023, in Tennessee. He served for 30 years in the United States Army as a Green Beret with Special Forces, helicopter pilot in 1st Cavalry, and Master Parachutist in 82nd Airborne. He served three tours in Vietnam and flew Black Hawk assault helicopters to rescue American students in Grenada. He was highly decorated and retired as a chief warrant officer in 1986.
Larry Comstock, 72, died September 3, 2023. He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1971 and served 22 years, flying the A-6 Intruder. He retired as a lieutenant colonel and earned the National Defense Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Meritorious Unit Commendation, and Navy Commendation Medal. In civilian life, he flew the Airbus and MD-11 aircraft as a FedEx pilot.
Reginald Paul Parker died September 3, 2023. After graduating from Embry-Riddle, he continued to pursue graduate degrees and work in management positions in manufacturing companies such as Motorola, Freescale Semiconductor, NXP and General Electric. After retiring from the semiconductor industry, he became a professor at Embry-Riddle at the Prescott Campus.
Michael C. Anderson died September 2, 2023 at 62. His long career in the travel industry included jobs with Western Airlines and Delta Air Lines and Hertz.
Jonathan Marlof died August 30, 2023, at 35. He was employed by Microsoft, working on software running on every Windows computer, Xbox, phones and tablets, refrigerators, and millions of devices in the Cloud.
Daniel John Kearney died August 28, 2023, at 39. He was a helicopter pilot serving in the United States Coast Guard for 17 years, earning his wings of gold in 2010 as USCG Aviator #4282. He was a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin search and rescue helicopter pilot and most recently served as the C-130 Long Range Surveillance Production Officer at the Aviation Logistics Center in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. When he died he was just shy of 3000 flight hours.
Donald Kenneth Worley, 89, died August 26, 2023. He worked as an aerial sprayer and commercial pilot for 34 years. He served in the United States Air Force.
Howard William Taylor died August 26, 2023. He was a certified flight instructor and pilot for several small airlines and flew for American Airlines, his employer for 33 years. He primarily flew the South American routes.
Eugene Paul LeClaire, Jr., 80, died August 23, 2023. He served in the Special Forces, United States Army, in Germany and Vietnam. He became a helicopter pilot then instructor pilot at Fort Rucker, Alabama, and devoted 16 years to Army aviation before focusing on information technology. He served seven years in the Pentagon and retired as a major after 23 years of service.
Bruce William Arrindell, 59, died August 22, 2023. He was most recently a radio host. At Embry-Riddle, he was a basketball captain. He went to work for Antigua State College in the engineering department.
Jumaane O. Melville, 37, died August 22, 2023. He was one of two fatalities in the evening crash of a Beech C-99. He earned a masters of aeronautical science degree in 2017 and worked for Marianas Southern Airways.
Robert “Andy” Anderson, 76, died August 21, 2023. He learned to fly his father’s Cessna 180 while he was in high school and was a licensed pilot when he enlisted in the United States Army in 1966. He served his country as a Chief Warrant Officer in the 1st Aviation Brigade. He was a pilot of the Cessna Bird Dog Observation Aircraft in the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial reconnaissance. In civilian life, he flew Boeing 737s as a corporate pilot for Atlantic Richfield Oil and Heritage Securities Corporation. He ended his career was a flight instructor.
George Carlson died August 21, 2023. He joined the family business, Acme Manufacturing, and later joined Michigan Controls Company, a sheet metal electrical enclosure business.
Gary Windle Jones, 87, died August 20, 2023. He served in the United States Army and served as an Army aviator, completing 25 years of service as a major. He served two tours in Vietnam, where he was severely wounded in combat as a pilot and was awarded a Purple Heart and two Bronze Star with Valor decorations. After leaving the military, he served as city manager for several Texas communities.
Billy Ray Acree, 89, died on August 14, 2023. He began his aviation career flying crop dusters and went on to airline jobs with Southern Airways, Republic Airways and Northwest Airlines.
Garry McLain, 58, died August 10, 2023. He had a passion for flight and worked for McLain Steel and Construction Co. in North Dakota.
Edwin Phillips Granberry Jr. died August 8, 2023, at 97. A World War II veteran, he fought in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater commanding the USS LST 585 and earned medals for campaigns in the Philippines, Borneo and South China. After leaving the United States Navy, he worked as a weapons systems engineer for the Martin Company and for Pan American in the Aerospace Services division. He served as a launch safety officer for the Poseidon and Polaris missile programs. He also held a safety management and engineering positions with United Technologies Corp. and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft.
Samuel Calvin Mason, 52, died August 8, 2023. After graduating from Embry-Riddle, he worked for the Ford Motor Company as a quality control representative. He dedicated 29 years of service to Ford.
Christopher Scanridge died August 6, 2023, at the age of 41. He spent 17 years in the Federal Aviation Administration as an air traffic controller and had a passion for all things aviation, including toy drones.
Joshua Alan Stewart, 44, died August 3, 2023. He was employed by CAE, a worldwide partner in civil aviation, defense and security and healthcare.
Michael William Daniels died August 1, 2023, at the age of 31. He served with the Texas Air National Guard in Fort Worth as a senior airman working in command post with the 136th Squadron. He also worked for American Airlines.
Marco Antonio Gonzalez, 49, died in August 2023. He earned a master’s in aeronautical science in 2013.
Conrad Herold Wright, 27, died in August 2023. After graduating in 2019, he became a senior program manager at Censys Technologies, a leading UAS company launched by alumni. During his career with Censys, he was granted a patent for a mechanism to launch unmanned aerial vehicles. His family has planned a celebration of life for Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach. All are welcome.
Richard D. Walters died July 30, 2023, at the age of 66. He had a 25-year career at Delaware Transit Corporation and retired in 2021.
Frank W. Massey, 78, died July 30, 2023. He earned a graduate degree from Embry-Riddle while working at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton. He retired after 35 years on the base.
Gregory Alexiou, 63, died on July 27, 2023. He joined the United States Air Force in 1984 and after leaving the service, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics. He pursued a career in air traffic control, then shifted his career to healthcare.
Howard McGlauflin, 88, died July 22, 2023. After earning his master’s degree in aviation management, he served on the Advisory Board for Air Traffic in early 1990s while working for Diversified International Sciences Corporation as vice president. His career as an air traffic controller spanned 32 years. McGlauflin served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1958.
Jacob Daniel Baker, 23, died July 21, 2023. Baker was a sergeant in the United States Army. Earlier, he served in the Civil Air Patrol and U.S. Air Force Auxiliary. He attended Embry-Riddle on a full Army ROTC scholarship and was a NCAA Division II pole vaulter. He was assigned to Defender Company, 73d Ordnance Battalion, 59th Ordnance Brigade, Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
Reid N. Jewett, 80, died July 19, 2023. He served in the Army National Guard and as a pilot, flight instructor and aircraft mechanic. He also was a contractor on the Apollo space program. The last 28 years of his career were spent at the Cessna Aircraft Company.
Paul Kevin Rockwood, 58, died on July 17, 2023. A serious automobile accident delayed his graduation from Embry-Riddle, but he received his diploma in 1990. In his aviation career, he towed banners, served as a flight instructor, flew for Cape Air and ultimately spent 23 years in his dream job, flying for NetJets.
Benjamin Andrew Falk died on July 15, 2023, at the age of 34. He served in the United States Army and earned his wings as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot. After earning an aeronautical science degree from Embry-Riddle, he went on to graduate from law school and practice as an attorney.
John M. Crowley, 52, died July 15, 2023, at his home in New York. He was an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation of Indians and of the Wolf Clan. He was also a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving from 1988–1997 with the 82nd and 101st Airborne in Grenada and Panama and in Operation Desert Storm. He earned the Army Lapel Button, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead Service, Southwest Asia Service Medal with one Bronze Star and the Kuwait Liberation Medal. In civilian life, he was employed as a truck driver.
Mike Murray, 70, died July 13, 2023. He began his career as a certified flight instructor and then joined Henderson, Piedmont and US Airways. He retired from American Airlines in 2018.
John Gray died July 10, 2023. He was a member of the United States Army Air Corps during World War II and enjoyed a 32-year career as a pilot.
Fred Wiley Grant, 79, died July 3, 2023. He was a U.S. Navy veteran who flew anti-submarine missions from the USS Intrepid, Randolph, and Wasp. He also participated in recovery operations of the Gemini IX space capsule. After his service, he flew corporate and charter commercial planes. In the Muncie area, he flew for Paws Inc., Ontario Corporation and Saint Gobain Containers.
Roger L. Kenney died at 91 on June 30, 2023. He served in the United States Navy during the Korean War as a machinist. He subsequently joined the Merchant Marine and worked in engineering. As a civilian, he worked for a small, fixed base operator in Michigan. He earned two degrees from Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach and served as an associate professor and senior flight instructor in 1994.
Rudolph William Roseborough, III, died on June 29, 2023. He grew up in a U.S. Air Force family and joined the U.S. Army, flying fixed-wing aircraft in Vietnam. After graduating from Embry-Riddle, he became the airport manager of the DeLand (FL) Airport, Sydney H. Taylor Field. He also became a commercial airline pilot for American Airlines.
Gordon Scott Hill died July 7, 2023, in Macon, Georgia.
Christopher Marvin Piercy died June 26, 2023 at 52. He served in the United States Navy and later as an air traffic controller.
John Pierce died on June 23, 2023, at the age of 77. He was a warrant officer and helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army’s 1st Cavalry Division, earning the Bronze Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross. Returning stateside, he rose to the rank of captain and established updated flight standards for the UH-1 “Huey” based on thousands of flight hours and several dozen combat missions. Pierce served as a flight instructor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Gregory A. Seeley died on June 19, 2023 at the age of 60. Originally from New York, he earned his bachelors in aeronautics from Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach.
Charles Angell died June 18, 2023, at 85. He was an engineer at Brown Engineering, where he worked on NASA contracts, and at Bechtel, working primarily on Navy contracts.
Howard A. Eich, 68, died on June 16, 2023. He served in the military for 40 years, six of those years were active duty in the United States Air Force and 34 years were in the Montana Army National Guard. He was deployed in Iraq from 2004-2005. He retired as a master sergeant in 2014.
Walter B. Koffel died June 14, 2023. He served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War and was posted to Guam. As a civilian pilot, he worked for Campbell Soup Co. for many years.
Don Evan Shutty, 74, died on June 13, 2023. After service in Vietnam as a flight engineer in the United States Navy, he completed a degree at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Service in 1994. He later served as a nuclear, biological and chemical non-commissioned officer in the 175th Military Police Battalion and Missouri National Guard. He retired in 2006 after 26 years of active and reserve service.
David Eric Spencer died June 11, 2023, at 71. Flying was a lifelong passion and he earned a degree in aviation management. He pursued a career in the grocery business eventually becoming a district manager.
Lawrence “Jack” Hinton Bledsoe died June 10, 2023, at the age of 89. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force and retired as a chief master sergeant. Over his military career, he was a friend and mentor to many airmen.
Scott Watson died June 8, 2023, while stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany. He worked there as a Quality Assurance Specialist for the U.S. Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA). In 1999 he joined the Navy where he served for 15 years and earned the rank of Chief Petty Officer, earning many awards and distinctions. After graduating from Embry-Riddle, he managed maintenance on the F-14D, UH-1N and f-18A-G aircraft platforms. After his honorable Navy discharge, he served as the lead quality assurance specialist for the Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky, offices of DCMA. In 2022 he transferred to Wiesbaden.
Giorgio A. Rey died June 7, 2023, in Prescott, Arizona.
Joseph Torsani died June 4, 2023. He was a helicopter pilot in the United States Air Force and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He was later a flight operations chief pilot for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Lewis W. Sabree died June 1, 2023 at 94. He served as a helicopter maintenance instructor in the United States Air Force. He attended Embry-Riddle in Miami and went on to work as a pilot, with a commercial rating and seaplane rating. He flew regional Keller Aviation routes from Miami to the Bahamas and later a B-25 bomber to South America, transporting exotic animals.
Richard Trester Sr., 100, died June 1, 2023. He joined the United States Army during World War II and earned several military honors. He attended Embry-Riddle in Miami and earned an airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic certification.
Oliver Earl Thompson, 66, died on May 31, 2023. He served in the military in Dallas/Fort Worth and Mississippi. In civilian life, he worked in warehouse/servicing in the Dallas/Fort Work area. His final employer was Crown Lift Trucks.
Suzanne “Suzy” Charles, 58, died May 28, 2023. She was the first woman admitted to the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Flight Fellowship Program and worked as a flight instructor for several years. She flew for Wings West/American Eagle Airlines and later American West Airlines. After September 11, 2001, she volunteered to become certified as a federal flight deck officer, which involved extensive firearm and hand-to-hand combat training. She received her 25-year badge from American Airlines in 2021.
Alice Jane Harshey-Bischoff, age 61, died on May 27, 2022. She served in the United States Air Force for 40 years, retiring as a Chief Master Sergeant. She participated in military operations around the world as an aircraft maintenance operations superintendent. She later served as an adjunct professor at Embry-Riddle and program director for aviation at Eastern New Mexico University.
Milton Kreger, 73, died on May 3, 2023. He was a United States Army veteran who served as Huey rescue helicopter pilot in Vietnam. He later served as a pilot and instructor for Cobra helicopters until 2003. In civilian life, he worked for Lockheed Martin on the Space Shuttle program and trained staff in nuclear safety.
Matthew Langworthy, 33, died on May 22, 2023. After his graduation from Embry-Riddle, he spent the next ten years working as a test engineer at Boeing, first in Washington as part of the P-8 program, and then in Arizona as the lead engineer for Mesa Structures Lab, where he designed and performed safety and longevity tests on aircraft and aircraft components.
Frederick Lester "Rusty" Tate Jr., 70, died May 21, 2023. He served as a nuclear weapons specialist in the United States Air Force and later established Global Reach Aircraft as an aircraft mechanic.
Richard Smiley died May 17, 2023. After working as a detective in New York City, he enlisted in the United States Army and worked for the criminal investigation division in Korea. Returning stateside, he attended officer training school and flight school. He worked as a Black Hawk pilot and instructor for almost 10 years.
James Hobart, 68, died on May 17, 2023, in Kentucky. He enjoyed a 50-year career in aviation as a commercial pilot, flight safety officer contributing to Congressional hearings, and independent air safety consultant for developing nations in Africa. He earned a Master’s in Aeronautical Science in 2011.
Scott Acre died May 16, 2023. He served in the United States Air Force for 30 years. After retiring from the military, he worked in logistics and supply management at Tinker Air Force Base. Wright Patterson Air Force Base and the Pentagon.
Robert Silverio, 67, died Mary 12, 2023. He joined the United States Air Force in 1975 and was stationed in Germany and went on to serve more than 26 years of active duty. He worked another 16 years as a civil servant.
Crystal Michel Lake (’08, ’16) died at the age of 46 on May 8 in Orlando. She was a registered nurse at Advent Health and earlier worked as a paramedic in Maryland. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, she completed a Bachelor of Science in Technical Management and a Master of Science in Management at Embry-Riddle.
Virgil Lee “Buddy” Patrick, 78, died May 7, 2023. He earned a degree in Airframe and Power Plant and went on to work for with Ryder Truck Rentals as a diesel mechanic for 22 years.
Gerald "Jerry" Carter Stephens died on May 2, 2023, at the age of 91. He joined the United States Air Force, serving until 1954. He graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Institute in Miami in 1957. He then worked as a mechanic and began a 35-year career with Delta Air Lines.
Paul O. Hedin, Jr., (‘88) died at the age of 65 on May 2, 2023. He earned his Masters of Business Administration in Aviation in 1988. He served in the military from 1979 to 1992.
David Lorin Smith (‘80 ) died at age 67 in South Carolina. He was an air traffic controller in the United States Air Force and served overseas tours in the United Kingdom and Korea. He was credited with preventing a C-130 and F-4 midair collision at RAF Mildenhall. After earning his degree in Professional Aeronautics, he joined Officer Training School and trained as a pilot. He progressed to aircraft commander and instructor. He went on to complete several tours flying the C-130. In 1989, he was assigned to the Wing Commander to support a new C-17 Integration Program and was selected for C-17 Initial Cadre in 1990. He later became one of the first C-17 instructor pilots. After completing his military service, he launched Carolina Tracks, Ltd., and served as an aviation instructor for a summer youth program for underprivileged teens.
Ross Nuanes, 64, died on April 28, 2023. He served in the United States Air Force for 23 years as a Tech Sergeant and went on to work for Eclipse Aviation and Honeywell.
Robert Lysle Pullen, 85, died on April 28, 2023. He soloed at 17 and spent a 33-year career in aviation, flying domestic and international assignments as a line captain, check airman and chief pilot. He was comfortable in everything from crop dusters to DC-3, DC-6, DC-8, C-46, Argosy, Convair 580, Electra and Boeing 727 aircraft.
Kenneth Krause, 72, died on April 24, 2023 in Michigan after a long battle with lymphoma. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1971 and retired in 1997 with the rank of major. He served extended tours in Korea and Saudi Arabia. He was a B-52 maintenance supervisor, commanded the 312th Field Training Detachment at Barksdale, AFB and was first Airborne Command Control Squadron maintenance officer keeping “Nightwatch” aircraft operational. He retired after 24 years of service to our country. He earned his Masters in Business Administration Aviation in 1993.
Lt. Colonel Robert F. Martin (Bob), of Virginia Beach, died on April 20, 2023, after a lengthy illness. From a military family, he joined the United States Army and served for 20 years, including two tours of duty as a pilot in Vietnam. His career spanned infantry, armor, cavalry, aviation and special operations. In his last five years of active duty, he was an Army counter-terrorist staff officer detailed to national intelligence agencies.
William Barci ('68) died on April 19, 2023, in Maryland. He was 87. He served in the U.S Marine Corps during the Korean War. As a civilian, he taught airframe and powerplant at the University of District of Columbia until his retirement after 25 years. He earned his airframe/powerplant certification in 1968.
Mary Lane (nee Reynolds), 78, died April 15, 2023. She was an administrative assistant at Edmonds Community College in Lynwood, Washington. She retired to Florida. She earned her Master's in Aeronautical Science in 2012,
Korwyn Christensen, 61, died on April 15, 2023, in Texas. Christensen was passionate about his career, which included work at the Air Force Research Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory. He defeated an astrocytoma brain cancer tumor in 2002 and a brain infection in 2021. Christensen is the author of The Star Cell and the Healer (2012), a book about his spiritual journey as he battled cancer. He later earned a degree in biblical studies from Kenneth Copeland Bible College. He earned his Master's in Aeronautical Science in 1994.
David D’Orsay Davidge, 69, died on April 18, in Pennsylvania. After graduating in 1981, he enjoyed a long career in financial management, first at Morgan Stanley and later with PNC Investments until his retirement. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management in 1981.
Conrad Rodgers 56, died with his wife Kala, in a motor vehicle accident on April 12, 2023. He served in the United States Army and retired as a CW4 warrant officer after 28 years. In civilian life, he launched Clarity Aviation LLC. His specialties included consulting and training related to ATP multi-engine land, CFI and CFII helicopter, airplane single engine land, flight research and safety. He flew for the Civil Air Patrol in Austin and also volunteered with FEMA. Rodgers earned his Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics in 2000 and his Master's in Aeronautical Science in 2013.
Kurtis Dale Williams died April 12, 2023, in a private plane accident south of Greensboro, North Carolina. He joined the U.S. Navy at 19 and retired from the military in 2011. As a civilian, he went to work for Cessna Aircraft Company and Honda Jet. He was later a CASA 212 pilot flying Alaska firefighting missions. He was granted a NASA contract associated with P3 scientific research missions flying in several continents. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics in 2003.
Ray Daniel Gonzales Sr., 66, died April 9, 2023, after battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He retired from the United States Air Force as an E-7 Master Sergeant after 26 years of service. He spent 17 years on the flight line as a crew chief, maintaining quality and mentoring airmen. As a civilian, he developed programs still in use by the Air Force today and taught cadets at the Air Force Academy during nine years with the Military Equal Opportunity Office. He earned his Master's in Aeronautical Science in 1990.
Nicholas Scott Williams, 37, died on April 7, 2023, in Las Vegas. He joined the Marines in 2005 and was deployed to Iraq in 2008. After leaving active duty as a corporal E4, he joined the Army, serving until 2022 when he left the service as a staff sergeant E6. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Technical Management in 2014.
Captain Steven Hall, 62, died April 6 in North Carolina. After graduation, he served as a United States Army helicopter pilot. In civilian life, he flew for American Airlines, retiring in 2011, after more than 25,000 hours of flight time. He went on to teach high school earth science. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics in 1990.
Larry D. Martin died April 4, 2023, at 83. He was an Army helicopter pilot during two terms in Vietnam and later served in Germany. He retired in 1984.
Jon Levy, 52, died on April 3, 2023, in Oklahoma. He served in both the United States Navy and United States Army, where he served as a combat helicopter pilot with the Night Stalkers. He was a member of the Special Ops on an Air Assault Chinook. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics in 2014.
Bernard Louis Ebrom, 64, died on April 1, 2023, in Illinois. He served his country for 20 years in the United States Navy as a helicopter search and rescue aircrewman, crew chief. He was also a lead maintenance tech for helicopters, a water survival instructor and deep sea diver. He earned a Masters in Professional Aeronautics in 1998.
Gary Leon Potter, 62, died on April 1, 2023. He served in the United States Air Force for 24 years, attaining the rank of Lt. Colonel. He was recognized as an expert on air refueling assets. After leaving the military he dedicated 12 years to the 505th Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field until that retirement in 2021. He earned his Masters in Aeronautical Science in 1996.
Richard Edward Schankel died March 31, 2023, at 76. His career in the U.S. Air Force spanned 20 years and included an assignment with the Strategic Air Command. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel and went to work for Rockwell International (now Boeing). He earned his Master's in Business Aviation Administration in 1983.
Andre Gilbert Barber died March 19, 2023, in South Carolina. He was a U.S. Army veteran who was stationed in Germany as a radio operator. He dedicated his civilian career to aviation, captaining numerous aircraft, including the Boeing 747. As an international airline pilot, he lived in Saudi Arabia and England before relocating to Vermont, where he continued to fly until his retirement. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics in 1967.
Melvin Luther Copeland died March 19, 2023. He began his 28-year career with the U.S. Air Force in 1971 and began his flying career as a T-38 instructor, followed by an assignment in Korea, several assignments at U.S. bases and ultimately the Pentagon. He earned his master’s degree in business administration and went on to work for Delta Airlines after he ended his military service. He earned his Master's in Aviation Management in 1990.
Jerry C. Eatherly, 88, died March 19, 2023. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1952 and served 17 duty assignments as crew chief on the flight line and as a maintenance analyst. After 27 years in the military, he retired as chief master sergeant (E-9). He later worked for government contractors including BDM and Mitech. He earned a masters in aviation management from Embry-Riddle.
Shari Christensen, 47, died on March 15, 2023, after a hard-fought battle with metastatic breast cancer. After graduating from Embry-Riddle in 1998, she worked as a pilot and flight instructor and finished her career as an E190 assistant fleet captain with JetBlue.
Steven Alen Granger dedicated more than 20 years of service to his country as a U.S. Navy SEAL operator, advisor and instructor. With SEAL Team 8, he supervised operator training for six platoons deployed to the Mediterranean and Africa during a period that involved the safe evacuation of Americans and NATO personnel from Liberia. Upon retirement from the military, he pursued a career in real estate and earned his bachelor’s degree and pilot’s license. He most recently worked for National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola as an industrial manager specialist responsible for aircraft restoration, conservation and preservation of exhibits. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics in 2005.
Steven Delbert Weatherford, 56, died on March 7, 2023. After completing his education, he enlisted in the Air National Guard in Arizona in 1991 and was commissioned in 2000. He participated in Operation Enduring Freedom, serving three deployments. He retired as a major in 2014. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics in 1998.
Corinne Louise Smith, age 103, passed away on March 6, 2023. She was a secretary at the Embry-Riddle Company's Seaplane Base. She eventually became an instructor-pilot and head of the Link Trainer department. By 1944, she had earned flight instructor and commercial pilot certification.
Deren L. Cook, 55, died on March 6, 2023. In the U.S. Army, he flew OH-5HD helicopters for 18 years and served in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007. After his military service, he worked as an emergency helicopter pilot and, most recently, lead pilot for Life Link III in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Cook earned a Master's in Logistics and Supply Chain Management in 2019, a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics in 2019 and a Bachelors in Professional Aeronautics in 1998.
William “Bill” Gregg Macmillan, 60, died February 28, 2023. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Embry-Riddle and enjoyed a long career in civil and military aviation. Like his father, he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1982. After six years, he transferred to the U.S. Navy to realize his dream of becoming a navy aviator. He went on to serve as a flight instructor, maintenance quality control officer and security manager.
Colonel Marshall “Tip” Slater died on February 25, 2023, at the age of 76. He retired as a chief financial officer of the Network Centric Operations Industry Consortium (NCOIC) after a 12-year career with the Boeing Company, where he was director of Virtual Operations. He also had a distinguished 27-year career in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a colonel. He logged more than 5000 hours of flying time as a KC-135 and RC-135 aircraft navigator. He was involved in RC-135, U-2, and SR-71 operations and served as commander of the 9th Communications Squadron at Beale AFB, California.
Jack Lloyd Daly Jr., died on February 11, 2023, in Maryland. He joined the U.S. Navy as an air traffic controller and served aboard the USS Inchon (LPH-12). During his military service, he earned his degree from Embry-Riddle. Daly went on to work for the Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Security Agency, Customs and Border Control and the Logistics Management Institute.
Joseph Paul Miller died February 7, 2023, in Pennsylvania. He was born in Chicago in 1947 and earned his undergraduate degree from Embry-Riddle in 1970. Miller was a captain flying for Ransome Airlines, Pan Am and Delta Air Lines. He was also a certified flight instructor and examiner with FAA.
Lawrence “Larry” Wayne Harju died at 79 in Illinois. He graduated from Embry-Riddle in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management. In the U.S. Army, he flew missions, tested, taught and mobilized the U.S. Army Mohawk aircraft used for battlefield surveillance. He served as a military intelligence officer and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. After retiring from service, he remained involved in aviation-related technologies for a variety of enterprises.
Christopher Thomas Ellsworth died in Nevada on January 28, 2023. He captained private corporate jets and flew for Mesa Airlines, a subsidiary of United. He went on to teach for Flight Safety International in Florida.
William C. Thompson, died January 28, 2023. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force, Navy and Army, serving 30 years. He earned both his bachelor’s degree and master’s in business administration from Embry-Riddle.
Lieutenant Col. Jerry Tuttle Carr, 83, died in Barr Nunn, Wyoming. He spent two years in Germany and served two tours in Vietnam. He went on to attend Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. He was stationed at Fort Sill, Fort Carson and Fort Irwin. He served as battery commander for the 5th Battalion, 83rd Artillery of the 4th Infantry Division. He was a highly decorated lieutenant colonel when he retired in 1983.
James Edwin Taylor (’90) died on January 23, 2023 at the age of 81. He served honorably in the U.S. Air Force for 26 years. His military career took him to the Philippines and Vietnam. He earned his master’s degree in aeronautical science in 1990. He then worked as a budget analyst and finance manager for aircraft at Naval Aviation Naval Air Station Jacksonville until his retirement in 2008.
Robert "Bob" Fred Kateley died on January 21, 2023, in California. He was a retired U.S. Air Force officer and Vietnam veteran who "flew nearly half of the Air Force planes on display at Castle Air Museum in Atwater," according to his family. After leaving the service, he started a dairy business, raised a family and taught aeronautics.
Ronald Harold Pickett died January 20, 2023, in Miami, Florida. A former U.S. Marine, he joined the U.S. Air Force as an F-16 fighter pilot and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. He retired in 2004 as a lieutenant colonel and went on to work for US Southern Command in Miami, Florida.
Richard Rothman died January 13, 2023. He was born in 1932 and learned to fly while still in high school. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. At Embry-Riddle, he trained to become an elite crew chief on the flight line and later served in Japan. After his service, he worked for Republic Airlines.
Carl E. Wilham died January 10, 2023. He entered the U.S. Air Force in 1950 and was stationed throughout the U.S. for 10 years. He worked on various aircraft, including the A-26, B-29, B-36, B-47, B-57 and F-84. In his civilian life, he worked for the FAA as an electronics technician and electronics facility supervisor at Miami International Airport. He retired in the mid-1980s.
Mary Lou Shirakawa died on January 5, 2023. She worked for General Electric Aircraft Engines and several NASA and United States Air Force contractors.
Joseph Addison died on January 3, 2023. He retired from a 25-year career in the United States Air Force. He was stationed at Wheeler Air Force Base in North Africa, Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts, Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey and Anderson Air Force Base in Guam. As a civilian, he was employed by Howmet Aerospace until 2009.
Steven A. Rose died on January 2, 2023. He was 77. Rose was an airframe and powerplant mechanic. He began his career in Wichita, Kansas, with Flo Air and later worked for Air Midwest, Lear Jet and Beech Aircraft. For Beech, he maintained the U.S. Ambassador aircraft in Pretoria, South Africa. He held a private pilot license.
Albert Zimmerman died January 1, 2023, in Georgia. He was 75.
David George Beaver was a U.S. Army and Army National Guard veteran, deployed in Vietnam, who served as a helicopter mechanic for several decades until his retirement in Virginia in 2013. His career reflects a lifelong passion for maintenance and a fierce dedication to mastering helicopter avionics. His interest was ignited by his maintenance responsibilities while on dust-off duty (combat medical evacuation). He helped save countless lives over 15 years by supporting hospital medevac teams.
Leroy H. Fishel, 90, died on December 30, 2022. He served as an aircraft mechanic in the United States Air Force, stationed in Germany during the Korean War. After leaving the military, he was a jet engine test mechanic for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. He earned his pilot’s license in 1985 and rebuilt and restored aircraft in his retirement.
Michael Geletka died at age 68. He served in the U.S. Air Force. At Embry-Riddle, he was president of the veteran’s association. He earned an associate’s degree in aviation maintenance technology in 1985.
Ernest Steven “Steve” Poteat, Jr. 87, died in Arizona on December 28, 2022, with family by his side. He served in the U.S. Navy and transitioned to the U.S. Air Force. After retiring from service in 1981, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics. As a civil servant, he was a liaison between the Air Force and Pratt & Whitney.
James Elwood Gray, 75, died on December 27, 2022. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War and worked on fighter jets, stationed in Hawaii. He went on to work for a Beechcraft dealership and then for several maintenance companies before opening his own aviation maintenance company, Gray Enterprises, serving private aircraft throughout the southeast. He retired in 2008.
Raymond Morin died December 26, 2022, in Fort Worth, Texas. He was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant and served as a navigator on KC-135 tankers. After leaving the service, he established an accounting and tax preparation business and managed The Goodfellow Fund that has benefited more than 100,000 families in Tarrant County.
Robert George Paganelli, 91, died on December 25, 2022. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Korean conflict and after college served in the National Guard. He was an aviation mechanic supervisor for Flight Enterprises and later, private aircraft with Travelers Insurance.
Harry S. DeLoach, 74, died in his home state of Tennessee. He joined the Navy Air Reserve in 1967 and retired as a captain after almost 40 years of highly decorated service. He earned a degree in aeronautics from Embry-Riddle and was certified as a pilot with a commercial, multi-engine instrument rating. He was also licensed as an airframe and powerplant inspector.
Joseph Paul Boyd, 70, died December 17, 2022, in Florida. He served in the U.S. Navy as an electricians mate aboard the USS Proteus, USS Hunley and USS L.Y. Spear. After graduating from officer candidate school, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Signal Corps. In a 20-year military career, he was had assignments in Guam, Italy and throughout the U.S. In civilian life, he was a computer systems analyst with the Defense Information Systems Agency. He finished his career at CACI and By Light, an IT and cyber organization.
Robert Doran ('98, '12) died at the age of 52. He began his career at Boeing and moved to Lockheed Martin in 2001. He focused on propulsion in the Space Systems division and rose to a senior management position in missiles and fire control hardware engineering.
Ralph Elmer Willey, 83, died at his home with his family by his side. He was born in Laconia, New Hampshire, and earned an associate’s degree for Embry-Riddle in 1959. He was employed by Sikorsky Helicopters for almost a decade. He went on to work for various engineering firms.
James Grundwald (’87, ‘98) died December 14, 2022, in Minnesota. Upon graduation from Embry-Riddle, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as a flight test engineer for F18 and F20 fighter jets. After his military service, he served as a Special Agent with the FBI until his retirement in 2021.
Lieutenant Col. Richard “Rick” A. Lester (’77) died at 74, on December 13, 2022. He was a U.S, Army aviator and Vietnam War veteran who served for 26 years. He earned numerous awards for distinguished service during his tours in Vietnam, Germany and Korea, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. He shared his love of the military and deep respect for fellow veterans throughout his life. He was interviewed and served as a consultant to the Discovery Military Channel documentary series, “Battlefield Diaries.”
Marion Shin, 89, died in Vero Beach, Florida on December 8, 2022. She was born in Hong Kong, China. She earned her associates degree in aerospace engineering technology in 1958. Soon after, she joined Piper Aircraft, where she worked for many years. In semi-retirement, she was an engineering consultant.
Former Congressman Jim Kolbe, 80, died on December 3, 2022. He served on the university’s board of trustees and was a generous donor and member of the Riddle Society. Befitting his status as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 11 terms (1985-2007), Arizona Governor Doug Ducey announced the death with a tribute to the statesman’s service to Arizona and the country. Kolbe is survived by his beloved husband, Hector Alfonso. You may honor Kolbe’s legacy with a gift to the Jim Kolbe Endowed Scholarship Fund
Dr. Steven Anthony Buckner (’05, ’07) of Fort Worth, Texas, died November 29, 2022. He worked for the FAA for 18 years and UPS for 25 years. Since 2008, he was also an associate professor at Embry-Riddle Worldwide.
Michael F. Faschingbauer died in Jeffersonville, Indiana, at the age of 68. He was born in Key West, Florida, and joined the U.S. Air Force. After his military service, he was an aircraft mechanic for UPS and a private pilot.
Michael Zappitella died at his home in Spanaway, Washington, on November 24, 2022. “Zap” served in the U.S. Air Force for six years and then worked for The Boeing Company as a flight line operations manager since 2019.
Lt. Col. WM. Lance McKinney, 78, died on November 23, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas. He was a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot who rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. Following his military career, he was the operations manager at the Albuquerque Sunport.
Sarah Kocak died November 21, 2022. As a student, she played two seasons as a volleyball student-athlete. After earning her undergraduate degree, she was a pilot for JetBlue.
Benjamin L. Heim, 53, died in Florida on October 22, 2022. He enjoyed a 22-year career as an air traffic controller in the U.S. Navy, rising to the rank of senior chief.
Rodney Campbell died November 6, 2022. He earned his master’s degree in Aeronautical Logistics and worked as an air traffic controller with the Federal Aviation Agency for 31 years.
Alan Michael Lear died at age 66 on November 5, 2022. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years during Desert Storm. He then worked at Kidde Aerospace for 20 years.
Christopher Robert Lynch, Sr. (’90) died at the age of 73. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam conflict. He left the service as a technical sergeant and earned a bachelor’s degree in business. He worked as a logistician for the Department of Defense at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. He earned a master’s degree in Aeronautical Sciences and Aviation Management. He retired after a 30-year career in federal service and split his time between Ohio and Texas.
Lawrence R. Pratt died at age 74 in San Lorenzo, California. In 1985, he earned a master’s degree in aviation management while stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.
Tanner A. Stratton, 22, died on October 30, 2022. He was applying for a position as a commercial pilot at Delta Air Lines at his death. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Sciences and held a private pilot license.
Robert D. Underwood (’68) died October 26, 2022, in Erie, Pennsylvania. He grew up in an aviation-focused family and after graduation, he became a pilot for American Trans Air in Indianapolis until his retirement in 2007. He was a national member of the Quiet Birdman aviation fraternity.
Philip Carey Capo (’84), 65, of Gainesville, Florida, died October 22, 2022. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia and grew up in Alabama. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1976 and served as an air traffic controller. After his military service, he continued his career with the FAA and several contractors before retiring in 2022.
Russell Deatherage died October 9, 2022, at the age of 59. He retired from the U.S. Marine Corps as a gunnery sergeant after 21 years of service. Upon his return to civilian life, he was a program manager for an aerospace engineering company.
George F. Walker, Jr., 78, died on September 30, 2022, in Metairie, Louisiana. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War and graduated from Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach. He returned to Louisiana to work at New Orleans Lakefront Airport as a licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic/inspector. He later worked in the oil industry for the refinery that became ExxonMobil in Chalmette, where he worked for nearly 40 years.
Michael Thomas Morgan died at the age of 58 in Florida. He was born in Kellogg, Idaho, and earned his bachelor of science in aeronautics in 2014.
Victor Matthew Malczewskyj has died in Pennsylvania at 64. He served in the U.S. Air Force. After leaving the service, he worked as a salesperson at Center City Plumbing & Electric Supply and Marshalls Creek Plumbing & Electrical.
Anthony Kres died September 16, 2022, in Florida. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 25 years, flying C-130s. He became a flight engineer and instructor with the 40th Tactical Airlift Squadron at Pope Air Force Base. After leaving the military, he worked for CAE USA as a flight simulator instructor, continuing his passion for the C-130 for 23 years.
Niels Carl Morck, 35, died September 10, 2022. He earned a degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 2010 from Embry-Riddle in Prescott. In 2013, he went to work for Western States Fire Protection, designing and project managing installation of commercial sprinkler systems. Most of his assignments took him to the Denver International Airport.
Robert G. Sheplar, 72, died September 5, 2022. After graduating from Embry-Riddle, he served in the U.S. Army, completing two tours of duty in Vietnam and a tour of duty in the Persian Gulf War. He flew Cobra and Apache helicopters.
Ken R. Lancaster, 42, died in a private plane accident on September 5, 2022. He served in the U.S. Air Force for a decade as an A-10C fighter pilot, MC12 Mission Commander and T-38 instructor. He flew combat missions over Afghanistan, Libya and Korea. As an aerial firefighter with Cal Fire, he flew the OV-10A observation plan and S2 Tanker.
Franklin Mapstone died September 3, 2022. He pursued a love of airplanes and flying by earning his pilot’s license and pursuing a degree in engineering from Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach. He started his aviation career with Piper Aircraft and went on to work on the B1B bomber and the Space Shuttle for North American Rockwell. He later started Commonwealth Engineering and Construction, which he operated until 2012.
Robert (Bob) Younge MacCutcheon, 75, died in Ohio. He was a licensed pilot, earning commercial single, multi-engine and instrumentation ratings. He flew as a commercial pilot and sold airplanes. He was a Dean Witter stockbroker with a Series 7 license. As president of Rymac Services, Inc., serving a wide expanse of Northeastern Ohio commercial businesses.
Thomas Williams, 76, died August 31, 2022. After joining the U.S. Air Force, he graduated from Embry-Riddle and pursued a career as an aircraft mechanic.
Ernest Andrew Farreny III, 47, died in New Jersey on August 26, 2022. He worked as an engineer and manager for Washington Professional Systems in New Jersey. The company is a full-service AV design and integration provider. He had an avid interest in space and NASA missions.
Michael Waters died April 16, 2022, in Florida at the age of 66. He served in the U.S. Navy as an undesignated Airman Apprentice on the flight deck and the Aviation Storekeeper. He retired from the military in 2004. In civilian life, he worked as a senior logistics analyst for CACI at Naval Station Mayport. As a member of the North Florida Soaring Society, he logged hundreds of hours piloting a glider.
Michelle Britt died on August 16, 2022. She worked for the Federal Aviation Administration, Southwest Airlines and USAirways. She retired from her career in aviation in 2003.
Gary Todd Plaster, 52, died on August 12, 2022. He was struck by a vehicle while he was assisting a motorist in North Little Rock, Arkansas. After joining the U.S. Air Force, he earned a graduate degree from Embry-Riddle. He retired from the military as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2012. He continued to work as a C-130 flight simulator expert.
Michael Baron died at the age of 69 in Sanford, Florida. He served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Hawaii. He later flew for Midway Airlines and then became a corporate pilot for Anheuser Busch and Harley Davidson. He ended his career with Flight Safety International in Orlando.
Richard A. Patrican died on August 5, 2022. In a long and impressive aerospace career, he worked for GE, NASA, Northrup Grumman, Raytheon and CACI. His notable projects include a military satellite that went up to space in 1985 and his contributions to the International Space Station. At Northrup Grumman, he was a director of mission assurance. He was later vice president of mission assurance for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems.
Paul Heyward McAmish died at 49, in his home in Dallas, Georgia, on July 30. He was born in Athens, Georgia, and joined the U.S. Air Force and served as aircraft guidance and control systems technician at Hurlburt Field in Florida. He earned the Air Force Commendation Medal for meritorious service. As an engineer, he worked for Lockheed Martin on the C-27j auto flight system and the C-5M aircraft diagnostic system. He became an expert on the C-130j electro-optical/infrared system.
Frank Robert Hoover, 78, died July 27, 2022. After graduating from Utah State University and Embry-Riddle, he served in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army for more than 20 years with deployment in several countries, including Vietnam. He worked with the Montagnards and as a Scout Pilot flying the OH-6 helicopter with the F Troop 8th Cavalry at the Marbles AAF and at Lassiter AAF near Saigon. After retiring from the military, he was director of emergency services for a chapter of the American Red Cross.
Kurt Crume, 83, died at the Western Kentucky Veterans Center in Hanson, Kentucky. He lived in Beaver Dam, Kentucky, and was born in Echols. He earned his degree from Embry-Riddle and served in the U.S. Navy. Haley and Eleanor Southward.
Captain Steven W. Henderson, 63, died in Three Oaks, Michigan. Captain Henderson was born in Connecticut and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, where he acquired his passion for flying. After graduating from Embry-Riddle in Prescott, he enjoyed a 42-year career as a commercial airline pilot, most of which was spent with American Airlines. He was also a volunteer fireman and paramedic.
Fred G. Dettmann died at the age of 77 on July 13, 2022. Born in Germany, he became an American citizen in 1966 and launched his aviation career with National/Pan American World Airways. He transitioned to assistant director operations at Tampa International Airport.
Philip Aron Marsteller, Sr., 65, died July 10, 2022. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach and his master’s degree from Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona. He served his country in the U.S. Army as a member of the Special Forces and later as a helicopter pilot for the 82nd Airborne. He founded
Chief Warrant Officer Four Michael Stephen Harris, 44, died after a brave battle fighting acute myeloid leukemia. He was born February 4, 1978 in Ellsworth, Maine. After graduating from Embry-Riddle in 2000 with a professional aeronautics degree, he enjoyed a 22-year career as a combat engineer with the U.S. Army. His most recent assignment was with the 160th "Night Stalkers" SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment), as a select pilot trusted for Special Ops flights specializing in flight under the cover of darkness. In 2018, he earned a master’s degree in logistics supply chain management.
Joseph D. Dickinson died July 6, 2022, after a long struggle with dementia. He was born November 20, 1940, in New Haven, Connecticut, and grew up in Holbrook, Massachusetts.
After serving in the U.S. Army, he attended what was then Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Institute and earned a pilot’s license. He enjoyed a long career as an aeronautical engineer focused on helicopter research and development. Friends remember him as someone who “could fix anything” and soon get old cars back on the road.
Don Banks died on July 6, 2022, in California at 88. Banks was a 1951 graduate of the Embry-Riddle School of Aeronautics, where he studied aviation maintenance. He was a Korean War veteran and after his military service in the U.S. Air Force, he worked for McDonell Douglas Boeing. Following his “failed retirement” he served as a consultant for 11 years.
John R. Schulte died June 28, 2022. He served in the U.S. Air Force for seven years, working as an air traffic controller, a role he continued with the FAA in the San Francisco area until 2014.
Alan C. Lefler, 66, died June 27, 2022. He was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He attended the University of Colorado Boulder and then earned an associate’s degree from Embry-Riddle Worldwide in 1993. He was a corporate pilot for Bank of America in San Diego and Los Angeles, California. He flew celebrities, professional athletes and former presidents. For the next 30 years, he was a captain for Frontier and Vanguard Airlines.
Dr. Cortland E. Mehl, 70, died on June 25, 2022. He was a retired U.S. Army officer who served during the Vietnam era, Cold War, Persian Gulf and in a support role during Operation Restore Hope. He was a combat veteran of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, where he served as a transport logistician and certified as a U.S. Army logistician. Upon leaving the service, he was an executive for Yusen Air & Sea Service, Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue. He is the former president of Archangel Air Cargo and a member of the Civil Air Patrol.
Brett Anthony Beisker, 51, died on June 24, 2022. He served in the U.S. Navy and civil service as an aviation structural mechanic. While on active duty with the military, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Professional Aeronautics. In 2012, he started a custom LED lighting business, which he ran until late 2021.
Carolyn Barron Bitner-Collins died June 23, 2022. Her career in aviation began in 1975. She held an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate, as well as certificates for Flight Instruction and Instrument Flight Instruction for both single-engine and multi-engine aircraft. She had thousands of hours of flight time. She had been an adjunct professor at Mountain View College (MVC), which is part of the Dallas County colleges. She was a member of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), the USAF Auxiliary, and she held the rank of lieutenant colonel. She had the rating of CAP Command Pilot. She was the maintenance officer for the aircraft at Crusader Composite Squadron and the assistant maintenance officer for Group 3 of the Texas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol.
Terrence Kelley died June 22, 2022, at the age of 60. He had a lifelong passion for aviation and was a member of the Norfolk Hangar of the Quiet Birdmen.
Donald Sandhoff, 69, died in a helicopter crash in West Virginia on June 22, 2022. He was flying a “Huey” (Bell UH-1B) Iroquois helicopter en route from North Carolina to a reunion for Vietnam era veterans and aviation enthusiasts. Sandhoff fell in love with flying when he was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. He earned a bachelor of science in professional aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Worldwide in 1996.
Robert Sean Frady, 50, died in Florida on June 20, 2022. He was a flight instructor and worked for regional carriers and then worked for JetBlue until his death.
Glenn L. Akam Sr. died June 12, 2022, at the age of 80. After graduating from Embry-Riddle, he flew for Eastern Airlines and Evergreen Airlines. As a pilot and certified flight instructor, he mastered 30 different types of airplanes. He served as private investigator for more than 40 years. Akam was a longtime member of the Aircraft and Owners Pilot Association (AOPA) and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA).
Brian Fiske died June 12, 2022. He was a member of the United States Army and Civil Air Patrol. He held various management positions for Part 135 operators at airports across Southern California. He was a professor at Embry-Riddle and established a business, Pet Jets, Inc., a private transportation service for pets and pet owners.
Lamont Shadowens died June 11, 2022, at the age of 99. As a Flying Tiger, he served in China during World War II. The group first saw combat just 12 days after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Shadowens was later an attorney and realtor.
Capt. John J. Sax ('13), 33, died on June 8, 2022, when his MV-22B Osprey helicopter crashed during a training mission. He was one of five marines to perish in the incident. He was assigned to the Marine Medium Tilrotor Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. Sax was based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California.
Jon V. Shay died June 7, 2022, at the age of 72.
Lt. Richard "Max" Bullock, 29, originally of Butte, Montana, passed away on June 3, 2022, when his FA-18 Super Hornet crashed during a training exercise near Trona, California. He was commissioned as an ensign after completing Officer Candidate School in the Navy, receiving the Lt. Thomas Eadie, USN Congressional Medal of Honor Award for having the highest average for academic and military training. He became a naval aviator in 2019 and was eventually assigned to the Carrier Air Wing 2, deploying onboard the USS Carl Vinson during the 2021/2022 WESTPAC deployment where he earned his Strike Fighter Weapons and Tactics Level II Combat Wingman Qualification. He enrolled in Embry-Riddle in 2020 to pursue his second degree in engineering while also studying space mining at the Colorado School of Mines. His ultimate goal had been to one day fly to space and mine asteroids. His wingman, Lt. TJ Hall, said that Bullock would want to be celebrated as "Fast, Loud and Awesome."
James D. Strickland died at the age of 68 on May 23, 2022. He joined the U.S. Navy after high school and served for 24 years. After earning his degree, he worked for Houston Intercontinental Airport.
Larry G. Lagasse ('71), 76, of Ludowici, Georgia, passed away on May 22, 2022. He was in the military for four years, serving in the Vietnam War. He was a graduate of the University of Maine and Embry-Riddle. He was a flight instructor and flew in the Gulf of Mexico. He later developed an interest in becoming a site acquisitionist for several telephone companies. After retiring, his interest shifted, and he began a small business, where he etched and carved glass.
Albert L. Gardner ('95), of Anchorage, Alaska, passed away on May 20, 2022. Albert was born in Houston, Texas, and moved to Alaska with the U.S. Army in 1984 as a structure repair and maintenance technician working on helicopters. Albert served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He served as the first director of the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Fort Wainwright campus in 1995. He was a contract worker for Lear Siegler until 2005 then became a civil service mechanic at the Installation Maintenance Facility on Fort Wainwright.
Henson “Prince” Bedeau, 77, died in Maryland on May 20, 2022. He served in the U.S. Army for 30 years and as a civil servant with the Defense Commissary Agency. He earned an airframe and powerplant (A&P) license from the Federal Aviation Administration. His additional training included the aviation life support equipment course and the U.S. Navy aircraft corrosion control course.
Steven Ray Anderson died May 19, 2022. He spent 39 years at Kennedy Space Center working on the Space Shuttle program and earning the coveted Silver Snoopy award for his contribution to safety and efficiency. He also worked at Northrop Grumman.
Aaron J. C. Schuhle, 49, of New York, died May 13, 2022. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and in civilian life operated his own business, ABH Construction, for 12 years.
Dr. Trebor Curtis Yocum ('01, '07), of Winnsboro, Arkansas, passed away on May 13, 2022. He graduated from Embry-Riddle with a bachelor's degree in aviation business management and a master's of business administration. Upon graduating, he was the assistant director of Admissions for his alma mater, recruiting throughout the East Coast. He received his Ph.D. in public policy and administration with a dissertation on bioterrorism preparedness and was a world traveler.
Col. George William Andren (USAF, Ret.), ('86) died May 9, 2022 in Tucson, Arizona. George earned his undergraduate degree in math from The Citadel and a master's degree in aeronautical science from Embry-Riddle. As a U.S. Air Force officer, he navigated the Berlin Corridor during the Cold War out of West Germany. He was also stationed in England and Italy. After retirement, George volunteered as a private pilot for the Civil Air Patrol with St. Joseph's Hospital, and as a victim advocate with the Pima County Attorney's Office.
Joseph Traybar died May 9, 2022. He had a lifelong love of airplanes and began flying lessons at the age of 13 and soloed at 15. As a U.S. Air Force Active reservist, he served as a sergeant on the flight line. He later worked at Lockheed Aircraft Plant and returned to the military as a second lieutenant on active during the Korean War. He retired as a captain and pursued two graduate degrees. He joined the engineering faculty of Princeton University, where he taught for 20 years.
CW3 Douglas B. Fincher, USA (Ret.), ('88), 69, of Houston, Texas, passed away on May 9, 2022. Barry learned to fly multiple aircraft including helicopters while stationed in Hawaii with the U.S. Army. He went on to earn an MBA in Aviation from Embry-Riddle. He worked as a flight dispatcher and eventually became a line captain with Air Methods Corp., where he piloted LifeFlight helicopters and was instrumental in saving many lives.
Mark Charles Potter, 78, died on May 9, 2022, in Utah. He earned a certificate in airframe/powerplant in 1968,
Benny Hardman died May 9, 2022, at age 71. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps, earning multiple medals. He used his G.I. Bill benefits to earn his civilian pilot ratings and college degree and then returned to the military, this time the U.S. Army, where he eventually served as an Army aviator. He flew the Bell UH-1 Iroquois (Huey) and later the Bell OH-58 Kiowa. He then made the transition to fixed-wing flying with the Beechcraft C-12 Huron and the OV-1D Mohawk.
Sharon L. Weatherly ('19), 59, of Punta Gorda, Florida, passed away on May 8, 2022.
Felicia Atsain, ('05, '14), of Côte d’Ivoire, died April 8, 2022. She was the manager of the Man Airport in Côte d’Ivoire. She received her bachelor of science degree in aviation business administration in 2005, followed by a master of science degree in aviation and aerospace operations and management.
Craig Hellmers died April 8, 2022, at the age of 51. He began his aviation career as a flight instructor in Prescott and took his first airline job in Anchorage, Alaska, delivering cargo to firefighters and indigenous people in far north, remote villages. He then worked for regional airlines in Texas, Montana and Utah. He finished his career as a captain with JetBlue, flying the Airbus A320.
William Alan Lewis ('93), 51, of Cheshire, Massachusetts, died April 7, 2022. He attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical on a full U.S. Army ROTC scholarship and graduated in 1993 with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and a commercial pilots license. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Army in Guantanamo Bay and Somalia, and also served as a General's Aid at Picatinny Arsenal. He retired as a captain.
Jason Gardellis ('12), 32, died on Wednesday, April 6, 2022. He died from injuries suffered after a fall when he was hiking in Oahu, Hawaii.
Phillip Poppell died April 1, 2022, in Florida, at the age of 69. He served in the U.S. Navy and then worked for Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and ultimately, as an aerospace engineer at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Marcus Wrotny died March 21, 2022. He served in the United States Air Force for 20 years, piloting Gulfstreams, C-141s, and KC-10s. After leaving the service, he was a private pilot for Astor Street Management. His last job was as a Gulfstream ground and simulator instructor at Flight Safety International.
David P. Kissell ('88), 56, died March 31, 2022. He was employed as a commercial airline pilot in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Phillip James DeKraker, 37, died March 18, 2022 in Petoskey, Michigan. He earned his aerospace engineering degree on a full United States. Air Force ROTC scholarship.
Edgar Thomas Weakland ('04, '08), 62, died March 12, 2022. He was a U.S. Army veteran who served eight years, including tours of duty in Vietnam. He worked until his retirement as an aircraft mechanic for The Boeing Company.
Norbert G. Violette, 85, died March 5, 2022. He served in the U.S. Army as a helicopter pilot and did multiple tours in Vietnam. He logged more than 18,000 flight hours. After his 25 years in the military, he worked as a pilot for NASA at Kennedy Space Center.
Commander Ona Claire Solberg, USN (Ret), ('81), 64, of Ellensburg, Washington, peacefully took flight at her home, surrounded by family, on March 1, 2022.
James Joseph DiRienzo, former Embry-Riddle faculty member at the Prescott Campus, died on March 1, 2022. He enrolled in the U.S. Army at 19, and a few years later was one of the first be trained as a Huey helicopter pilot. In 1965-66, he served in Vietnam flying combat and medical rescue missions.
Dale J. Almonrode, USAF (Ret.), ('97), 66, died February 27, 2022, near Dierks, Arkansas. He was a technician, had an inquisitive mind, and loved to learn. Throughout his life he compiled an impressive list of educational accomplishments and certifications.
AT1 Buddy William McBride, Sr. USN, (Ret.), 80, died on February 27, 2022. He spent 20 years as a sailor in the United States Navy, working in several locations, including NAS Pax River, Maryland, and Brunswick, Maine. After retirement, he worked on radar systems for various contractors and in the Civil Service.
Raymond E. Dann Jr. ('58), 86, died February 26, 2022. He owned and operated Ray Dann's Town and County Trading Post in Tyrone for more than 56 years, and was a Rural Route Carrier for Watkins Glen for many years. In the U.S. Army, he flew helicopters in Japan.
Mark Alan Pope (’97), 62, of Fort Worth, Texas, passed away Feb. 25, 2022. He was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and later for Southwest Airlines.
William (Bill) Kavchak ('84), 58, of Ellerslie, Maryland, died in a plane crash in Nevada on February 24, 2022. As a combat fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, he served in Desert Storm and the Gulf War.
Erika “EJ” Teves-Valdez ('21) 42, died in a fatal military-contracted helicopter crash in Kauai on February 22, 2022. She was a mechanic and crew member on a helicopter that went down at the Pacific Missile Range Facility. She earned a degree in Aviation Maintenance Science
Maj. James Paul "Jim" Leavelle (’95), 53, died February 19, 2022. In the United States Air Force, he acted as crew chief for the F4 and F16 jet fighters for seven years, then became an A10 pilot. He served 24 years and completed six combat tours, retiring with the rank of Major. In retirement, he continued to fly by joining the air show circuit.
Thomas John (Stephen) Brown ('10), 67, died on February 13, 2022, in Spokane, Washington. For 30 years, he was employed as a U.S. Army civilian through the Department of Defense (DoD). He worked in Germany from 1982 to 1999 as a computer analyst and computer specialist. He planned and directed company Organization Days for employees and their families to boost morale and teamwork. Afterward, he worked at U.S. Army Headquarters FORSCOM (U.S. Army Forces Command) at Fort McPherson, Georgia and for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Walla Walla, Washington. He retired as a GS-14 district IT chief.
Calvin Hugley (’22) died February 10, 2022. He was 48. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics in 2022 and Associates in Aeronautics.
CMSgt. Richard E. "Rick" Hoover (’08), 65, died February 10, 2022. Enlisting in the United States Air Force in 1974, he served his country at the conclusion of Vietnam and during Iraq, retiring at the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. Through the course of his career, he was employed as a base contractor, currently with PE Systems at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
Robert John Luis (’86), 59, of Scottsdale, Arizona, died February 8, 2022. He served in the U.S. Army for eight years as an officer and received badges in Rifle M16 Marksman Qualification and Hand Grenade Expert. He later worked as an executive consultant.
CW4 William "Bill" Compton Kerr (‘75), of Hartwell, Georgia, died February 5, 2022. He was a retired U.S. Army pilot with 26 years service, having served two tours in Vietnam.
Robert Kenneth Haibach (’00), 44, died February 3, 2022. in Ohio. He was an air traffic controller at Harrisburg International Airport for seven years, then continued his career as an ATC at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
Chief Petty Officer Joseph Stanley Dziewit Jr. (’87, ’91), 87, of Lexington Park, Maryland, died February 3, 2022. In1955, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served as an aviation electronics technician, until his honorable discharge in 1978.
Peter K. Fodelmesi (‘90) died February 2, 2022, after a courageous battle with a rare neuroendocrine cancer. His career path would take him from the west coast to the east coast, from aviation to trucking.
Joseph R. Frissora, Jr. (’91), 56, of Binghamton, New York, died February 1, 2022. He was an aerospace engineer for SAAB, leading a team on counter-battery radar systems for national defense. He previously worked for Bell Helicopter on the V-22 Osprey, a vertical takeoff plane improving safety of troop transportation. At Lockheed Martin, he worked on the Presidential Helicopter.
Col. Robert Lee Ryan, USAF (Ret.), former Embry-Riddle Assistant Professor and Director of Academics, San Antonio Campus, died January 31, 2022 in Texas. He was 81. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 26 years. As a navigator on KC-135 air refueler and RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, he flew in the Vietnam War, Europe and northern Pacific. He was a budget analyst and finished his career at Air Education Training Command.
Eldon Hodges Cook died January 23, 2022. He served in the United States Air Force in the Philippines, Hawaii, and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
Lisa A. O'Neil, 48, died on January 22, 2022. Her career path took her into the field of education and she was a teacher's aide at Corpus Christi Catholic School.
David Wayne Lavoie, 56, died January 18, 2022. He earned his associate's degree in aviation maintenance technology in 1998. He worked as an aircraft mechanic.
Richard E. “Dick” Samuels, a longtime Embry-Riddle Prescott, Arizona campus flight instructor, died January 17, 2022. Samuels, who retired in 2001, taught generations of flight students with his unconventional and direct style. He spent 22 years as a United States Air Force pilot, including assignments as a flight instructor, followed by 22 years of teaching at Embry-Riddle's Prescott Campus. The Dick Samuels Flight Instructor Scholarship was established and supported by former students and others who were inspired by Samuels' love of flying. Click here to donate to his scholarship.
Kenneth L. Pollard died January 17, 2022. He was an aircraft maintenance employee for Eastern Airlines for 38 years and spent 10 years with Dee Howard Foundation in San Antonio. He was selected for special training on the Airbus in Toulouse, France, in 1977 and was recognized as Supervisor of the Year in 1980.
Donald Strong Chatfield Jr. died January 17, 2022. He was chef at The Cheechako Restaurant and other restaurants. He operated his own business as the Car Doc until 2012, while also working at Quality Muffler until 2010. He retired in 2012.
Dylan Horn, 30, was killed in a helicopter crash on January 14, 2022 in South LaFourche Parish, Louisiana. He worked for RLC, flying from Louisiana to support of oil rigs. Horn served in the United States Army, leaving as a sergeant. He pursued his dream of becoming a helicopter pilot by using his GI Bill.
Lawrence Michael Landall died January 13, 2022. He worked as an aeronautical engineer at Pratt Whitney in West Palm Beach, Florida. He contracted at different companies for 43 years, until he retired in 2016.
Thomas R. Jindra (’08), 39, died January 11, 2022. He was a jet pilot for years and flying was his true love.
Leila Johnson Adams, died January 8, 2022. She was the widow of John C. “Jay” Adams, Jr., a longtime member of the Embry-Riddle Board of Trustees who died in 2019. She was a passionate supporter of Embry-Riddle and with her husband, led capital campaigns to fund construction of the ICI Center, the University Sports Complex, the Crotty Tennis Complex and Adams Hall. The couple attended every home basketball game and often traveled with the basketball team to away games.
Richard “Rick” Pace, 59, died January 3, 2022. He served in the United States Air Force from 1980 until 1990. He worked on fighter jet avionics at McDonnell Douglas (later Boeing). He earned a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics.
Professor Emeritus Col. John Frank Hilgenberg, 87, passed away Dec. 30, 2021 after a long illness. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He attended flight training and multi-engine training. Hilgenberg served tours in Alaska, Vietnam and Germany. His 30-year career in the Air Force culminated as a Colonel in US Central Command in 1987. Following his retirement from the Air Force in 1987, he worked as an aerospace professor at Embry-Riddle. He retired for a second time in 1996. He is survived by his wife of 63 years Patricia, and three children.
William Bryan Jones, Jr. (’95), 77, of Waynesboro, Georgia, passed away Dec. 28, 2021. He was a retired U.S. Navy veteran. He is survived by his wife, Patsy and one daughter.
Robert L. Hartley (’74), of Shawnee, Oklahoma, passed away Dec. 28, 2021. In 1965, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam. As a member of the 225th Surveillance Airplane Company, Hartley operated radar and infrared equipment on aerial surveillance missions. He completed Aviation Warrant Officer flight training and served another tour in Vietnam attached to the 190th Assault Helicopter Company. Discharged with the rank of 1st Lieutenant, he attended Embry-Riddle and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. He served in the Army Reserves in Oklahoma and Arkansas, including as Executive Officer of the 95th Division Army Reserve Command. He retired as a Major in 1992, having accumulated over 3,000 flying hours in utility and cargo airplanes and helicopters. Hartley worked as an engineer at Worthington Vertical Pump Division of Studebaker Worthington Corp. He was hired at Tinker Air Force Base in 1986 as an aerospace engineer and later served as the chief structural engineer for the Presidential fleet, Air Force One. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Judy and three children.
Richard “Dick” Stephen Halloran (’87), 64, passed away December 21, 2021, in Chatfield, Minnesota. He enlisted in U.S. Navy in 1976 and left in 1988 as an air traffic controller Petty Officer 1st Class. He continued his career at the Rochester International Airport until his retirement in 2013. Halloran is survived by his wife, Denise and four sons.
Jeffrey A. Bujnowski, 51, died December 14, 2021, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He worked as an electrician for several years with his father at Bujnowski Electric Co., and then later at Holy Cross College.
Paul D. Sayther (’00), 75, of Newark, Delaware, passed away Dec. 11, 2021. In 1969, he joined the U.S. Coast Guard, where he went through Navy Flight School to become a jet pilot. With the U.S. Coast Guard, he was a Search and Rescue pilot, achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander, and earned his Wings of Gold. He was a corporate pilot for AVX Corporation in Myrtle Beach for four years, then was a corporate pilot for MBNA for 12 years. After retiring from MBNA, he was a Gulfstream IV Flight Safety Instructor at Flight Safety International at the New Castle Airport.
Peter William Stone (’09), 35, of Seattle, Washington, passed away Dec. 8, 2021. He worked for Alaska Airlines in customer service.
Christopher T. Mallchok (’82), of Oak Harbor, Washington, passed away Dec. 6, 2021.
Kenneth Ray Page (’93), 65, of Rockledge, Florida, passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 6, 2021. He was an engineer at Kennedy Space Center for 34 years. Page is survived by his wife of 42 years, Linda, and two children.
Ronald E. Knight (’81) passed away Dec. 4, 2021. Knight served more than 35 years in the U.S. Navy, as an air traffic controlman and was assigned stateside, abroad and on the USS Coral Sea. He retired in 1987 as a senior chief petty officer and continued serving the Navy as a civil servant. He is survived by his wife Angie and his children.
Dennis L. Counts (’00), 60, of Granbury, Texas, passed away Dec. 2, 2021. He worked for Lockheed Martin since 1985 and participated in Operation Desert Shield/Desert in Bahrain as a civilian defense contractor on the F-16. Counts was an F-16 Field Service Engineer for almost 14 years internationally, including working in Korea, Bahrain and Germany. In 1998, he worked at the Lockheed Skunk Works on the X-35 Joint Strike Fighter Concept Demonstrator Aircraft (CDA) as Vehicle Management Systems Operations and Test Engineer until 2001. Later, he worked on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program in Flight Control Systems Operations. He is survived by his wife, Stacy and his three children.
Lance R. Cross ('22), 21, was posthumously awarded a B.S. in aerospace engineering, Spring 2022. While he was an aerospace engineering undergraduate student at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus, he passed away suddenly Dec. 1, 2021 at his off-campus residence. Cross planned to graduate in spring 2022 and was interested in systems engineering, materials engineering and data systems. He was involved with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Kappa Mu Epsilon. fraternity. He worked with Embry-Riddle’s Rocket Laboratory, both as a safety officer and a project manager. In 2020, he served as a systems engineer for an Embry-Riddle Research Park company. An Eagle Scout, Cross was on the Dean’s list for four semesters.
Jeffrey Michael Adams (’95), 48, of Wesley Chapel, Florida, unexpectedly passed away on Nov. 28, 2021. He spent 25 years as a senior staff engineer for Aero Simulation, Inc., in Tampa, Florida. He is survived by his wife of 17 years, Angela and two daughters.
Knut Arne Hansen (’10), 57, of Concord, Massachusetts, passed away suddenly on Nov. 27, 2021, at his home. He spent many years in the transportation industry, working as a pilot for different airlines, most recently with JetBlue, based in Boston, Massachusetts. He is survived by his wife Alma and a daughter.
Capt. Wilburn Harley Wolfe (’92), 56, of Phoenix, Arizona, passed away Nov. 26, 2021. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served 1984-1988, attaining the rank of Corporal. He was a Captain at American Airlines. He is survived by his wife, Claudia, and two daughters.
Larry Blair (’11), of St. George, Utah, passed away Nov. 15, 2021. He worked 45 years in the aeronautical industry at Rockwell, Lear Jet and as an electrical engineer in avionics for The Boeing Company, where he spent many years working on the Space Shuttle Program. He retired once the program flew its last flight in 2011. He is survived by his wife of 17 years, Relenda, and a son.
Professor Emeritus Col. Chester George Crosby, 84, passed away Nov. 13, 2021. He served 24 years in the U.S. Air Force, including assignments in Japan, Germany, Crete, and Guam. He commanded the two largest supply squadrons in the Strategic Air Command and served on the USAF Inspector General’s staff at Norton Air Force Base, California. After retiring from the Air Force, Crosby taught at Louisiana Tech University from 1987-1988. He joined the faculty at Embry-Riddle in 1988 and taught management courses in the Masters of Aeronautical Science Program. He was promoted to Professor in 1997, and elevated to Professor Emeritus when he retired in 2002. He is survived by his wife, Connie, and his two children.
Ted Frederick Cordrey (’92), of Laurel, Delaware, passed away Nov. 10, 2021, resulting from complications of COVID-19. He worked for the Wicomico County Soil Conservation District, before becoming an agricultural business owner for more than 20 years, specializing in crop consulting, soil testing and nutrient management planning. Cordrey is survived by his two children
Trustee Emeritus Philip H. Elliott Jr. (HonDoc ’04) passed away Nov. 9, 2021. An early advocate for Embry-Riddle, Elliott became the first sitting board member in 1967 to become a benefactor of the university. He and his late wife Joyce remained consistent supporters and established the endowed Philip H. Elliott Scholarship for Embry-Riddle students. The Elliotts also supported several capital projects and programs to advance the mission of the university.
Several years earlier, after meeting the university’s first president, Jack Hunt, Elliott had helped persuade city of Daytona Beach leaders to support Embry-Riddle’s relocation from Miami in 1965, an initiative dubbed “Operation Boot Strap.”
“In the 2019 State of the University Address, I had the opportunity to publicly thank Phil Elliott for his critical role in establishing Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach,” said President P. Barry Butler. “It was an honor to be the seventh president of this institution to benefit from his skill as an attorney, insight into the community and genuine concern for the success of our students. He was an extraordinary man and his advocacy was a great gift to us.”
Chairman of the Board of Trustees Mori Hosseini said Elliott will be missed as a friend and colleague. “Phil set a high standard for trustees. He never stopped learning. In addition to this strength in law and finance, he continued to expand his appreciation of advances in aviation. He was very proud to see Embry-Riddle become both a respected educator and research center.”
Elliott served as attorney for Embry-Riddle from 1965 to 1998. He joined the school’s board of trustees in 1965, served as vice chair from 1970 to 1983 and chaired the board’s executive committee from 1968 to 1983. He remained on the board until 2004. As Trustee Emeritus until his death, he missed only one board meeting.
Elliott enlisted in the U.S. Navy and completed Officer Candidate School. He earned his earned his L.L.B. (now J.D.) at the University of Virginia Law School and passed the bar in 1958. The Elliotts moved to Daytona Beach, where, as a member of the Naval Reserve, Elliott commanded a military detachment. He entered the practice of law with Parkinson and Sessions and took over the role of attorney to Embry-Riddle in 1965. He also served as the trust officer and as a board member for Florida Bank.
For more than three decades, Elliott was an influential figure in Daytona Beach, serving as city prosecutor and as a judge in the Volusia County Small Claims Court for nine years. He worked for the firm now known as Cobb-Cole and as a mediator for Upchurch, Watson White & Max. He served as president of Central Florida Legal Services and received the Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award in 2007. Elliott is survived by one daughter.
Elliott proved a trusted advisor as Embry-Riddle became an accredited university and acquired the former Prescott College. Elliott summed up his long relationship with Embry-Riddle with pride, saying, “I’m very glad that I had the opportunity to become involved in something as important as Embry-Riddle … It has been my privilege to play that part.”
Lt. Col. Raymond Keith Hicks (’86), 67, of Villa Rica, Georgia, passed away Nov. 8, 2021. He was commissioned in 1976 into the U.S. Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant. He was on active duty for 10 years, flying A-10 Thunderbolts and instructing in the T-37. He then accepted a Reserve commission in 1986 and was hired by Delta Airlines, where he flew nearly the entire Boeing fleet. He retired in 2019, after 33 years as a Captain on the 767-400ER. Hicks is survived by his wife of 40 years, Sandra, and two children
John W. Combs (’90), 61, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, passed away Nov. 6, 2021. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he was the National Manager-Air Traffic Procedures at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the first African-American to receive the Presidential Award. He is survived by four daughters.
Command CMSgt Fredrick J. Schoettler (’03), of San Antonio, Texas, passed away Nov. 4, 2021. During his 30 years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force, he had 15 different change of station locations worldwide. Schoettler had extensive knowledge and experience as a munitions supervisor, ICBM launch control facilities superintendent, munitions flight chief, wing nuclear weapons chief, and was selected as the 21st Space Wing Command Chief for the Air Force’s largest operational and geographically separated wing. He managed acquisition, sustainment, and retirement of conventional and nuclear weapon system programs. Retiring from active duty in 2004, Schoettler started his USAF Civil Service career in 2005 and retired in 2015. He is survived by his wife Julie and his daughter.
Charles P. Craig (’57), 84, of Urbana, Ohio, passed away Nov. 2, 2021. He had a career that included working as an aviation technician, pilot training, management and ownership of an FBO, and becoming an FAA inspector. He also served in the U.S Naval Air Reserves for six years as a crew chief in R-5D cargo/transport aircraft. He pursued his commercial license with rotor craft endorsement and, in the 1960's, he became one of the first helicopter pilots for WHIO radio and television, where he was a part of the air assessment team for events, such as the devastating tornado in Xenia, Ohio in 1974. Shortly afterward, he relocated to a new aviation facility in Englewood, Colorado, which eventually led him to own his own aviation maintenance company, Arapahoe Aero at Centennial Airport. He is survived by his two children.
Steven R. Lusk (’01, ’03), 65, of Whittier, North Carolina, passed away on Nov. 2, 2021 at Harris Regional Hospital. He was retired from the U.S. Air Force. He is survived by his wife, Cindy and four sons.
Kenneth Fletcher, 94, died on November 1, 2022. He earned an airframe/powerplant certification in 1957. He was an aircraft mechanic and World War II veteran who was stationed in Okinawa. He was a frequent visitor to the EAA air show in Oshkosh, where he flew a B-25, B-17, T-46 and Bell helicopter. He is missed by many nieces and nephews.
Orton J. Ogborn (’70), 76, of Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, passed away Oct. 31, 2021. His career in aviation started at Ransome Airlines, and included Allegheny Airlines, U.S. Airlines and a captain for Pan Am Airlines, He also did aerobatic flight, seaplane, biplane, private helicopter and New Jersey State Police helicopter instruction. He was a flight instructor and an examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration and an inspector for the Philadelphia Flight Standards District Office. Ogborn retired in 2012. He is survived by his wife Sandra and two children.
Capt. Peter David Roug (’80), 62, of Appleton, Wisconsin, passed away on Oct. 27, 2021, after a brief battle with illness due to long term health complications. He was a Flight Officer for Air Wisconsin and later a Captain for United Airlines. After serving for 25 years, he retired from his duties as a pilot and flight captain. He then went on to focus his entrepreneurial business endeavors, founding Shiny Car and the Finishing Touch in the early 1990s, and Float Light in 2017. He is survived by his wife Jan and two sons.
Kenneth Copeland (’00), 64, of Tanner, Alabama, passed away Oct. 22, 2021. He served in the U.S. Air Force. He was a systems engineer for Boeing and retired after 16 1/2 years. He is survived by his wife Jill and four children.
Lt. Col. John Anthony Palese, Jr. (’77), 66, of Wisconsin, passed away Oct. 17, 2021. He served in the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Air Force Reserve, Wisconsin Air National Guard (128th Aerial Refueling Wing), and in the Persian Gulf War. Palese was an American Airlines Captain, Line Check Airman, and Federal Flight Deck Officer. After retiring from American Airlines and the Wisconsin Air National Guard, he became a sworn Law Enforcement Officer in the state of Wisconsin. Palese also served as an aviation and law enforcement instructor. He also was Chief Executive Officer of the Terra Vigilis Security Group. He is survived by his wife Angelina and four children.
Robert Edward Davies (’79), 66, passed away Oct. 14, 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas. Enlisting in the U.S. Air Force, he became a fighter pilot flying the F-15 Eagle, with the call sign "Snot," and saw tours in Japan and Holland. After his active duty, Davies joined the Maryland Air National Guard flying the A-10 Warthog and began his career at American Airlines. He flew internationally as a copilot, then domestically as a Captain, completing his retirement flight on August 30, 2020. He is survived by his wife, Lori, and six children.
Maj. Leon D. Zera (’87), 63, passed away Oct. 14, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. Serving in the U.S. Air Force, he became commissioned in 1988 and his first officer assignment was at Edwards Air Force Base in California. He retired from the military at Lackland Air Force Base San Antonio in 2004. He served 24 years in the Air Force and was a Desert Storm veteran. After his military service, he worked as a civil servant for 11 years in personnel at Randolph Air Force Base, where he managed both the Air Force Personnel Center’s Squadron Commander Course and its Webcast Program. He is survived by his wife of 41 years Wendy, and two daughters.
Trustee Emeritus Harry S. Robertson Jr. (HonDoc ’72), 87, an aviation innovator and longtime supporter of the university, passed away October 9, 2021. An engineer and inventor, Robertson was created the “Robbie Tank,” a self-sealing fuel tank that is credited with saving the lives of thousands of pilots by minimizing the risk of aircraft fires. His contribution to pilot safety led to his 2011 enshrinement in the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
On Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus, his donation launched the Robertson Safety Institute and innovative Robertson Aircraft Crash Investigation Laboratory. Over the past three decades, he made gifts to support scholarships, athletics, the College of Engineering and College of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach, the College of Aviation in Prescott and Embry-Riddle Worldwide. His generosity helped the university to build the STEM Education Center in Prescott, the Henderson Welcome Center and expand the library, archives, and ROTC facilities. A student effort to refine electric car design was close to his heart. Robertson is the father of trustee David L. Robertson. He is survived by his wife Linda and her sons and his daughter.
Robert Joseph Vertacnik (’91), 63, of Suisun City, Calif., passed away Oct. 5, 2021, at David Grant Medical Center Travis Air Force Base, following a brief illness. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he retired as a senior master sergeant after 20 years of service. He worked as an aviation maintenance technician for United Airlines until his death. He is survived by his wife, Sunyo.
Arthur D. Betts IV (’97), 50, of Lutz, Florida, passed away unexpectedly Oct. 3, 2021. He worked as a sales rep for a commercial paving company. He is survived by his daughter Meghan.
James A. King (’60), of Elyria, Ohio, passed away Oct. 3, 2021.
Stephen John Betlinski (’78), 64, passed away Oct. 2, 2021, at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut. He worked as an agent in the air freight industry, retiring in 2009. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Nancy, and two children.
Mary Kay Bittle (’11), of Azle, Texas passed away Oct. 2, 2021. She worked at Embry-Riddle for 18 years, including as campus director of the Worldwide Campus in Fort Worth, Texas. She is survived by her husband, Chris, and two sons.
Jessica Brandal, 27, died in a fatal mid-air helicopter crash on October 1, 2021. The accident happened over Chandler, a suburb of Phoenix. Brandal was a flight instructor at Dodge City Community College. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics in 2021.
Joseph Gerald Hansen (’79), 72, passed away from complications from COVID on Sept. 29, 2021, at Northeast Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Hansen was a U.S. Army airplane and helicopter pilot and, as a Vietnam Vet, he spent time in Thailand and Germany. He retired from the military, after 30 years of service with his final rank CW4 (Chief Warrant Officer). He was later the self- employed owner of Perma Ceram, a bathtub and countertop resurfacing company, which later grew into Total Tub Solutions, a bathroom remodeling company. He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Beth and their daughter Shona.
Edward R. Beauvais (HonDoc ’88), 84, of Scottsdale, Arizona, who was the founder of America West Airlines, passed away Sept. 28, 2021. He joined Frontier Airlines in 1960, beginning a 40-plus-year career in the industry. He later became an executive with Bonanza Airlines. Bonanza merged with Pacific Air Lines and West Coast Airlines to form Air West Airlines. Beauvais left Air West when it was purchased by Howard Hughes in 1970, and formed an aviation consulting firm, Beauvais Roberts & Associates, as the general partner. He incorporated America West Airlines in 1981. He launched his second carrier, Western Pacific Airlines, in 1995. His third airline, Mountain Air Express, was formed in 1996. Beauvais was inducted into The Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame in 2017. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Mary Ellen, and five children.
Keith Andrew Morehouse (’88), 55, of Yulee, Florida, passed away Sept. 17, 2021. In 1991, he served as police officer/firefighter /EMT for Daytona Beach Shores, Fla. for five years. Upon moving to North Carolina in 1996, he worked for the Transylvania County Sheriff's Office in Brevard for more than 20 years, during which time he worked in the jail, Pisgah National Forest, Patrol Deputy, School Resource Officer and retired, Patrol Sergeant. He is survived by his wife, Elisa, and two children.
David R. Brown ('04), 55, of Plain City, Utah, passed away on Sept. 17, 2021. He was an organ donor, helping two people to survive. He liked classic mustangs, hockey, car shows, coffee time, spending time with friends and family, teasing people and going to his favorite place in Idaho.
Larue Dwain Wisener (’84), 72, of Huntsville, Alabama passed away Sept. 16, 2021. He was a retired CW04 Chief Warrant Officer with the U.S. Army, after 25 years of service to his country. He was also a civilian pilot for the Department of Defense for 12 years, and continued to work for the Department of Defense for a total of 41 years. He is survived by his wife, Prachum, and a son.
Christopher “Chris” Warren Coreth (‘07), of Richmond, Virginia, passed away Sept. 15, 2021. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 2000 and served six years. He held positions from logistics, to health care and fitness, to the financial service industries.
John Paul Zylis 59, of Lake Worth, Florida, died September 12, 2021. He was an avionics technician and owned Altitude Certification, Inc., specializing in mobile inspections for aircrafts. He met his wife, Kathleen Behl, while a student at Embry-Riddle. He is survived by wife Kathy, son Matthew (Alexis) Zylis, daughter Cassidy Zylis, brother Robert (Jennifer) Zylis, sisters Marianne (Lew) Whittiemore and Paula (Chris) Shupp.
Don A. Veazey (’57), of Blairsville, Georgia, passed away Sept. 10, 2021. He served in the US Air Force, then worked as a flight engineer with Northeast Airlines. He flew with other carriers, including Overseas National and Mackey, before moving to National Airlines. He moved his way up to Captain on the DC10 in the 1970s. National Airlines was acquired by Pan-American Airlines in 1980 and in 1991, Veazey retired as a captain on the 747. He is survived by his wife Carolyn and three sons.
Richard F. Caldwell (’66), 91, of Greenfield, Massachusetts, passed away Sept. 4, 2021. He joined the U.S. Navy and served for four years during the Korean Conflict. He worked at Hamilton Standard, testing back packs for astronauts, then later returned to his original career as an arborist. He is survived by his two daughters.
Adam H. Pritchett (’98), 47, of Bethesda, Maryland, died unexpectedly Sept. 2, 2021. Pritchett enjoyed a 20-year career within the Delta Air Lines organization as captain and training leader. He retired from the airline in 2017 to join the family business, Pritchett Controls. He is survived by his wife, Joel Helene and three children.
James D. Raisbeck, 84, a Seattle-area aerospace innovator and philanthropist, passed away Aug. 31, 2021. He was the founder and chairman of Raisbeck Engineering, a Seattle aerospace company. Raisbeck and his wife made a $1 million gift from the Raisbeck Foundation to establish the Raisbeck Engineering Design/Build/Test Endowed Chair at Embry-Riddle. Housed in the Prescott Campus’ College of Engineering, the Raisbeck Chair is the first of its kind at the college.Additionally, the Raisbeck Foundation contributed $75,000 toward the building of the new STEM Education Center at the Prescott Campus with the Engineering Design Studio at the center named in Raisbeck’s honor. He also facilitated the donation of a Raisbeck-designed swept blade turbofan propeller from Hartzell Propeller Inc., which hangs on display in the STEM Education Center.
The Raisbeck Foundation has given significant grants to support education, the arts, and medical research. James and his wife, Sherry, helped establish the Raisbeck Aviation High School, an STEM and aviation-focused high school in the Seattle area.Prior to Raisbeck Engineering, Raisbeck was a research aerodynamicist for The Boeing Airplane Company and later became president and chief engineer of Robertson Aircraft. He founded Raisbeck Engineering in 1973, along with its subsidiary Raisbeck Commercial Air Group. The AIAA/Museum of Flight recognized Raisbeck as a Pathfinder in 2007. He received the Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award by the Living Legends of Aviation Foundation, of which he was a member, in 2008. Raisbeck also received election to Fellow in the AIAA (American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics) in 2012.ade a $1 million gift from the Raisbeck Foundation to establish the Raisbeck Engineering Design/Build/Test Endowed Chair at Embry-Riddle.
Donald R. Taylor Jr. (’05, ’07), 44, passed away Aug. 28, 2021 at The Cleveland Clinic. He was the owner and managing member of Jets FBO of Youngstown, Ohio, operating out of both the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. He is survived by his partner, Stephanie.
Mary ‘Checks’ Niemczyk, 61, died August 27, 2021. She was an associate professor of aviation at Arizona State University in Chandler, Arizona. She previously worked as a financial analyst at a major U.S. airline and co-founded an aviation human performance company. At ASU, Niemczyk’s research focuses on improving instructional and learning strategies for enhancing individuals’ performance in aviation. She served on the Aviation Accreditation Board International, Women in Aviation International and the Ninety-Nines, Inc. Niemczyk was a former president of the University Aviation Association and was a member of the National Speakers Association.
John Q. Garza (’13), 32, of Tucson, Arizona, passed away Aug. 22, 2021. He was a middle school teacher and coach. He is survived by wife, Cassie.
Roland Hagley (’86), 58, of Miami Beach, Florida, passed away at his residence on August 19, 2021. Born in Point Fortin, Trinidad, Hagley had a long career as an international flight attendant with American Airlines.
Joshua D. Parker (’06), 44, passed away in his sleep after a sudden illness on August 19, 2021. His 24 years in the U.S. Air Force, and more recently, with the Defense Contract Management Authority, took him all over the world. He had two assignments to Iraq and two additional ones to Afghanistan, in addition to smaller assignments that took him to Italy, Africa (Monrovia, Liberia) and others in the Pacific theater. Two years ago, Josh started a job at the Chevron Oil Refinery in El Segundo, near Los Angeles International Airport. Parker is survived by his daughter.
Janet Kaiser (’00, ’01) passed away on Aug. 19, 2021. Kaiser was an adjunct assistant professor of Comparative Literature, Languages, and Linguistics at Hofstra University in New York. Professor Emeritus Alan R. Bender, Ph.D. who taught at Embry-Riddle Worldwide’s College of Arts & Sciences, called Kaiser one of his best former Embry-Riddle graduate students. “She was an ESL teacher and a former private pilot, and a graduate with both her Master of Business Administration and her Master of Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle,” he said.
Capt. Brett Curtis Clark (’90) passed away Aug. 10, 2021 unexpectedly at his home in Aventura, Florida. Clark was a flight instructor, then became a pilot at Mesa Airlines. He remained with them more than 25 years to the present, flying United Airlines routes.
Donald Edward Woodson (’89), 78, of Amherst, Virginia, passed away August 8, 2021. During his 21-year U.S. Air Force career, he served in France, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and all over the U.S., including time with the Thunderbirds Aerial Demonstration Squadron. After retiring, he joined the Department of the Navy, stationed in Norfolk, Virginia and Jacksonville, Florida. He is survived by his wife of 55 years Christine and two sons.
Col. Patrick “Rage” Ragan (‘10), 44, of Warner Robins, Georgia, passed away Aug. 6, 2021, after a 24-month battle with glioblastoma brain cancer. He is survived by his wife of 15 years, Rachael, and two daughters. Ragan served as an F-16 Fighter Pilot in the U.S. Air Force and he also worked as a pilot for Delta Air Lines.
Jaeho Lee (’18), 28, an instructor pilot at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus, passed away Aug. 5, 2021, after being involved in a car accident. Lee first enrolled as a student in fall 2013. After returning to Korea to fulfill a military commitment, Jaeho served Embry-Riddle’s students as a Certified Flight Instructor for the last 18 months.“ Jaeho was the most cheerful and dedicated among our instructors,” Prescott Campus Flight Department Chair Parker Northrup said. “He was also a role model of perseverance. He will be sorely missed.” An Aug. 11 memorial service was held for Lee at the Prescott Campus.
Charles "Chuck" William Miller Jr. (’86), 72, of Millville, New Jersey, passed away Aug. 5, 2021, at his home. He retired after 25 years of service with Keystone Turbine Services, as a turbine engine repair inspector. He was an eight-year U.S. Army veteran with service overseas in Vietnam and Germany. Miller is survived by his wife of 49 years, Margaret, and two daughters.
Anthony Munden (’14) passed away August 3, 2021 in Leavenworth, Washington. He joined the U.S. Air Force, achieving the rank of Captain upon his retirement. After retiring, he began following his passion to be a mountain guide. He summited Denali in 2018, was a ski instructor and loved teaching people in the outdoors. Munden is survived by his wife Amanda.
Robert Paulus, Jr. (’81), 63, of Titusville, New Jersey, passed away Aug. 3, 2021. He retired in 2018 from Executive Jet Management, where he was a pilot. He began his career as a pilot initially flying freight, then commercial passenger with TWA and American Airlines and ultimately as a corporate pilot with Executive Jet Management and traveling the world.
David Lee Delahoy ('87) ('88), 73, of Lexington, South Carolina, passed away on July 29, 2021. David retired from the U.S. Army with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer (CW4). While on active duty, he earned the Military Order of the Purple Heart with many other medals for service. David was also a member of the VFW.
Douglas Bryant (’98), 50, passed away July 18, 2021, at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He worked at MCI Telecommunications in Nashville and Raleigh. He then ventured into a commercial real estate auction site called RealOffers in the late 1990s. Bryant returned to Moore County to work as a kitchen and bath designer, in partnership with his father, at Design Studio for Cabinetry. In 2010, he took over the business.
Robert Lester Sampe (’92, ’98), 72, of Poquoson, Virginia, died on July 11, 2021 at Sentara Careplex after a long battle with lung cancer. He retired from the U.S. Air Force after 26 years of service and continued to serve as a contractor and civil service employee, until retiring in 2015. He is survived by his wife, Barbara and two children.
John Jensen “Jack” Hill, Jr. (’56) passed away July 6, 2021 in Washington, North Carolina. He joined the U.S. Navy and served during the Korean War. He completed his commercial pilot’s license while in dry-dock. At Capital Airlines, Hill flew as first officer and, after Capital Airlines merged with United Airlines, he flew as captain for a total of 36 years with the airlines. During that time, he served the Airline Pilots Association as their authorized accident representative and received United’s “Captain of the Year” award for the JFK Flight Office in 1990. Hill flew sail planes for fun and in 1980 achieved the Diamond Badge, which requires a 16,404-foot altitude gain and a 310.7-mile cross country flight—achieved by finding and flying air thermals. In 2011, he received the FAA Wright Brothers “Master Pilot” award for practicing safe aircraft flight operations for 50 consecutive years. Hill was an original member of the Washington Warren Airport Advisory Board and the airport conference room is dedicated as “The Jack Hill Conference Room” to honor him. He is survived by his wife of 19 years, Glinda, and a son.
Mary Johnson, longtime former dean of students at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott, Arizona Campus, passed away July 5, 2021. An icon on the Prescott campus, she served as Dean of Students for the campus until the mid-1990s. Johnson is remembered by students attending the Prescott campus in the 1980s and 1990s for her office’s walls, covered by the numerous photos, notes and messages sent to her by alumni highlighting career updates, commissioning ceremonies, marriages, birth announcements and general greetings just to say hello and keep in touch. Her office was also covered in one long ivy plant that framed the entire room in green leaves.
Marlon Leslie Payne (’96), of Washington, D.C., passed away July 4, 2021. In 2010, he and Ian G. Campbell co-founded Manchester Group & Associates, LLC, a strategic government relations and business development firm. He managed a portfolio of commodities transactions ranging from petroleum, diamonds, and gold, to sugar, rice, and soybeans. Payne joined the District of Columbia Child and Family Services Agency Health Services Administration family in 2016. He worked within the Healthy Horizons Assessment Center as a medical records technician. After two years, he became a program specialist within the Office of Well-Being, Health Services Administration. During his tenure, he was recognized as a Four Pillar Hero, an award bestowed upon an individual who goes above and beyond their normal work functions to provide services to children and youth in foster care. He is survived by his daughter.
Richard Lee Spaulding (’95), 82, of Dover, Florida, passed away July 1, 2021, after battling pancreatic cancer. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1957 and his career spanned 30 years. Spaulding worked in aviation as a parachute rigger initially and with life support equipment in many supervisory positions. He attended numerous Naval schools, including the Army’s Sergeants Major Academy. Spaulding was a member of the Navy Parachute Team, The Chuting Stars. He served on the USS Independence and was attached to the Squadrons VX-6, VX/VXE-6 on Antarctica and VXE-6. In 1986, Spaulding retired as Command Master Chief and he then worked as the quality control/safety manager/helicopter maintenance supervisor and logistics manager for aircraft support equipment at the Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division at Lakehurst, New Jersey. He is survived by two children.
Walter Brunner Jr. (’69), 79, of Warner, New Hampshire, passed away June 30, 2021. Brunner served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and later took a job delivering mail across New York state and surrounding areas. He was an entrepreneur, owning two successful window covering businesses over the course of more than 30 years. Brunner is survived by his three children.
Ret. SMSgt E8 Oren Manfred Carrol, Jr. (‘13), 65, passed away June 23, 2021, in Pemberton, New Jersey. Joining the U.S. Air Force in 1975, Carrol served more than 28 years and he was a helicopter crew chief and crossed-trained to become a flight engineer for the C-141. Oren served with 6th AS Bully Beef, the 18th ALS Blue Diamonds among others. He served in campaigns in Iraq, Somalia, Bosnia, Haiti, the Gulf War, Kosovo War, War Against Terrorism, War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War. He was currently working at McGuire AFB as a C-17 Aircrew Training Systems Contracting Officer Representative (C-17 ATS/COR). He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Marvel, and four children.
John Darryl Mitchell Sr. (’74), 68, of Laurens, South Carolina, passed away June 19, 2021, at his home. He was owner and founder of All-Dry of the Carolinas, Inc., a company specializing in basement waterproofing, crawl space repair, and foundation repair. He was vice chairman of the Laurens County Airport Commission for many years. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Lesley, and three children.
William "Bill" J. Taylor III (’64), 78, of Pisgah Forest, North Carolina, passed away at his home June 19, 2021. He worked for 28 years with Pratt & Whitney Aircraft/United Technologies.
Jeffrey B. Sexton (’06) passed away June 19, 2021 at his family's home in Spokane, Washington.
Andrew Allen "Andy" Richardson ('12), 33, of Chandler, Arizona, passed away on June 19, 2021. Andy grew up in Petaluma, California, where he was active in Boy Scouts, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout and the Order of the Arrow. He graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Arizona, in 2012, with a B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering. He began work immediately after college in Chandler, Arizona, at Orbital Sciences, now Northrop Grumman, where he was a principal engineer. He worked on the Parker Solar Probe, the Antares rocket which is used to resupply the International Space Station, and on Pegasus which had a successful launch for U.S. Space Force recently. Andy was a licensed pilot and scuba diver. He used to say, "I'm certified on the land, sea and air!" During his short life he traveled to all seven continents, including Antarctica, as well as the Panama Canal. He hiked to Everest Base Camp in Nepal and summited Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
Thomas Vaughn Olanyk (’63), of South Deerfield, Massachusetts, passed away June 18, 2021. He graduated from Embry Riddle, as an aviation mechanic. However, in the mid- 1960s, he began working as a carpenter, which led to a 40+ year career as a master carpenter. Olanyk worked for Powers Construction in South Deerfield, and then moved to Renaissance Builders where he worked as a lead carpenter. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Jean, and two children.
Professor Emeritus Thomas Joseph Connolly, 80, of Jacksonville, Florida, passed away June 15, 2021, after battling ALS. For 39 years, he served Embry-Riddle in a variety of highly impactful roles as an icon of leadership and a champion for excellence in education. Connolly joined Embry-Riddle as an assistant professor in 1973, earned tenure in 1978, and subsequently held a multitude of leadership positions, including chair of the departments of Aviation Education Design, as well as Aeronautical Science, and dean of both Aviation Technology and the School of Aviation. In 2001, he was appointed as the university’s first endowed chair in Aviation, and in 2005, he was named chancellor of the Daytona Beach Campus. He retired in 2012 from the university.
“I was privileged to know Dr. Connolly through his leadership in AABI and UAA,” said Alan Stolzer, dean of the College of Aviation on Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus. “That leadership was vital to helping transform aviation accreditation from standards- to criteria-based accreditation. He was widely admired and respected across the aviation industry. He had a deep and abiding passion for aviation education and Embry-Riddle.”
Connolly began his flying career as a U.S. Navy aviator, and was stationed at NAS Jax in 1965, serving as a Naval Flight Officer with the Navy Weather Squadron (Hurricane Hunters). He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Barbara, and two daughters. A scholarship is being established in Connolly’s memory. Click here to make a gift supporting the scholarship.
Emeriti Professor Richard Caldwell Bagby, Jr., of Biloxi, Mississippi, passed away June 12, 2021. He taught meteorology at Embry-Riddle at the Daytona Beach, Florida, and Worldwide campuses for several years. Bagby earned a degree in meteorology and worked as a meteorological technician at the Amundsen-Scott Station, South Pole, Antarctica, where he spent a year launching weather balloons and providing surface weather observations for aviation. After graduating, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, served around the globe and eventually held an executive officer position at Air Weather Services’ Global Weather Central at Offutt Air Force Base, Omaha, Nebraska. After 21 years of service, Bagby retired, moved to St. Augustine and began teaching at Embry-Riddle in 1996. He is survived by his wife, Gail, and two children.
Charles E. Rice (’72) of Lenoir City, Tennessee, passed away June 10, 2021 at Ben Atchley Tennessee State Veterans Home. He was a U.S. Army veteran, served in the Vietnam War and was a recipient of the Purple Heart and Air Medal. He was a helicopter pilot with the rank of CW3. In 1968 on his second tour, he was shot down resulting in devastating injuries that he dealt with for the remainder of his life. He continued to fly for many years until his health eventually prohibited it. He then had a career as a civil service employee in various government agencies that spanned 20 years until his retirement. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, and three children.
Michael A. Baron (’70), 74, of Bedford, Texas, passed away on June 8, 2021. He is survived by his wife Charlene and four sons.
Lt. Col. Dennis Arthur “Mac” McAdoo (’80), 73, of Lawton, Oklahoma, passed away on June 6, 2021. He joined the U.S Army in 1966 and graduated from Warrant Officer Rotary Wing Aviation Course in 1968. An Army Aviator, he was assigned to South Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and received a direct commission to First Lieutenant in 1970. He then volunteered to return to South Vietnam as a Chinook pilot. McAdoo commanded an artillery battery, a helicopter company, was an aide to the General Officer and served in various staff assignments throughout his career. He earned the wings of a Master Army Aviator and was Air Assault qualified. After serving over 22 years in the army, he retired and moved to Oklahoma where he raised cattle and was a small business owner. He is survived by his wife, Sharel Sue and his daughter.
George J. Ringger (’08), 65, of Pembrooke Pines, Florida, passed away June 5, 2021, from complications stemming from cancer. Ringger worked as an engineer, a Federal Aviation Administration-certified quality assurance officer, and a university professor. He held executive positions for defense and aviation manufacturers, FAA repair stations, and aftermarket distributors. A leader in aviation compliance, Ringger established and led the Airline Suppliers Association’s certificate body, and was an instructor and university professor. He is survived by his wife Elaine and two sons.
Former Trustee Webster B. “Dan” Todd, Jr. (HonDoc ’76), 82, passed away on June 3, 2021 at his home in Bernardsville, New Jersey. Todd was the founder and owner of Princeton Aviation Corporation in Princeton, New Jersey. He served in the New Jersey State Assembly in 1968. In 1973, he was appointed deputy special assistant to the President in the White House Personnel Office. In 1974, Todd became inspector general of foreign assistance and assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State. In 1976, he served as chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington, DC. He was director of engineering and air safety for the Airline Pilots Association International AFL-CIO in Washington, DC. Todd was president, COO, and director of Frontier Airlines in Denver, Colorado. After working for Frontier, he founded Fishook Land and Cattle Company, a ranch real estate investment company, in Livingston, Montana. He was also a certified mountain search and rescue pilot and certified firefighter. Todd was also a professor at The Ohio State University in Ohio and Monmouth University in New Jersey. In 2015, Todd was awarded the Federal Aviation Administration’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for 50 years of dedicated service in aviation safety. In 2019, he was inducted into the New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame. Todd is survived by his wife, Barbara and his six children.
John Packard Davis (’80), 71, of Niceville, Florida, passed away June 3, 2021. In 1968, he enlisted in the U.S. Army's "high school to flight school" program and completed helicopter training to fly Cobra gunships, achieving the rank of Warrant Officer. He served two tours flying in Vietnam, earning numerous medals and commendations, including the Silver Star and two bronze stars, for bravery. During Davis' 26 military career, he flew both Cobra and Apache helicopters. During his army service, he piloted a Cobra in the film “Courage Under Fire,” starring Meg Ryan and Denzel Washington. He retired from the Army in 1996, achieving the rank of CW5 Master Warrant Officer. After retiring, he accepted commercial aviation positions with Acadian Ambulance in Louisiana, PHI Aviation and Era Aviation, Inc. in the Gulf of Mexico. Davis was promoted to director of flight operation before retiring to Niceville, Florida, in 2017. He is survived by his wife Kathy.
Professor Richard Warren Bloom, 71, of Prescott, Arizona, who was a longtime faculty member and administrator at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus, passed away on June 1, 2021. Bloom served in several roles on campus in his 25 years with Embry-Riddle, from associate professor of Humanities and Social Sciences, to the department chair for Humanities and Social Sciences, to dean of the College of Arts and Science, to chief academic officer, and to most recently, professor of Social Sciences.
“We know how much Dr. Bloom enjoyed working with his students, and how much they enjoyed having him as an instructor,” said Anette M. Karlsson, chancellor of the Embry-Riddle Prescott Campus. “He will be missed by all of us.”
Bloom also worked for the U.S. government as an intelligence operations manager; intelligence analyst; planner for psychological operations, special plans, and politico-military affairs; and military clinical psychologist. Bloom created the Dr. Hyman L. Bloom Memorial Phi Kappa Phi Endowed Scholarship for Women at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus, in honor of his late father. The scholarship aims to benefit female students who are the first in their families to attend college and members of the prestigious Phi Kappa Phi honor society.
Dennis Drehouse (’69), 73, of Jefferson, Georgia, passed away June 1, 2021. Drehouse was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, serving during the Vietnam War. He was a retired estimator for Superior Heating and Cooling. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Phyllis, and a daughter.
Professor Emeritus Lynnette Raye Porter, from Lake Mary, Florida, passed away May 26, 2021. She was a tenured professor at the University of Findlay in Ohio and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, where she attained the rank of Professor Emeritus. In addition, she worked as a technical writer, trainer, and editor and was a fellow in the Society for Technical Communication. During her long career, she wrote or co-authored 21 books, most about popular culture; was a columnist and contributing editor to online magazine PopMatters; and served as editor of the Popular Culture Association in the South's journal, Studies in Popular Culture.
Harold Curtis (’44), 90, passed away May 23, 2021 in Texas.
David Matthew Orre ('11), 35, of Rutland, Massachusetts, passed away on May 23, 2021. He earned his commercial pilot’s license and graduated with a B.S. degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle University in Daytona Beach, Florida. Dave loved cooking, playing golf, basketball, and soccer, gardening, working out, flying planes, being a salesman, watching football, and spending time with family and friends and his dog, Bruschi. He was a sensitive and passionate person, and he had the biggest heart.
James Harper (’85), 60, passed away May 21, 2021, when his plane crashed in a field in Horry County, South Carolina, shortly after takeoff, according to news reports. Harper had been flying a twin-engine Piper PA-31 from Myrtle Beach International Airport to Grand Strand Airport in North Myrtle Beach. He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Sally, and two children.
Thomas W. Stillman (’57), 89, passed away May 13, 2021, at the Daughters of Sarah Nursing Center in Albany, New York. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1949 through 1956. Stillman was an aircraft engine and mechanical drafting specialist, stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. He joined the G.E. Flight Test Operation, Aerospace & Defense Services at Schenectady County Airport from 1951 - 1964. Stillman traveled the world with the C-121 Super Constellation and the C131-B Convair under the Atlas Missile Guidance System Development Program. He was stationed at Ascension Island with the DC-6 Nike Zeus Re-Entry program and participated in multiple Gas Turbine Jet Test Programs. When the Flight Test Center closed, Stillman went into business for himself in 1965 and was the owner and operator of the car wash for almost 55 years. Stillman is survived by his daughter.
Richard “Dick” Kley Jackson (’80), 61, of Hudson, Wisconsin, passed away unexpectedly May 10, 2020. He was an aircraft maintenance technician at American Airlines for 27 years. He is survived by his wife Kristine and two children.
George Henry Chadman (’88), 80, of Palm Bay, Florida, passed away May 6, 2021, following a sudden illness. He owned the American Barter Exchange in Palm Bay. After that endeavor, he joined McDonnell Douglas in Titusville where he worked as an industrial engineering manager for the Tomahawk cruise missile program for 13 years. When the Titusville plant closed, Chadman was transferred to the corporate headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, where he served as a financial analyst until he took early retirement at age 56. Chadman returned and joined Northrop Grumman until he retired at age 62.He is survived by his three sons.
Thomas Harvey Wood III (‘80), 70, passed away on May 2, 2021 at his home in Granbury, Texas. A distinguished graduate from Air Force Pilot Training in 1973 at Craig Air Force Base in Selma, Alabama, he flew F4 fighters, eventually attaining the rank of Major. Later he would retire from Delta Airlines after 24 years of service, then he worked for Lockheed Martin. He is survived by his wife Shelley and three children.
Charles “Chuck” C. Concannon (’83), 61, of West Chester, Pennsylvania, passed away suddenly on May 1, 2021. He worked at BWI Airport, Bradley International Airport, and Boeing for 32 years. Most recently, he was chief engineer on Boeing’s International Canadian Chinook Program.
He also served on the board of the Georgia Tech University Research Corporation and the Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation for 10 years, ending his term as the president of the board. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Susan, and two children.
Embry-Riddle student Brandon White, 20, a junior and Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity (FIJI) brother on the Daytona Beach, Florida Campus, unexpectedly passed away May 1, 2021. Brandon, 20, was majoring in Spaceflight Operations, with a goal to graduate in 2023. He arrived at Embry-Riddle with dreams of serving in the U.S. Air Force and held the position of FIJI Brotherhood Chair.
Alvin B. Burel (’53) passed away Apr. 27, 2021.
Frank Sausen (’56), 88, of Black Creek, Wisconsin, passed away April 21, 2021. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War from 1952-1954. Sausen started his flying career in 1959, with North Central Airlines, then later for Republic Airlines, and he ended his commercial airline career with Northwest Airlines in 1992. He is survived by two daughters.
Robert “Bob” Kenneth Butler Jr. (’06), 72, of Aurora, Colorado, passed away April 20, 2021. Butler served in the U.S. Air Force, eventually retiring as a Lt. Col. after 24 years of service. He served as a navigator and electronic warfare officer in the B-52s and B-1 bombers. He is survived by his wife Karla and four children.
James R. Woodward (’96), 47, of Boca Raton, Florida passed away on April 15, 2021. He was an aerospace engineering graduate and former U.S. Army officer. He gave the student commencement speech for the Embry-Riddle Prescott Campus Spring 1996 graduating class.
Woodward trained in the Army ROTC program and loved being a member of the Gamma Iota Chapter of his fraternity, Theta Xi. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a 2LT and served with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. Injured on active duty, he received an honorable discharge as a 1LT. He is survived by his wife Olenka and two children.
Royce “Dale” Bates (’96), 77, who was a highway patrolman, passed away April 15, 2021.
Capt. Philippe Sibille (’63), 85, of Port Charlotte, Florida, passed away Apr. 13, 2021.
Maj. Stanley Q. Coss (’74, ’90), of Franklin, North Carolina, passed away Apr. 9, 2021. He entered the U.S. Army in 1958, retiring in 1980 as an Infantry Major, a Senior Parachutist, and a Senior Army Aviator. Coss served two combat tours in Vietnam. After retiring from the Army, he became a partner with his siblings, as co-owners of Realty World - Mountain Homes. In 1987, he became a civilian flight instructor for the U.S. Army. He also flew for Petroleum Helicopters, Inc., from Louisiana to platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. In 1991, he was hired as a pilot and manager in the air ambulance industry, retiring again in 2010. In 2016, Coss operated Battle Group Quartermaster, a retail sales business. He is survived by his former wife, Sallee and three sons.
Edward Wayne Ferguson (’85) passed away Apr. 2, 2021, after suffering from COVID-19, for 216 days. He worked for Delta Air Lines.
Booker T. Brown (’77), 73, of Albany, New York, passed away Apr. 1, 2021. Brown was a personnel administrator at the New York. Department of Motor Vehicle, where he worked for 29 years. He previously worked for Gulf Oil, and other oil companies in various capacities in Equatorial Guinea and England as a company manager, personnel administrator, and transportation supervisor in the 1970s. He also studied and worked in Germany as a business consultant and public relations liaison in the 1980s. He is survived by his wife, Victoria.
John David Findlay (’93), 64, passed away March 31, 2021 at Effingham County Hospital in Georgia. He worked for Gulfstream Aerospace for 19 years, where he was a material review board (MRB) engineer, working last in special missions. He had also served as a department group head on the G650 program. He worked for McDonnell-Douglas in St. Louis, Missouri and Long Beach, California, Northrop-Grumman, Rockwell International, and the Lockheed Martin Corporation. He is survived by his wife, Robin, and two sons.
Benjamin C. Ingraham ('12), 31, of Cumberland, Maine, passed away Tuesday, March 30, 2021, of metastasized renal cell carcinoma. He flew for Hyannis Air Service (Cape Air) and became a first officer at JetBlue Airways in 2018. Since 2003, Ben served as a “call-company” Cumberland firefighter and was part of the Cumberland Fire Department’s Heavy Rescue crew. Aviation was Ben’s primary avocation and profession. He held FAA ratings of Student, Private, CFI/Instrument, Remote Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Airplane Single Engine Sea, and Airline Transport Pilot-Multi Engine Land. Ben was a voluntary armed law enforcement officer deputized by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Flight Deck Officer program.In 2012, Ben obtained his Aeronautical Science bachelor’s degree from Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach, Fla. He was a four-year member of the flight team and was their chief student pilot. He was co-captain of this team with his good friend Michael Kelly of Illinois. In 2011, he earned the NIFA National Top Pilot award for ERAU-Daytona. In 2013 he was the “coach” for ERAU’s National Flight Competition Team at SAFECON.
Jackie Lee Bibbs (‘97) of Fort Worth, Texas, passed away March 23, 2021. After high school, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was deployed to Vietnam, where he served at Khe San during the Tet Offensive of 1968. Wounded later at Pecas, he was awarded the Purple Heart. After his discharge from the Marines, Bibbs joined the U.S. Army, which began his career in aviation. He had a second tour in Vietnam as a helicopter crew chief. Following his active military service and while serving in the National Guard, Bibbs utilized his aviation experience to work at General Dynamics (later Lockheed Martin). He quickly became an expert with the F-16, and worked his way up through the ranks, retiring from Lockheed Martin as a quality control supervisor. Bibbs is survived by his wife of 40 years, Barbara, and two daughters.
Allen Doyce LeBlanc (’54), 89, of Abbeville, Louisiana, passed away on March 22, 2021. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean Conflict, stationed in Hawaii. Flying as a commercial pilot, he accumulated more than 1,400 flight hours. LeBlanc then worked as an aviation mechanic for PHI, Air Logistics, and England Air, traveling to more than 27 countries. Allen is survived by his wife of 45 years, Cristina, and children.
Lt. Col. John Delbert McCurdy (’73), 85, of Clarksville, Tennessee, passed away March 14, 2021. He retired from the U.S Army, after 27 years of service and two tours in Vietnam. McCurdy was the founder and CEO of North Central Institute, which taught aviation maintenance. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Arlene and two children.
Robert Charles Gasko (’73), 90, passed away March 10, 2021. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and served in the Korean War. Gasko began his career dusting cotton in Louisiana and then moved to Miami, Florida in 1954 to pursue his aviation career with Pan American Airways. He went on to fly with Northeast Airlines/Delta Air Lines and retired in 1990 after a 33-year career. Gasko is survived by his wife, Kerstin, and six children.
WO1 Luther H. "Vandy" Vandagriff (’76), 82, of Midland City, Alabama, passed away March 9, 2021, after fighting cancer for several years.
Chris Yiannas (’85), of Jupiter, Florida, passed away on March 4, 2021.
Linda A. Zinn ('93), 49, of Rutherford, N.J., passed away on March 1, 2021. She earned her private pilot's license and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.S. in Aviation Business Administration at Embry-Riddle. She also received a MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University and an M.S. from George Washington University. Linda was employed for more than 26 years with Flight Safety International, Teterboro, New Jersey, and was the director of Data Protection and Privacy having just recently been promoted to Officer of Data Protection.
CW4 James S. Hanson (’87, ’80), 73, of Henderson, Tennessee, passed away Feb. 25, 2021. He was a U.S. Army helicopter pilot and flew two combat tours in Vietnam, where he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was a Master Aviator, who also completed tours in the Panama Canal Zone, Central and South America, and South Korea. He retired from the Army, after 22 years of active duty service, and became an instructor pilot at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Later, he flew as a defense contractor in the Middle East. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mary, and three daughters.
Rick S. Wolaver (’95), 68, passed away Feb. 25, 2021 in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Stillman R. Sprague (’77) passed away on February 23, 2021.
James Ronald Pardue Jr. (’13), 46, of Roanoke, Virginia, passed away Feb. 22, 2021. He served in the U.S. Air Force and became an F-16 field engineer through Lockheed Martin. He lived and worked throughout Egypt, supporting multiple military bases for more than 10 years. He is survived by his wife, Chelsea, and a daughter.
Donald Lee Doggett (’81) passed away Feb. 17, 2021 in Wylie, Texas.
Former Board of Visitors member Bert L. Reames, 94, passed away Feb. 17, 2021 in Ormond Beach, Florida. The longtime Daytona Beach, Florida business leader served on Embry-Riddle’s Board of Visitors at the Daytona Beach Campus from 2000-2007. He served in the Army Air Corps from 1944 to 1946. Reames had a long career in insurance and was very active in the Daytona Beach community. In 1998, he and his wife Julie established Bert Reames Insurance Services and its successor, Reames Employee Benefits Solutions, where he was president and chairman for the next 19 years. Later, he partnered with Charlie Lydecker to become part of Foundation Risk Partners. He is survived by his wife, Julie, and a son.
James Frederick Many (’76), 83, of Stuart, Florida, passed away Feb. 16, 2021, due to a COVID-19-related cardiac arrest. Many served in the U.S. Navy Airborne Early Warning Squadron Four, North Atlantic Fleet. An airline transport pilot, he worked for corporate and commercial airlines including Southern Air, Modern Air, Elvis Presley Corp., Evergreen Int., National Airlines, Pan American, Northeastern, and United Airlines. He is survived by his wife, Connie, and a son, Dale.
Carlton Reaves (’00), 61, passed away Feb. 16, 2021.
John Edgar Baker (’82) passed away Feb. 11, 2021 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
James O. Perry (’55), 88, passed away Feb. 11, 2021, in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict. Later, he worked throughout the country at numerous civilian aviation facilities and retired from the Federal Aviation Administration in 2000. In February 2001, the Georgia Aviation & Technical College named one of their Eastman, Georgia campus buildings in his honor. In October 2001, Perry was awarded the Federal Aviation Administration Charles Taylor Master Mechanic award which recognizes lifetime achievement in senior aviation mechanics. He is survived by his daughter.
Lt. Col. Wayne Thomas Munson, 75, of Fernandina Beach, Florida, passed away Feb. 6, 2021, at Baptist Medical Center-Nassau. Retired from the U.S. Army, Munson served as executive director of Embry-Riddle Alumni Relations from 2004 until 2009.
Charles A. Augur (’73), 68, passed away Feb. 5, 2021, at Pelham Medical Center, Greer, South Carolina. He was a retired engineer and had worked for several companies during his career, including Marshall and Williams, Navis Global, and Kusters. He is survived by his wife, Rosemary.
Lee "Tommy" Ankerson (’68), 80, of Gautier, Mississippi, passed away Feb. 4, 2021. He was a professional water skier at Gulf Hills in both Ocean Springs, Mississippi and Cypress Gardens, Florida. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, then worked for Delta Airlines for more than 30 years. After he retired from Delta Airlines in Dallas, Texas, he returned home to Mississippi. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Adrianne and four daughters.
Jordan Antoniadis (’86), 59, passed away Feb. 3, 2021, in Haidari, Greece. His friend Sophia Epitropoulos shared the news of his passing and that he was the founder of a group of Greek Embry-Riddle alumni and friends, which has dozens of members. “He was responsible for gathering all the Greek students in the mid-1980s to keep communication and reunions going. It is a loss for all of us who knew him throughout the years,” Epitropoulos wrote. Antoniadis was a technical instructor and aircraft engineer. He is survived by his wife and two children, said Epitropoulos.
Former Embry-Riddle Board of Trustee member Millie Hughes-Fulford, Ph.D.,75, passed away Feb. 2, 2021, in Mineral Wells, Texas, after a battle with cancer. The first woman to fly as a NASA payload specialist, she served on the university’s board of trustees from 1986-1990. Hughes-Fulford was selected as a payload specialist in 1983 and flew in June 1991 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on the STS-40 Spacelab Life Sciences mission, the first mission dedicated to biomedical studies. Prior to her selection, she was a research professor at University of California, San Francisco. In 1984 she moved to Houston to begin her career as an astronaut. Around that time, she enlisted in the U.S. Army as well.
Michael M. Costain (’88), 74, of Littlestown, Pennsylvania, passed away Jan. 26, 2021, at his home. He served in the U.S. Navy for 12 years during the Vietnam War. Costain was a field engineer for more than 35 years with Northrop Grumman/Westinghouse of Baltimore, Maryland. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Wanda, and three daughters.
Former Embry-Riddle Board of Trustee member Walter Jones McFadden Jr., 96, of Amelia Island, Florida, passed away Jan. 20, 2021. McFadden, a local business owner, served on the university’s board of trustees from 1971-1976. He was a service pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps and later, McFadden started two companies: Southern Air Surveys Inc. and Mapco Inc., both based in Daytona Beach, Florida. The companies conducted the aviation portion of aerial survey contracts, with projects completed throughout the U.S. and Bahamas. In 1972, he sold both companies and retired in 1974. But he soon started another company, Airborne Data Inc., which specialized in forest management photogrammetric programs serving companies from East Texas to Virginia. In 2004, Airborne Data's assets, airplanes and the rights to three forest management programs were sold to an aviation company in Jacksonville, Florida. McFadden retired again in 2004. In 2014, he received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award from the Federal Aviation Administration. McFadden is survived by three children.
Lorraine Grossi, 61, died on January 20, 2021, at her home in Grapevine, Texas. She worked for Bell Helicopter for more than 25 years as a cost analysis engineer and trainer. She contributed to the V-22 Tiltrotor (JVX), and RAH-66. She also supported the development of Space Shuttle Endeavor (OV-105). She was a certified pilot with airplane single engine land rating and additional training in gliders and rotary-wing aircraft. She is survived by her husband of 32 years, Silvio Grossi.
Mark Fellner (’83), 64, of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, passed away Jan. 12, 2021. He worked at the Aetna Standard Engineering Co., then he enlisted with the U.S. Air Force in 1976. He was trained in aircraft maintenance and was discharged in 1982. He worked for the San Francisco Chronicle in the delivery department and as a bartender at the Hazel Manor.
Michael Thomas DiRaimondo (’98), 46, of Hickory, North Carolina passed away Jan. 12, 2021.
Dale R. Carter (’59), 87, of Tampa, Florida, passed away Jan. 10, 2021. He served in the U.S. Navy, was an aircraft mechanic and captain in the Tampa Fire Department. He is survived by Eleanor, his wife of 55 years, and three children.
Stephan Marius Bienz (’87), 56, of Saint Peters, Missouri, passed away Jan. 9, 2021. He started as a flight instructor. Bienz flew bank/financial cargo in small turboprops across California and Nevada, cargo in C-130s in Alaska, and the Fire Boss who directed maneuvers of fire-fighter planes during massive California and Arizona wildfires. He flew commuter jets for TWA Express and flew the L-for America Trans Air (ATA). Bienz flew domestic scheduled routes, international vacation charters, and international military charters. After more than 20 years, Bienz had to give up his aviation career, due to health issues. An avid sailor, he also earned his US Coast Guard Merchant Mariner License. Bienz is survived by his wife of 26-years, Kathy.
Richard R. Fontaine (’88), 65, passed away Jan. 8, 2021, at Stafford Hospital Center in Stafford, Virginia. During his active military service time, he had a variety of career paths, including fire and rescue, command post controller and search and rescue helicopter pilot. With 20 years of active service, Fontaine retired from the U.S. Air Force. He then went back to work for the Department of Defense, working again in the area of personnel recovery. He is survived by his wife, Cheryl, and a daughter.
CW5 Lee Michael Tutin (’93, ’97), 55, of Owens Cross Roads, Alabama, passed away on Jan. 7, 2021. He retired from the U.S. Army in 2009 after a 24-year career, flying Kiowa Scout Helicopters and serving the Aircraft Survivability community. Tutin is survived by his wife of 35 years, Robin, and two children.
Patrick J. Phelan (’72), 70, of Denver, North Carolina, passed away at his home on Jan. 4, 2021. He worked at his family business for more than 50 years. Phelan was an instrument pilot and licensed to fly single engine planes and seaplanes. Phelan was a founding member of the Delta Chi Fraternity Chapter at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach, Florida Campus. In 2012, after serving many leadership roles all through his life, he was awarded the highest honor in the National Delta Chi Fraternity by being chosen to be a member of the Order of the White Carnation. He is one of only a few dozen men ever to receive this recognition from among the thousands of Delta Chi’s Fraternity nationwide. Phelan is survived by his wife of 42 years, Susan.
Currie King Stafford (’69), 76, of Smyrna, Georgia, passed away Jan. 3, 2021. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1963 to 1967 in England, Northern Africa, Italy, and Washington, D.C. Currie was an award-winning crew chief for an F-100 fighter plane. Later, he worked for Lockheed, then Eastern Air Lines and he retired from Coca-Cola Enterprises. Currie is survived by his two children.
Jorgen S. Olsen (’07), 53, of Grayson, Georgia, passed away Jan. 3, 2021. Retired from the U.S. Air Force, he was a lead avionics maintenance technician for Delta Air Lines, with 23 years of seniority. Olsen is survived by his wife, June and two children.
Retired Maj. Raymond Dwight King (’74) passed away Dec. 31, 2020, in Lawton, Oklahoma. He was a resident of Pattonville, Texas. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1953, serving for 20 years, including two tours in Vietnam. Earning numerous awards and medals, King was an aviator who not only flew both planes and helicopters, but also taught hundreds of future Army aviators how to fly. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Hiawatha Lue, and four children.
Edward C. Wilson, Jr. (’50), 90, of Oceanport, New Jersey, passed away Dec. 30, 2020 at home. He is survived by his daughter.
Joe Stanley Adams II, (’76, ‘80), 74, passed away Dec. 23, 2020 at his home in West Farmington, Ohio. He joined the U.S. Army, becoming a combat helicopter pilot and serving tours in Vietnam, Germany and Korea. He lived in 25 different locations around the world. He retired from the Army as a Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4), then worked for Kaman Aerospace Corp., the University of Alaska and the University of California, before returning to work at his alma mater Ohio University. Adams is survived by his wife, Nancy, and three children.
Henry P. Shook (’44), 96, of Mooresville, North Carolina, passed away Dec.19, 2020, after a lengthy illness. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps during the late stages of World War II and he flew the T-6 Texan and P-47 Thunderbolt. After the war, he was a flight instructor at Stallings Air Force Base in Kingston, North Carolina. Shook joined Eastern Airlines in 1957 as a co-pilot and soon became a flight engineer on the Lockheed Electra. He flew out of Chicago, Charlotte, Miami, Washington D.C. and Atlanta. While in Atlanta, he was promoted to captain of the Boeing 727. He retired in 1984, qualified to fly the Airbus A300. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Gail, and three children.
Debra Ann Gaunt died December 17, 2020, at 51. She was a lifelong resident of Rush County, Kansas. She was a tech sergeant in the United States Air Force for 23 years. She attended Embry-Riddle at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, earning a bachelors and master's degrees. After her military service, she worked at La Crosse Furniture Company for 18 years. She is survived by her husband, Eric.
Loyce E. Finch (’55), 90, passed away Dec. 7, 2020. He retired in 1990 as a Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy. He and his wife of 23 years, Laney, traveled fulltime in their recreational vehicle.
Norman K. Lowry (’54), 86, passed away Dec. 7, 2020, in Ogdensburg, New York. He joined the Army Air Corps and served for three years as part of the Army 7th Corps, flying high-ranking military personnel and NATO officials throughout Europe. Lowry spent some time as a pilot in the airline industry, but found he preferred flying executive/private aircraft. For several years he worked for Murdock Head and managed the airport at Airlie, Virginia, while flying the company’s private aircraft. As part of his job for Airlie, he met and flew many politicians, businessmen, professors, researchers and television and movie producers. In 1968, Lowry was hired as the private pilot for E.P. Taylor, a wealthy Canadian businessman for whom he worked until his retirement in the early 1990s. In these years, he flew extensively throughout North, Central and South America, the Caribbean, as well as numerous trips through Iceland and Europe. He is survived by two children.
Brig. Gen. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager (HonDoc ’87), 97, a military test pilot who was the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound and live to tell about it, passed away Dec. 7, 2020, in Los Angeles, California. He began flying during World War II, after joining the Army Air Forces. Yeager became a fighter ace credited with shooting down at least 12 German planes, including five in one day. In the late 1940s, he went on to become an Air Force test pilot and broke numerous speed and altitude records, including becoming the first person to travel 2 1/2 times the speed of sound. On Oct. 14, 1947, Yeager, traveling at nearly 700 mph, broke the sound barrier, an important military milestone that helped engineers improve military aircraft design for years to come. He retired as an Air Force brigadier general in 1975, but in an honorary gesture, he was promoted to the rank of major general in 2005. In 1985, Yeager was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award.
John Hays Phillips (‘92), 52, passed away, Dec. 2, 2020.
Robert Joseph Sturdevant (‘81) passed away Nov. 27, 2020 of complications from a fall. He served in the U.S. Air Force and, later, received his commercial pilot's license. Sturdevant’s flying career started with a small freight company in Richmond, Virginia. After two years, he went to work for Republic Airlines, flying a commuter out of Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1986, Northwest Airlines hired him and he spent 22 years flying stateside, in Europe and Asia. Sturdevant retired for medical reasons in 2008. He spent a few years in San Diego, then moved to Prescott, Arizona. Sturdevant is survived by his daughter Ashley.
Carl F. Wanner (’57), 89, of Magnolia, Ohio, passed away Nov. 25, 2020. He served with the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict. Wanner worked for the McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft Co. for nine years and other aerospace missile contractors. He returned to Magnolia in 1972, where he worked for the Magnolia Water Dept., C & D Aircraft, the Magnolia Airport, and had been property manager for the Great Trail Campground. He is survived by three children.
James R. Skotnicki (’87), 63, of Salcha, Alaska, passed away Nov. 25, 2020. During his 26-year U.S. Air Force career, he was a T-38 instructor pilot, flew both the F-4 and F-111, and his aviation career culminated with his favorite aircraft, the A-10. Upon his retirement from the Air Force in 2006, he began a stained glass business and volunteered with Salcha Fire and Rescue Department. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Debbie, and two children.
Elbert C. Pirtle, Jr. (’58), 82, of Hampton, Gerogia, died Nov. 20, 2020. He is survived by his spouse, Patricia and four children.
George F. Brooks (’68) of Cedar Hill, Missouri, passed away Nov. 16, 2020, after a lengthy battle with heart disease. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1960-64. Brooks had a career as an aerospace engineer, and was first employed at McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, eventually settling in Hampton Roads, Virginia, to take up employment with the LTV Corporation and Lockheed Martin Corporation until his retirement in 1999. He is survived by his beloved wife of 47 years, Elaine, and three children.
Lynn D. Jones (’63), 84, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, passed away Nov. 15, 2020. Jones enlisted in the U.S. Army and later served with the U.S. Air Force. As a helicopter mechanic and then crew chief, he served in Korea and then, stateside, in search and rescue at Mt. McKinley, Alaska. During his service, he walked away from three helicopter crashes. He later worked as a project manager in Oklahoma. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Dorine, and two children.
Genevieve Arlene Hegarty (’99) passed away November 14, 2020 at home in St. Charles, Illinois. An air traffic controller, she was involved in the critical 9-11 shut down of all aviation while stationed in California, and most recently worked at the ATC Center in Aurora, Illinois. She was also a certified pilot. Hegarty is survived by her husband of 18 years, Anthony. A scholarship has been established in her name. She is remembered in Short Stories About a Tall Woman: Remembering Genevieve by Anthony Hegarty.
John R. Bennett (’83), 74, passed away Nov. 14, 2020, in Old Town, Florida.
Maj. Frank T. Stookey (’75) passed away Nov. 9, 2020. He worked for the Boeing Commercial Airplane Co. in the quality control department. Stookey later joined the Army National Guard, flew part time for the U.S. Forest Service, and got a commission in the Guard. He tried out for the U.S. Army Flight School and attended the Army’s Fixed Wing Flight School, beginning at Ft. Stewart, Georgia, and flying the Cessna T-41B. Later, he was trained to fly the Grumman OV-1 Mohawk and went to Vietnam in 1969 to fly the Mohawk in combat in the Mekong Delta. Following his tour in Vietnam, he was assigned to form and command a new Mohawk unit at Ft. Wainwright, Alaska, near Fairbanks. Stookey was later sent for helicopter training on the OH-58A Kiowa and UH-1H Huey at Ft. Rucker, Alabama. He retired from the Army in 1986 and flew for a while as a first officer for Alaska Air Group. He worked 18 years as manager of corporate agreements and international contracts at Boeing, spending six years at the Boeing AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter plant in Mesa, Arizona, before retiring in 2005. He is survived by his wife, Judi.
Ted Garrett (’63), 76, of Alvada, Ohio, passed away Nov. 4, 2020. Serving in the U.S. Air Force, Garrett was an aircraft mechanic, machinist and inventor. He is survived by his longtime companion, Linda, and three children.
Werner K. Hartlieb (’66), 75, of East Hartford, Connecticut, passed away Nov. 4, 2020. With a passion for aviation, he earned his pilot’s license and worked for F.I.T Aviation. He became a Pilot Instructor certified with the FAA Pilot Examiner’s designation in 1975. Werner retired from Piper Aircraft in 2005, after 30 years working in various senior management roles. He also served in the Army National Guard. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Marsha.
Trustee Emeritus Lawrence Clarkson, 82, passed away Oct. 31, 2020, in East Flat Rock, North Carolina. Clarkson retired as president of Boeing Enterprises in 1999. His stature within Boeing prompted the New York Times to call him “the closest thing (Boeing) has to a corporate secretary of state.” Before joining Boeing, he worked for Pratt & Whitney, rising to the position of president of commercial products (jet engines.) Clarkson was also a captain in the U.S. Air Force. During his tenure on the university board, from 2002 until 2013, he served as secretary and chaired the audit committee. He was also a member of the trustees, development, executive and international affairs committees. Embry-Riddle Board Chair Mori Hosseini remembers Clarkson as an influential advocate for the university. "The respect Larry earned from his contributions to Boeing and Pratt & Whitney made him a valuable ambassador for Embry-Riddle. His insights helped us launch our first doctorate programs, in engineering physics and aviation, and establish the Embry-Riddle Worldwide Campus in Singapore." As a board member, Clarkson supported an ambitious program of expansion and improvements, including the construction of the College of Aviation building and College of Business building on the Daytona Beach Campus, as well as the addition of an academic building, the Robertson Aviation Center, and the Chris and Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Library and Learning Center at Prescott. Part of Clarkson’s legacy with Embry-Riddle was his guidance as the university faced one of its worst setbacks. In December 2006, a tornado struck the Daytona Beach Campus, leveling the aircraft maintenance hangar, damaging the Spruance Hall administration building beyond repair and destroying 40 training aircraft. The total damage topped $50 million. "As we navigate through our own challenging times, it is inspirational to realize that Lawrence Clarkson and his fellow board members remained focused on serving students. The spring semester for 2007 was delayed by only six days. That's a level of resilience we are living up to today," said University President P. Barry Butler. Clarkson was a vice president of the Wings Club, and a president of the Washington State China Relations Council and Japan-America Society of Washington. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and one daughter.
Randy Hudon (’86), a long-time corporate pilot and former member of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) board of directors, passed away Oct. 29, 2020, in Auburn, Alabama. He spent 10 years in the U.S. Air Force as an instructor pilot, hurricane hunter and ROTC instructor. Hudon joined BellSouth as a pilot and became president of corporate aviation and travel services in 1998. Upon retirement from BellSouth, he formed his own consulting firm. He was elected to NBAA’s Board of Directors in 2004. Hudon is survived by his wife, Cindy, and three children.
Marc I. Cohen (’95) passed away Oct. 29, 2020.
William “Bill” Engel Bell (’12), 34, of Peoria, and his daughter, Amira Caballero, 8, died Oct. 26, 2020, in a small plane crash in Arizona. Bell planned to take Caballero camping in Page, Arizona, on Oct. 24, when the small plane Bell was piloting crashed, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office. Bell had flown out of Deer Valley Airport, a public airport 17 miles north of Phoenix. He and Caballero were reported missing Oct. 25, after they did not return home to Peoria, Arizona. On Oct. 26, an Arizona Department of Public Safety Ranger spotted, from a helicopter, Bell’s single-engine aircraft crashed in a remote area near Cordes Lakes, about 65 miles north of Phoenix, according to authorities. Bell, who was originally from central New York, worked as a private pilot. He had previously worked for a couple of regional airlines, flew charter flights over the Grand Canyon and was a contractor for Google doing aerial photography, according to a news article.
Robert Gene Wheeler (’57), 86, of Mountain Home, Arkansas, passed away October 21, 2020. He served in the U.S. Marines Corps from 1952-1955, as an airplane mechanic aboard the USS Ticonderoga and USS Antietam during the Korean War. He moved to South Bend, Indiana, where he owned a Clark filling station and worked with Westinghouse/White Westinghouse for 20 years as an appliance service technician and parts manager. In 1988 they relocated to Gamaliel, Arkansas, owning and operating Hickory Hills Resort through 2006, then retiring to Mountain Home. Wheeler is survived by his wife of 61 years, Eleanore, and two daughters.
Lt. Col. William Hollis Poe II (’05) passed away Oct. 19, 2020. He was a U.S. Air Force pilot and an instructor for flight maneuvers. Poe retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel in 2016, while stationed in Bossier, Louisiana. He is survived by his significant other, Aimee Gallagher and four children.
Daxton D’Von Bethell ('00), 43, died at Doctors Hospital on Wednesday, October 14th, 2020.
Embry-Riddle donor and friend Tracy Forrest, 70, of Winter Park, Florida, passed away Oct. 12, 2020, from brain cancer. Forrest was president of the Bob Hoover Legacy Foundation and past president of the Citation Jet Pilots Association. An article on Forrest in AOPA remembered him as “a philanthropist, an accomplished pilot, and a mentor to the next generation of aviators.” The founder of Winter Park Construction, one of Central Florida’s largest commercial construction firms, Forrest earned an airline transport pilot certificate with single-pilot type ratings in several Cessna Citation models. Forrest supported many aviation programs, including Veterans Airlift Command, Corporate Angel Network, and the EAA Young Eagles program. The two aviation organizations closest to his heart—the Citation Jet Pilots Association with more than 1,200 members and the Bob Hoover Legacy Foundation—formed a 50-50 partnership to fund and distribute scholarships to outstanding Embry-Riddle students and the initiative has delivered more than $600,000 to 34 students since 2014, according to the AOPA article. The Citation Jet Pilots Association manages the CJP Bob Hoover Presidential Scholarship Award, and Forrest presented the first $25,000 to Embry-Riddle honors program student Yann Bosch when Forrest served as the association’s president in 2014. He is survived by his wife Rae.
Costas Sivyllis (’12), 30, and his wife Lindsey Vogelaar, 33, died Oct. 5, 2020, in a small plane crash east of Telluride, Colorado. The couple, who lived in Port Orange, Florida, had married Oct. 1, 2020, in Telluride and were returning home. Sivyllis was a first officer at United Airlines and chairman of the National Education Committee for the Air Line Pilots Association. Prior to United Airlines, Sivyllis was a captain at PSA Airlines. Vogelaar was a flight attendant for United.
Sivyllis served on the Industry Advisory Board for the College of Aviation at the Daytona Beach Campus and was an advocate for Embry-Riddle through his work with the ALPA Aviation Collegiate Education (ACE) campus club, as well as through the United Aviate program. After graduation, he remained a frequent campus visitor and mentor to future pilots, inspiring them with his positivity and passion for aviation.
Embry-Riddle held a Celebration of the Lives of Sivyllis and Vogelaar on Oct. 18, 2020, that was live streamed. In conjunction with Sivyllis’ family, Embry-Riddle has established an endowed scholarship in his honor, supporting the next generation of aspiring pilots. This endowed scholarship will support flight training costs for students in the aeronautical science program at the Daytona Beach Campus. To donate online, go to the Costas Sivyllis Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund.
CWO4 Velter H. King, Jr. (’97) passed away Oct. 1, 2020 in Alexandria, Virginia. He served three tours of Vietnam as a rescue chopper pilot, before retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer 4, after 35 years of service. He is survived by his six children.
Sean Patrick McLaughlin (’91), 55, passed away Sept. 27, 2020. He worked in his family's structural moving and real estate business in Maryland and North Carolina and became a builder of houses in Nag's Head, in partnership with his cousins.
Capt. Byron L. Cobb (’95), who was a captain for FedEx, passed away Sept.17, 2020 after six months dealing with pancreatic cancer. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, Cobb worked as a flight instructor/charter pilot at Flight International. He flew corporate Learjets with Husky Industries/Atlanta, followed by Beta Corp/Riyadh S.A. for two years internationally. In 1984, Cobb was hired by FedEx, moving up to manager of the Airbus Fleet Standards Office. Cobb managed fleet operations for three years with international operations. In 2009, he transitioned to the Boeing 777 as Captain/Flight and Simulator Instructor/Check Airman doing worldwide operations until 2013. He flew domestic operations in mid-2013, then in 2015, Cobb flew only dedicated Boeing 767 North/South American, Caribbean flights as Captain, retiring in late 2019. Throughout his career, Cobb amassed over 15,000 flight hours and flew more than 30 different aircraft. He is survived by his wife and three sons.
Maj. Darrel W. Manning (’91), of Reno, Nevada, unexpectedly passed away Sept. 8, 2020. Retired from the U.S. Air Force, his military career spanned 17 years and included service in the 1185th Civil Engineering Group at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland; in Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma; as a C141 pilot at Travis Air Force Base, California; in the Air Force Element of the US Embassy, Khartoum, Sudan; and as a C141 pilot at McClellan Air Force Base, California. Manning moved to Andrews Air Force, Maryland, where he flew Gulfstream C-20s and Leer jets, before he retired as a Major in 1994. When he was assigned to the 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base, he was one of the "select group" of pilots who flew the Presidential Staff and other key dignitaries as tasked by the Air Force Chief of Staff. After retiring from the Air Force, Manning worked as a pilot for Sinclair Oil Corporation for 22 years in Salt Lake City, Utah. After retiring from his second career, he moved to Reno, Nevada. Manning is survived by his wife of 32 years, Delia, and one son.
Embry-Riddle student Alexander Bello-Ortiz, 22, passed away unexpectedly on September 7, 2020. He was a senior electrical engineering major, U.S. Air Force ROTC student and Eagle Scout. Fifty AFROTC cadets held a solemn assembly in Bello-Ortiz’s honor. “We will continue to cherish Alexander and celebrate the indelible impression he has made on so many of his friends and fellow cadets,” said Detachment 157 Commander Col. Jason Patla. “In our hearts and minds, we will forever hold him close.” He is survived by his by his parents, Maria Lourdes Ortiz and Liberto Bello, his brother Jack, his sister Sarah, his stepfather Harold Dolph, his stepmother Melissa Whitt-Bello, and many other family members. Bello-Ortiz,of Fairfax, Virginia, will receive his Embry-Riddle degree, Cum Laude Honors, posthumously. The degree, conferred by President P. Barry Butler, with Lon Moeller, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, will be given to his parents. A memorial service was held for Bello-Ortiz on Sept. 13 in the university’s IC Auditorium, which was livestreamed for students, faculty and staff.
Jordan Michael Wright (’11), 39, passed away Aug. 31, 2020 in Avon, Indiana. He served several years in the U.S. Air Force as a space operations executive and systems engineer. He served a tour of duty in Afghanistan and received many military awards during his 15 years of service. He will receive full Military Honors conducted by the United States Air Force, American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Dwight Ray Ward (’00), 71, of Rincon, Georgia, passed away Aug. 26, 2020.
Amelia Croizer (’20) passed away Aug. 20, 2020.
SMSgt. Ronald (Ron) J. Rousch (’00), 56, of Greenfield, Indiana, passed away Aug. 17, 2020, at Greenfield Healthcare Center. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1984 until 2004, working as an air traffic control superintendent, and Air Force trainer. After retiring from the Air Force, Rousch worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Rousch is survived by his wife, Jamie, and two children.
Juan A. Cruz (’75), of Jacksonville, Florida, passed away Aug. 11, 2020.
Ellen Marie Burrell ('12, '13), of Huntsville, Alabama, passed away Aug. 1, 2020. She served in the U.S. Army for 21 years as a human resource specialist and, upon her retirement, she served 12 years as a civil servant. Burrell is survived by two children.
Starlett Turner Burrell (’98), of Detroit, Michigan, passed away July 25, 2020 at Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital. She retired from the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center in 2018, after 33 years of decorated service with the Department of Defense.
Staff Sgt. Jeremy Lynn Banks (’99), 49, passed away July 24, 2020 at home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He served as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force and worked at PNM, Sandia National Laboratories and Presbyterian Healthcare Services. Banks is survived by his wife, Candice and seven children.
Richard Kemp “Spike” Spicer (’72, ’80), 70, of Mooresville, North Carolina, passed away July 20, 2020. Retiring from the U.S. Air Force in 1996 as a lieutenant colonel, he served for 24 years in worldwide special operations assignments and projects. He was a command pilot with more than 4500 flying hours in T-38, OV-10, and C-130 Combat Talon aircraft. Following his active duty service, he worked for McDonald-Douglass and then Boeing Company for 17 years, managing DOD-related projects in St. Louis, Missouri and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Marilyn, and three children.
Ralph F. Sahagun (’99), 75, passed away in Roseville, Calif. on July 20, 2020. He joined the U.S. Navy and served in Vietnam. He joined the U.S. Army National Guard in 1968 and, after 12 years of enlisted service, he became a commissioned officer. In 1985, he again went on active duty and served at Army Headquarters, The Pentagon, Washington, DC for 12 years in logistical staff positions. He retired a Lieutenant Colonel with more than 38 years of honorable military service.
Dennis U. Wenzlick (’90), 58, of Doraville, Georgia and formerly of New Lothrop, Michigan, passed away unexpectedly on July 16, 2020. He traveled the world as a corporate jet pilot and served in the U.S. Navy for 24 years.
Arthur Murray Cunningham (’53), 85, of Homeworth, Ohio, passed away July 15, 2020, at home. He earned his private pilot certificate and graduated from Embry-Riddle’s Miami Campus with his Airframe and Powerplant certification. He worked at Poorman Aviation, in Canton, Ohio, for several years. Cunningham eventually joined his father in the family furniture business, becoming president of Cunningham Furniture in 1965 and growing the business over the ensuing years. Cunningham continued to fly, earning multiple pilot ratings, and he restored many planes, including two Stearman biplanes. For years, he and other local pilots would give rides to youth with Muscular Dystrophy. In 1998, Murray was awarded the Taylorcraft "Old Timers Aviation Pioneer of the Year" award. He retired in 2005, then maintained the carpeting end of the business until 2018. He was predeceased by his wife, Barbara, pictured. He is survived by his three children.
Daniel J. Cullum (’78), 64, of Naperville, Illinois, passed away July 12, 2020. He was a longtime sales representative in the furniture industry. Cullum is survived by his wife of 33 years, Carolyn, and two children.
First Lt. David Schmitz (’16) was killed June 30, 2020, while piloting a F-16CM fighter jet that crashed on Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. A pilot with the 20th Fighter Wing’s 77th Fighter Squadron, he was flying the single-seat jet on a training mission when it crashed. Schmitz is survived by his wife, Valerie.
James “Jim” Wilfred Ashley, Jr. (’92), 59, of Washougal, Washington, passed away June 30, 2020 in Vancouver, Washington, after a five-year battle with cancer. Enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1980, he served for eight years and was honorably discharged at the Naval Air Station on Whidbey Island, Washington. Upon entering civilian life, Ashley worked on military aircraft, then changed occupations and spent the remainder of his career working on automated equipment as a controls engineer - first in the sawmill industry, then in other industries. He spent the last 10 years at Wellons, Inc. in Vancouver. He is survived by his wife Kathleen and a daughter.
Arne Swanson (’65), 80, passed away June 25, 2020 at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After graduating from Embry-Riddle’s Miami Campus, he worked as a vibrations engineer for NASA during the Apollo missions, living in Alabama, Virginia, and Texas. Swanson is survived by his two children.
Lt. Col. Willie A. Lawson (’76) passed away June 21, 2020.
Retired Lt. Col. Rolland T. Baldwin Jr. (’06) passed away June 19, 2020 at Azalea Gardens Memory Care in Tallahassee, Florida. He enlisted in the Army Air Corp in 1940 and became a sergeant pilot. He attained his commission in the U.S. Air Force in 1942 and retired in 1964. He was a volunteer in the Civil Air Patrol and assisted with Search and Rescue missions. He was also a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Dottie, and one stepson.
Robert William Listerman (’85), 61, of Birmingham, Alabama, passed away June 19, 2020. He spent his career of more than 39 years as director of aviation and chief pilot for O'Neal Industries. During his career, Listerman piloted various O'Neal corporate jets, including a Citation I, Falcon 10, Westwind II, and a Learjet 45. He is survived by his spouse and partner of 21 years, Jason Coy Turner.
Michael A. DeFurio (’90), 58, of Wethersfield, Connecticut, passed away June 19, 2020, at the West Haven Veterans Healthcare Center. He served in the U.S. Air Force, stationed in England. Prior to his retirement, he worked more than 20 years at The Metropolitan (Water) District. He is survived by his wife, Michelle, and two children.
Barry Panasik (’81), 61, of Bath, Pennsylvania, passed away June 17, 2020, at St. Luke’s Hospital. Panasik was the president of New World Aviation in Allentown. He was a pilot for most of his life, having also flown for First USA Bank, in Newark, Delaware. He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Wendy, and one child.
Shawn R. Scarbrough (’12), 40, of Palestine, Texas, died June 15, 2020 in a boating accident in Houston Ship Channel. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a helicopter mechanic. He was stationed in Okinawa, Japan and served three deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, earning many medals and awards in the 11 years that he served. Scarbrough completed his helicopter pilot’s license. He is survived by his wife Nina and three children.
Robert Michael Hamaty (’66), 72, passed away June 13, 2020, at the Miami Baptist Health Center, following a brief illness. Hamaty, who was born in Jamaica, was one of Air Jamaica’s first 12 commissioned pilots. He went on to become a captain at Cayman Airways, which he joined in 1978, when the airline had only one aircraft, a BAC 1-11, and eight pilots. In the late 1980s, Hamaty served as chief pilot, flew CAL’s first Boeing 737-200 aircraft and was one of the founding members of the Cayman Airways Pilots Association. He founded the Tortuga Rum Company with his wife, Carlene, in 1984. He served as honorary Jamaican consul in Cayman from 1992 to 2009. He is survived by his wife, Carlene, and two children.
Henry M. Hagen (’68), 82, of Summerville, South Carolina passed away June 10, 2020. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and retired from the Charleston Naval Shipyard as a nuclear auditor in the Quality Assurance Office. Henry is survived by his wife Judy and three children.
David William White (’03), 48, of Butte, Montana, passed away June 7, 2020, at his residence. White was a U.S. Navy veteran and an accomplished wrestler, who is listed on the Navy's Wall of Fame for his wrestling accolades.
William E. Balding, Jr. (’90) passed away June 6, 2020 in Ellenton, Florida.
Richard C. Farley (’77), 63, of Derry, New Hampshire, passed away June 3, 2020. During his career, Richard worked for several area companies in sales and supply chain management involving high tech and robotics products. He is survived by his wife, Ann.
Ronald F. Ribero (’83), 60, passed away May 29, 2020 in Massachusetts. He worked as an arborist. He is survived by two sons.
Richard Samuel Sarvas (’77), 73, of Huntington, West Virginia, passed away May 21, 2020, at his residence. He was a U.S. Army veteran of Vietnam, where he was an aviation test pilot and helicopter pilot. He was a member of the U.S. Army Reserve and retired as a colonel. Sarvas worked for Polaroid from 1977 through 2002 as a manufacturing engineer, program manager, head of manufacturing of Polaroid, Russia, and eventually, as a manufacturing program manager. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Millie, and two children.
Former Professor Stephen J. Glassman, 73, passed away May 19, 2020, at his home in Edgewater, Florida, after a brief illness. He joined Embry-Riddle in 1984, teaching English and writing courses as a professor of communication and humanities at its Daytona Beach Campus. He taught at Embry-Riddle for 28 years before retiring in 2012. As director of the Arts & Letters Committee, Glassman secured funding to bring noted writers, professional musicians and popular acting troupes to campus and organized literary conferences. He served two terms as president of the Florida College English Association and delivered a Fulbright lectureship in American Literature and Creative Writing at the University College of Belize. He was also the author of numerous books, and led tours to Mexico, Central America and South America with his students, colleagues and friends.
Harry P. Chapman (’88), 77, of Port Royal, Virginia, passed away May 17, 2020, He is survived by his wife Betty and his daughter.
Harry P. Chapman, 77, died on May 17, 2020. He earned his Master’s in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle and worked as a chief air traffic controller in the United States Navy. As a civilian, he was a technology supervisor for Apex Technology.
Rudy Frasca, 89, who was the founder of Frasca International and a leader in the flight simulator industry, passed away May 11, 2020.
"I had the pleasure of knowing Rudy for nearly 35 years. He was a charismatic and innovative giant in aviation, and his contributions to pilot training have been profound. The Frasca name is synonymous with general aviation simulation," says College of Aviation Dean Alan Stolzer.
The legacy of flight simulation engineer Rudy Frasca lives on at Embry-Riddle, where students continue to learn by using Frasca simulators.
An avid pilot, Frasca was an instructor in the U.S. Navy, then attended the University of Illinois, where he researched aviation psychology and maintained simulators at the university’s Aviation Research Lab, according to his Champaign, Illinois, News-Gazette obituary. After building his own flight simulator in his garage, he founded Frasca Aviation in 1958, which was later renamed to Frasca International. The company sells fixed and full-motion simulators for helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft around the world to aviation schools, commercial airlines and the Navy.
He is survived by his wife, Lucille, and eight children.
Richard Kley Jackson Jr. (’80), 61, of Hudson, Wisconsin, passed away unexpectedly at his home May 10, 2020. He worked as an aircraft maintenance technician at American Airlines for 27 years. He is survived by his wife, Kristine, and two children.
Donald W. Mangold (’41), 95, of Port Allegany, Pennsylvania, passed away on May 9, 2020. A World War II veteran, he served as a B-25 flight engineer with the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1943-1946. He also worked as a lead electrical & biomedical engineer for Bell Aerospace and the Boeing Corporation. He served as an Apollo Flight Controller at the NASA/Johnson Space Center during the race to the Moon and was on console with Apollo 11's Eagle that landed on the Lunar surface. Later, he worked with NASA doctors and engineers to develop a remote medical monitoring system for long-duration space flights, for which he is named on the patent. Derivatives of this technology are used today by EMTs and paramedics around-the-world. He is survived by two sons.
Melton C. Whitsitt (’02, ’97), 71, of Granbury, Texas, passed away May 9, 2020. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam Era from 1966 to 1976. As a Flight Engineer, he was assigned to Naval Weather Reconnaissance and participated in several Hurricane Hunter Squadrons. Following his military service, Whitsitt worked in the Texas oilfields and then for the Texas Railroad Commission. He went to work for General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin in 1988. He worked with various Air National Guard Units throughout the Midwest, teaching and training maintenance protocols on the F-16 Fighter Jet. Prior to his retirement from Lockheed Martin in 2009, Whitsitt was test team supervisor for the F-35 program. He is survived by his wife, Debbie, and four children.
John T. Bente (’84) passed away May 9, 2020. He is survived by his wife, Sharon, of Wimauma, Florida.
Maj. Vince “Woody” Woodward (’78), 77, of Columbus, Georgia, passed away May 4, 2020, reportedly after suffering from the coronavirus. Woodward retired from the U.S. Army as a major and a decorated Vietnam War veteran. His various jobs after his military service included working at GW Pest Control, Riverside Ford and Nix Printing.
Maj. Troy David Campbell (’97) passed away April 30, 2019. After he was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force, he attended undergraduate pilot training and navigator school and received training in the F-111 bomber. Campbell retired as a U.S. Air Force major in 2006. In 2007, he worked with the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), a part of the U.S. government. Campbell worked at Rolls Royce in Bristol, England, assisting on both the Presidential Helicopter and F-135 programs while there. In 2009, Campbell was a supervisor of quality assurance for DCMA, based at Lockheed Martin in Owego, N.Y. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Dawn, and three children.
Brian Lewis (’91), 52, passed away April 30, 2020. He is survived by two daughters and his partner, Gina Chavez.
Richard F. Longley (’85), 61, passed away April 27, 2020, in Concord, New Hampshire. He wore many hats throughout his career, including stints as a realtor, UPS man, rock climbing instructor, singing telegram performer, and most recently as a home contractor. But he was most passionate about his work in aviation equipment sales which allowed him to pursue his love for travel. He is survived by his partner, Judith Fairclough, and two daughters.
Ray Calvert Spees (’95), 42, passed away April 24, 2020, at his residence in Durham, North Carolina.
James M. Beggs (HonDoc ’72), 94, a NASA chief who oversaw more than 20 successful space shuttle launches, passed away April 23, 2020 at his home in Bethesda, Maryland.
Matthew Joseph (Kirsch) Burchfield (’17), 25, passed away April 20, 2020, at Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois, from injuries sustained in a March 23, 2020, automobile accident. Burchfield earned his aerospace engineering degree from Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach, Florida, campus, where he was a member of the Kappa Mu Epsilon Mathematics Honor Society and the Experimental Rocket Propulsion Team, and vice president of ERAU MicroJet Team. Following college, he returned to Illinois and bought his first house with his fiancée, Christina. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local #15, and worked as an auxiliary operator at the Exelon LaSalle County Generating Station.
John R. Crump (’62), 85, passed away April 19, 2020 at Cadia Healthcare in Hagerstown, Maryland. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he was a pilot for a number of years and then became the chief aircraft mechanic with Kelly-Springfield Flight Operations from 1964-1995. Crump is survived by his wife of 55 years, Sandra, and two daughters.
Leon E. Flancher, 83, former chancellor and professor emeritus of Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide Campus, died on April 18, 2020, in Pueblo West, Colorado. He retired from Embry-Riddle in 2002. A lifelong educator, Flancher graduated from Concordia College, received his M.Ed. from the University of North Dakota, and his Ph.D. from Colorado State University.
“Leon set the foundation for the Worldwide Campus,” said Worldwide Chancellor John Watret. “His vision and commitment to make education available to active duty military, veterans and non-traditional students, regardless of where they lived, has certainly influenced the success of the Worldwide Campus today. I am thankful for his dedication to ERAU. He will be missed throughout our community.” The patriarch of a blended family, Flancher is survived by five children and was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Sylvia.
Robert Theodore Thrasher (’63), 77, passed away April 18, 2020 at his home in Fruitland Park, Florida, after a long illness. He grew up in Key West and worked at the Key West airport, where he learned to fly. He earned his FAA A&P and later, commercial pilot certification. In 1963, Thrasher worked as a flight mechanic for Capitol International Airways in Germany and, in 1964, he was hired as a flight engineer by Airlift International. In 1966, he was based in Hawaii flying in and out of Vietnam during the war on DC-7’s. In 1968, he was hired as a B-727 flight engineer by National Airlines and remained there until the merger with Pan Am in 1980. He flew both the B-727 and B-747 until the company closed in 1991, then continued flying with Delta Airlines until he retired in 2002. Thrasher is survived by his wife, Sharon and three children.
CWO Gregory A. Wood (’72), passed away April 14, 2020 in Apollo Beach, Florida. A Vietnam War veteran, Wood is survived by his wife, Patricia and his children.
William K. Falkner (’87), 81, passed away on April 13, 2020, in West Palm Beach, Florida. He served in the U.S. Army. After 38 years with United Airlines, he retired as a 747 Captain and was an airplane mechanic, pilot, amateur historian, and experienced wreck diver. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Jerry, and his son.
Mark A. Radcliffe (’84), 59, of Melrose, Wisconsin, passed away April 11, 2020, in a tractor accident at his farm. He was employed as a pilot for Continental and United Airlines for more than 32 years. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Sherri, and two children. A Celebration of Life/Memorial Service for Radcliffe will be held on June 30, 2020, 6 p.m. at the Melrose Alliance Church, in Melrose, Wisconsin and Facebook Live Streaming begins at 5:45 p.m.
Lt. Col. Charles Simon Kuczaj II (’83), 84, of Golden, Colorado, passed away April 8, 2020. Enlisting in the U.S. Air Force after high school, he served more than 35 years on active duty. Kuczaj attended Aviation Cadet Navigator Training and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. He completed the elite Air Commando Training and served a tour in the Congo and two tours in Vietnam, where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He then completed F-111 training and was stationed in RAF Upper Heyford, England, as the Wing Executive Officer. He then became Commander of the 7261 Munitions Support Squadron at Memmingen Air Base, Germany. Returning to the U.S. in 1981, Kuczaj finished his career at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, as a Commander in satellite operations. After his retirement from the Air Force in 1989, Kuczaj attended the Colorado Peace Officer Training Academy and served 13 years as a Deputy Sheriff for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. He is survived by two children.
Former Board of Visitors member Raymond Joel Johnson, 94, passed away April 7, 2020. His initial flight training was with the WWII Army Air Corps as a flight engineer in the B-29. He was the manager of the Chicago Office of the Illinois State Aeronautics Agency, retiring after 34 years. Johnson moved to Prescott, Arizona, in 1994 and continued an active role in both aviation and aviation education. He was a longtime member of Embry-Riddle’s Board of Visitors at the Prescott Campus. He served as chairman of the National Aeronautic Association’s Education Committee and NAA delegate to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), including serving as president of the Aviation Education Commission. Johnson had a passion for aviation and held a commercial pilots certificate with airplane, glider, and hot air balloon ratings and also held a World Flight Record. Johnson held leadership roles with the Chicago Association Forum, the Balloon Federation of America, the Soaring Society of America, and the National Coalition for Aerospace Education. He was a recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the National Aeronautic Association’s Frank G. Brewer Trophy, the Nile Gold Medal and the Paul Tissandier Diploma from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. He is survived by three children.
Kevin J. McAdoo (’96), 49, of Salem, New Hampshire, who was retired from the U.S. Air Force and a First Officer at JetBlue Airways, passed away April 7, 2020 after reportedly battling COVID-19. McAdoo enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served as an avionics technician on fighter aircraft for four years. After the Navy and graduating from Embry Riddle’s Daytona Campus, he received a commission in the U.S. Air Force through ROTC. He became a C-130 Hercules transport pilot, stationed back in his hometown of Anchorage, Alaska for his first assignment. He participated in many military operations and during one of his Iraq deployments he and his crew earned the Doolittle Award for crew heroism in combat. He retired in 2013 from the Air Force as a Gulfstream V pilot at MacDill Air Force Base, after 20 years of service. Afterwards, together with his wife, he built and sold two successful companies in Tampa, Florida. He then pursued a commercial airline pilot career, first at Express Jet and finally at JetBlue and was based at Boston Logan International Airport. McAdoo is survived by his wife of 17 years, Julie, and two daughters.
Kathleen Denise Shanas Parker (’11), 52, of Enterprise Alabama, passed away April 4, 2020 following a battle with cancer. Parker worked for Delta Airlines and Bell Helicopter and traveled the world. She is survived by her husband of 15 years, Joseph.
Vince E. Poston (’82), 61, passed away April 4, 2020 in Palm Bay, Florida.
Nick Constantine Papayianis (’96, ’00) passed away March 31, 2020 in Dallas, Texas, after a protracted battle with brain cancer. He worked at Lockheed Martin, including at the Skunk Works facility, on the X-33 Space Shuttle replacement demonstrator, and a stint on the F-16 program. Papayianis was a fixture in the BMW Car Club in Dallas for more than 20 years, filling various leadership roles and serving as a driving instructor. He is survived by his wife, Basiliqui "Basi" Garza.
Marvin R. Stokes (’73) passed away Mar. 29, 2020.
Lt. Col. James T. Rich (’02) passed away on Mar. 28, 2020 in Viera, Florida. He received a military commission in the U.S. Air Force, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 2016. During his nearly 23 year career, he served two tours in Korea and three deployments to Iraq and the Middle East and received many other awards for his service. He began his second career working as an engineer with Northrop Grumman Corporation in Melbourne, Florida.
James E. Afflerbach (’84), 60, passed away March 24, 2020.
William “Bill” Charles McClintock (’69), 72, of Meggett, South Carolina, passed away March 22, 2020. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1969, completed pilot training and was stationed at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware and assigned to the 436th Military Airlift Wing, 20th Military Airlift Squadron serving as a Pilot/Aircraft Commander of the C-141 Starlifter. A Vietnam veteran, McClintock was later assigned to the 437th Military Airlift Wing, 20th Military Airlift Squadron, in Charleston, South Carolina until his Air Force commitment ended. He then joined the U.S. Air Force Reserves and continued to fly C-141's under the Military Airlift Command in the 315th Military Airlift Wing Charleston, SC reserves. McClintock was later assigned to McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, where he flew for the 514th Military Airlift Wing, 702 Military Airlift Squadron, until he retired from the reserves after 20 years of Air Force military service as a decorated Lieutenant Colonel in 1990. While in the Air Force Reserves, in 1977, McClintock began working for General Electric Corporate Air Transport in Southbury, Connecticut, and retired in 2003, with a career of 32 years, as a Captain and Training Pilot for many aircraft across their fleet. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Jeanne, and two sons.
Col. Hunter S. Letchman (’07), 44, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, passed away March 17, 2020. He is survived by his wife, Amanda and six children.
Jack M. Patton (’97), 68, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, passed away March 11, 2020. He was retired as a U.S. Air Force inflight refueling boom operator. He is survived by his wife, Patricia, and three sons.
Vice Admiral John P. Currier (’98), 68, who served as the 28th vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard until his 2014 retirement, died March 1, 2020, at his home in Traverse City, Michigan. He was commissioned from Coast Guard Officer Candidate School in 1976, then designated a Naval Aviator in 1977. Currier served as commanding officer of Air Stations Detroit and Miami, then as Pacific Area chief of operations, and became area chief of staff. Promoted to flag rank in 2005, Currier served as assistant commandant for acquisition at headquarters, then as commander of the 13th District in the Pacific Northwest. In 2009, he assumed the duties of the Coast Guard’s chief of staff, then transitioned to the first deputy commandant for mission support. He served as vice commandant from 2012 to 2014. Currier is survived by his wife, Mary Jane, and two sons.
Shane Corbitt (’92), 51, passed away Feb. 26, 2020. He was an aeronautical engineer and a private pilot.
Capt. John Richard Charles (’44), of Daytona Beach, Florida, passed away Feb 17, 2020. A WWII veteran who received many awards, Charles flew transport aircraft in the U.S. Army Air Corps. After serving in the military, he went on to have successful careers in the banking and real estate industries in Pennsylvania and Florida. He is survived by his wife Joyce and four children.
Brittani N. Berg (’11), 31, passed away Feb. 13, 2020, in Phoenix, Arizona. After graduating with a degree in space physics, she worked as a teacher and patent analyst. She is survived by her husband, Devan.
Randy Steven Smith (’01), 64, of Huntsville, Alabama, passed away Jan. 29, 2020. Smith served four years with the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam era. Following his military service, he worked for Lockheed Martin, Rockwell International, BAE Systems, PP&G and other aeronautical companies. Smith is survived by his wife, Shelley, and two daughters.
U.S. Air Force Capt. Ryan S. Phaneuf (’12), 30, of Hudson, New Hampshire, was killed Jan. 27, 2020 in a crash of a Bombardier E-11A communications plane in Afghanistan. Phaneuf was a B-1 heavy bomber pilot assigned to the 37th Bomb Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. The co-pilot of the plane that crashed in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, he was serving his country on a voluntary deployment supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
He graduated from Embry-Riddle with a B.S. degree in Applied Meteorology, then joined the U.S. Air Force in 2012. Meteorology Professor Tom Guinn was Phaneuf’s faculty advisor and remembers him as always wearing a smile on his face. Guinn said about him that, “What I always admired most about Ryan was that he never backed down from life challenges. Meteorology was never really his passion; however, he knew the degree was a means to his real goal of flying as an Air Force officer. He would go on to be an exceptional pilot in the Air Force, so much so that he was selected to become a flight instructor immediately following his initial flight training.”
He is survived by his wife Megan, who is also a meteorologist. Embry-Riddle’s U.S. AFROTC Detachment 157 assembled for a moment of silence, remembrance, and prayer at the Detachment’s opening formation Feb. 7, at the ERAU Track & Field Complex, to honor Phaneuf, an alumnus of AFROTC Det. 157. Det. 157 also dedicated their morning physical training and campus run to Phaneuf.
Lt. Col. Christopher Gerald Willander (’97), 57, of Mashpee, Massachusetts, died Jan. 25, 2020 at Boston Medical Center after a brief illness. Willander served in the U.S. Air Force for 30 years until his retirement. He is survived by his three children.
Mark “Novo” Nowosielski (’00), one of the two stars of Twin Tigers Aerobatic Team, died Jan. 25, 2020 in a plane crash that also killed his passenger Nathan Sorenson, the 13-year-old son of Nowosielski’s flying partner Mark Sorenson. The crash occurred at a private airstrip in Senoia, Georgia, in a small Mustang II plane that Nowosielski had reportedly purchased recently. He was a long-time member of the U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team. Originally from South Africa, Nowosielski lived in Ocala, Florida and his full time job was as a Boeing 737 pilot for Southwest Airlines.
Diane L. Wilson (’02), 73, of Cape May County, New Jersey, passed away Jan. 25, 2020. Wilson worked as a contractor and government computer specialist and system engineer for the Federal Aviation Administration at the William J. Hughes Technical Center and as a computer scientist and system engineer in Modeling & Simulation and other areas for the Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration at the center’s Aviation Security Lab, retiring in 2008. She is survived by two children.
Esteban S. Oquendo, Jr. (’80), 64, passed away Jan. 25, 2020.
Michael Fingerhut (’87), 72, of Collinsville, Illinois, passed away Jan. 22, 2020.
Jeffrey D. Munzell (’77), 66, of Bradenton, Florida passed away Jan. 21, 2020 suddenly in his home. He worked at Tamiami Airport as a line service worker, then at Air Carolina, Orion Air (UPS), Air Atlanta and Metro Airlines. He was hired by United Airlines in 1985, retiring as a Boeing 777 Captain in 2018, after almost 33 years of service. Munzell is survived by his wife of 27 years, Jane and three children.
Charles Samuel Miller (’78), 88, passed away on Jan.19, 2020, at his home in Gloucester, Virginia. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years and, following his retirement, he worked at Ft. Eustis as an air traffic controller for more than 20 years. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Alberta, and two children.
Vann V. Cleveland (’69), 77, of McCormick, South Carolina, passed away Jan. 17, 2020 at the VA hospital in Augusta, Georgia. He was in the U.S. Army and served during Vietnam. Later, he worked for the state of Virginia. He is survived by his wife Carol and a son.
Roger James Richardson (’17) passed away Jan. 10, 2020 in St. Louis, Missouri. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at age 18 and served for 26 years. During his career, he was a crew chief on a C-5 Galaxy, traveling around the world. He retired as a senior master sergeant and, later, was employed by a civilian contractor working for the military.
Embry-Riddle faculty member Shahrdad Sajjadi, 58, of Palm Coast, Florida, passed away suddenly on Jan. 6, 2020. A professor of mathematics, Sajjadi, nicknamed “Shar,” worked at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach, Florida campus since 2005 in a variety of academic roles. A message from university Human Resources stated that “Dr. Sajjadi added depth and breadth to the department through his research on theoretical fluid mechanics and helped start the degree program in Computational Mathematics.” Born in Tehran, Iran, he graduated from Coventry University in England with a Bachelor of Science and Doctorate in Philosophy. Later, he earned another Doctorate in Science at Cambridge University. With more than 35 years in the education and research arena, Sajjadi received numerous accolades and served as the chair of the mathematics department, director of research, and professor of theoretical fluid mechanics while at the university. He published over 200 journal articles and several books. Sajjadi is survived by his wife of 18 years, LuAnn.
Gary O’Connell died January 6, 2020, in Indiana. Born in Central Illinois, he left his home state to pursue his aviation career, which spanned 40 years. He served two tours of duty in Vietnam with the United States Navy, achieving the rank of captain. He later served his country in Desert Storm as a crew chief with the United States Air Force. He retired from the Air Force with 30 years of service.
Robert Harrilchak (‘84), 75, of Moline, Illinois, passed away Jan. 2, 2020 at his home. He retired as a Lieutenant Commander for the U.S. Navy in 1992. Later, he retired from the Rock Island Arsenal in 2019, after 11 years as a contract specialist. Harrilchak is survived by his two children.
Embry-Riddle student Terry Yennhi Lam, 19, of Stockbridge, Georgia, passed away Jan. 2, 2020. She was a software engineering student at the Daytona Beach campus.
Laura Lynn (Stephens) Ward (‘86), of Canfield, Ohio, passed away Jan. 1, 2020 after a four-year battle with breast cancer. Ward worked in the aviation field, before having children. She is survived by her husband, Bob and three children.
Joseph A. “Joe” Henebry III (’69), 77, of Peachtree City, Georgia, passed away Dec. 27, 2019. Drafted to the U.S. Army in 1964, Henebry was assigned to aircraft mechanic’s school and served in South Vietnam. He helped maintain a fleet of 32 DeHaviland Caribou Transport aircraft used by the Army to support bases and recover U.S. aircraft shot down in remote locations. After his military service, Henebry was recruited by Delta Air Lines as a mechanic in Atlanta. He served in four different director positions in the Delta Tech Ops Division, retiring in 2000 after a 32-year career. He is survived by his wife of more than 44 years, Diane, and three sons.
CW4 Richard T. Schillo, Jr. (’89), 62, of Clarksville, Tennessee, passed away Dec. 27, 2019, at his residence. A retired U.S. Army Veteran, he was a broker with Crye-Leike Realtors. Schillo is survived by his wife, S. Kay, and two children.
Adam M. Kabel (’96), 46, of Chicago, Illinois, passed away Dec. 26, 2019.
Douglas K. Davis (’94, ’95), 61, of Dothan, Alabama, died Dec. 25, 2019 shortly after he apparently suffered a heart attack, while attempting to land the helicopter air ambulance in Alabama, according to an AINonline.com article. Davis was the pilot of the Survival Flight Bell 407 with three crew aboard, which was returning to the company base at Headland, Alabama. The helicopter rolled onto its side just short of the helipad. The two other crewmembers were uninjured and there was no patient onboard. Serving in the U.S. Army, Davis retired as an Apache instructor, but continued his career flying EMS. He then flew overseas as a contractor and most recently came back to Fort Rucker as an instructor again. He was certified in more than nine helicopters. Davis is survived by his wife Leni and two children.
Lt. Col Mathew “Pyro” McCarty (’99) passed away Dec. 25, 2019, after a long battle with cancer. He served as an F16 pilot in the U.S. Air Force and Arizona Air National Guard for more than 17 years. He is survived by his wife Sara and two children.
Candace Marie Evans (’97), 57, of West Palm Beach, Florida, passed away Dec. 18, 2019.
Glenn B. Wilder (’97, ’02), 78, passed away Nov. 28, 2019 in Oklahoma. Enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1959, he served as jet aircraft engine mechanic at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Korea, and Kirkland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico. He worked consecutively in the jet engine repair business for TK International, NORDAM and eventually Pratt and Whitney, retiring in 2007 after 37 years as manager of customer technical support. After retirement, he worked part-time assisting small manufacturing companies in obtaining FAA Repair Certification. In 2010, he was awarded the Charles Taylor Award for 50 years in aviation. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Janet, and two sons.
Kpehe Ngaima (’96), 43, of Plymouth, Minnesota, passed away on Nov. 27, 2019.
Katherine Von Stetina Irwin (’78) passed away Nov. 27, 2019 in Kingwood, Texas. Katherine was offered a job as a pilot for an international airline and honorably declined the offer to raise their two children. She was a part of the H.R. department in the retail industry. She is survived by her husband of 39 years, Richard, who she met at Embry-Riddle, and their two adult children, Courtney Ann and Christopher Blake.
CSM Dicty Lavant Missouri (U.S. Army Ret.), ('99), passed away on Nov. 27, 2019. Dicty enlisted active duty in the Army in April 1971. He retired as a CSM (E9) after 30 years of meritorious service. In 1992, he completed the Army Sergeants Major Academy in Fort Bliss, Texas. During his extensive military career, he was awarded numerous decorations, medals, badges, citations, and campaign ribbons: the Meritorious Service Medal (3 awards), the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal (9 awards), and many additional commendations of military service. He also held a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from McKendree College and a Master of Business Administration degree from Embry-Riddle.
John Reynold Wysocki (’58) passed away Nov. 23, 2019 in Seal Beach, California.
Reginald A. Murray (’90) passed away Nov. 17, 2019 in Auburn, California. In 1987, he retired as a Colonel in the U.S. Air , following 30 years of service. During his career, he was a command pilot of multiple aircraft with over 5,000 flight hours in the F-86D Sabrejet, the B-47 Stratojet bomber, the HH-53 Super Jolly Green helicopter, and as an instructor in the T-37 primary trainer. He served one tour in the Vietnam War, as a rescue helicopter pilot. His final assignment was as Comptroller at McClellan Air Force Base. Following retirement from the Air Force, he taught aeronautics and flight safety at Embry Riddle. He is survived by two sons.
Leo Joseph Haigley (’78) passed away Nov. 9, 2019, in Franklin, Tennessee. He worked for National Airlines at Washington National Airport, then later transferred to Miami International Airport. Haigley became an adjunct professor in aviation management in 1978 and remained active for 34 years. He moved to National’s corporate office in Miami, serving as a manager in marketing and industrial relations until his retirement in 1986. He then joined Adelphia Cable Communications, as the Florida regional manager of customer service until he retired in 1993. He served as director of academic standards at Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide Campus in Miami from 1996-2007. In 2009, he joined Miami Dade Eig-Waston School of Aviation and worked as an academic adviser and adjunct professor until 2018. Haigley is survived by his wife, Donna, and a daughter.
Samuel Ward Fritz (’04), 47, passed away Nov. 4, 2019, after battling a rare blood cancer called multiple myeloma. He worked most recently as a pilot for Florida West, flying the Boeing 767ER aircraft. Fritz share this passion with his father, a retired airline captain who flew numerous types of airplanes, including the 767.
Retired Maj. Brooks W. “Buster” Lovelace, Jr. (’50), 94, of Valdosta, Georgia, died Nov. 3, 2019 at Langdale Hospice House. He volunteered with the Civil Air Patrol at St. Simons Island, Georgia during World War II and, in 2014, he and the other Civil Air Patrol members received the Congressional Gold Medal for their wartime efforts. Joining the U.S. Air Force, he served as a navigator in a B-52 bomber during the Korean era and the Vietnam War. Lovelace primarily served in SAC- Strategic Air Command during the height of the Cold War and retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1969 as a Major. After retirement, he served as the district scout executive for the Chehaw Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Later, he worked for Rockwell Aircraft and Ayres Company for several years. He is survived by four sons.
James C. Doering (’72), 72, passed away Nov. 3, 2019 in Cape Coral, Florida.
Robert J. Szydlo (’69), 77, of Newington, Connecticut, died suddenly on Oct. 31, 2019, at Hartford Hospital of complications, following a brief illness. He served in the U.S. Air Force and earned his pilot's license. He is survived by his wife Jo-Deen and one daughter.
Joseph Michael “Mike” Kruszynski (’72), 72, passed away Oct. 27, 2019. He served as a U.S. Army Warrant Officer and flew the Cobra helicopter in Vietnam, receiving a Bronze Star and other medals. Kruszynski worked as an airline pilot and a USPS supervisor for 28 years. He is survived by his wife Sandy and one son.
Robert H. Campbell (’57), 76, passed away Oct. 24, 2019, in Buffalo General Hospital. He earned his pilot's certificate, before he attained an automobile driver’s license. A Miami Campus graduate, he was a manufacturing engineer at the Ford Motor Company in St. Louis, Missouri, retiring in 1995, after 30 years. He was also active in the Air National Guard. He was a member of the Airplane Owners and Pilots Association, Vintage Airplane Association and Experimental Aircraft Association. Campbell is survived by his wife, Anita, and four children.
Scott Socquet (‘91), 53, of Milford, Connecticut, passed away Oct. 23, 2019 when the helicopter he was piloting went down near the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada, according to a News-Times (Danbury, Connecticut) article. He and his half-brother, Howard “Ben” Jameson, who was a passenger on the sightseeing flight, both died of injuries sustained in the crash. Socquet was a commercial pilot with three decades of experience and affiliated with Epic Aviation Management, an aircraft sales and management company, according to the article. Socquet is survived by his wife Jessica and two children.
Dale G. Heckman (’57), 85, passed away Oct. 19, 2019, after a four-year battle with Alzheimer's disease. He started his career with Capital Airlines in 1957 in Washington, DC, then after the airline merged with United Airlines, he was transferred to San Francisco. Heckman retired as a lead aircraft mechanic from United Airlines in 1997 after 40 years of service. He is survived by Sue, his wife of 51 years, and three sons.
Orion Evans McMahon (’97), 44, of San Clemente, California, passed away Oct. 18, 2019, after a battle with brain cancer. He was an airline pilot, most recently employed by United Airlines. He is survived by his wife Michelle, who is also a pilot, and two daughters.
Richard Alan Warner (’76), 66, passed away Oct. 17, 2019 in Germanton, North Carolina. He was a pilot with Comair until retirement. He is survived by his wife Laura.
Jack H. Thompson (’05), 91, who had served as director of Embry Riddle Worldwide’s Ft. Eustis Campus in Virginia, passed away Oct. 14, 2019, at his Yorktown, Virginia home. Thompson served for 28 years in the U.S. Army and was a master aviator, certified to fly both fixed wing and helicopters. After retiring from the Army, he worked for Embry Riddle’s Worldwide Campus as director at the Ft. Eustis Campus in Virginia. He earned his second master’s degree from Embry-Riddle at the age of 76 and continued to work at the campus office until he died. He is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Mary Louise, and two daughters,
Richard E. DeMars (’59), 85, of Fergus Falls, Minnesota passed away Oct.1, 2019. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a B-36 mechanic. Later, he was employed as a mechanic with United Airlines in Denver. In the early 1970s, he started his own aircraft engine overhaul & design business in Ft. Collins, Colorado and served customers from the air racing and championship aerobatic worlds. DeMars sold his aviation business in 1997. He is survived by his wife Barbara and two children.
Michael W. Dolphin (’68), 73, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts and Ft. Myers, Florida, passed away September 30, 2019. Dolphin was a pilot for more than 50 years, working at Yankee Airlines in Pittsfield and Richmor Aviation in Hudson, New York. Later, he served as president of Jet Systems at the Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Marian "Mimi," and two children.
Roger A. Rennick (’94), 79, of Chesapeake, Virginia, passed away on Sept. 21, 2019. Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Bonnie and two children.
James H. Connell (’59), 84, of Independence, Iowa, passed away Sept. 19, 2019. A Miami Campus graduate, he was an accomplished pilot, mechanic and airport manager with a more than 50-year career. Connell was recently inducted into the Iowa Aviation Museum as a “2nd Generation Pioneer.” He also received the FAA’s Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award in 2010 for 50 years of violation-free maintenance of aircraft and an award for 50 years of accident-free piloting. His name is the Roll of Honor in the Orville Wright Federal Building in Washington, DC. He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Karen, and six children.
Capt. Chesley Wells Berry (’64), 79 of Johnston, South Carolina, passed away Sept. 18, 2019. A Miami Campus graduate, Berry retired from US Airways and was a member of the US Airways Soaring Eagles and Piedmont Airlines Silver Eagles. In 2010, he received the FAA’s Master Pilot Award for flying more than 50 years with no violations or accidents. He is survived by two daughters.
David Charles Thill (’79) passed away Sept. 16, 2019 in Enterprise, Alabama.
David Rowand (’81), 61, of Nevada, passed away Sept. 14, 2019. After graduating from Embry-Riddle, Rowand served as a fighter pilot with the U.S. Air Force and flew F-4s and F-16s. After rising to the rank of Major, Rowand left the service for a career as a Captain with Southwest Airlines for 30 years. Rowand is survived by his wife Andrea and three children.
William L. Scheri (’60), 84, passed away Sept. 8, 2019. He was a jet engine mechanic in the U. S. Air Force, stationed in Alaska and South Dakota. He worked for Mohawk Airlines as an aircraft mechanic, becoming actively involved with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM & AW) and serving in numerous union positions. Scheri became the assistant airline coordinator for the IAM at their national headquarters in Washington, D.C. Later, he was promoted to airline coordinator, then vice president of transportation for the IAM. In 1994, after 40 years of representing workers, he retired. Scheri is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Audrey and two children.
Mary Frances Sobzack (’88), 52, of Port Orange, Florida, passed away Sept. 5, 2019. Sobzack attended Embry-Riddle, before attending U.S. Air Force Pilot Training and serving as an officer and pilot in the West Virginia Air National Guard. She flew C-130 transport aircraft and conducted missions all over the world. In 1998, Sobzack was hired as a pilot with United Airlines and she flew several aircraft, including the B-737, the A-320 and finally the B-777. She is survived by her husband, Jeff and two children.
Sgt. Varanda Lucarious Jones Huffman (’93) of Stafford, Virginia, passed away August 31, 2019. Huffman served in the U.S. Air Force from 1987 until 1991, and received a honorable discharge. She was an air traffic control operator at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas and awarded numerous citations. She was employed in various capacities with the Federal Aviation Administration since 2001. Her last duty was working as a management and program assistant in the Flight Standards Office of Flight Technologies in Washington, D.C. Huffman is survived by her husband, Bryon, and three children.
Steven T. Utz (’94), 49, passed away Aug. 13, 2019 in Denton, Texas. He loved flying and reached his life-long dream of becoming a pilot. Utz is survived by his wife, Lisa, and two daughters.
Jeffrey Scott Lewis (’89, ’94) passed away on Aug. 7, 2019 in Dallas, Texas.
Trustee Emeritus John C. ‘Jay’ Adams Jr. (HonDoc ’08), 83, passed away Aug. 7, 2019. Adams was passionate about the university he helped bring to the Daytona Beach area from Miami in 1965, as a member of the Committee of 100. The volunteer committee was formed to attract and recruit industry and jobs to the area, but Adams' dedication to the then-flight school would surpass even his expectations. In 2015, at the 50th anniversary of Embry-Riddle’s move to Daytona Beach — called Operation Bootstrap, because of the volunteer labor and sweat equity it took to move the school — Adams beamed: “Obviously, I’m very proud of [Embry-Riddle]. We’ve come a long way. It makes all the work worthwhile.” “We owe a debt of gratitude to Jay for his service as a chairman and member of our Board of Trustees,” says university President P. Barry Butler. “In his 41 years as a board member, he worked with every president of the university. He was also an Eagle ‘super fan’ who supported our athletes with internship opportunities and scholarship funds.” As a trustee, Adams led the university's major capital campaigns that funded the construction of the ICI Center, the University Sports Complex and the Crotty Tennis Complex. His efforts put Embry-Riddle on the map, literally. Adams Hall, a residence hall on campus, is named in his honor. A stalwart supporter of Eagle Athletics, in 2015, Adams was honored as a distinguished member of the Embry-Riddle Athletics Hall of Fame. And, in 2017, he and his wife, Leila, were celebrated at the annual Blue & Gold Gala for their more than 50 years of dedication and support to the university and the athletics program.
“Embry-Riddle benefited directly from his generosity and from his tireless advocacy for Daytona Beach,” Butler says. Adams is survived by his wife, Leila Johnson Adams, daughters Julie Adams Rand and Ruthie Pickett (King Pickett), and three grandchildren: Caroline Carter Rand, Leila Elizabeth Pickett and Carly Crafts Pickett. Help celebrate Adams' life and passion for Embry-Riddle. Contribute to the Jay and Leila Adams Family Athletic Endowed Scholarship. WATCH: Jay and Leila Adams were honored in 2017 at the Blue & Gold Gala for their longstanding commitment to Embry-Riddle, see the video about them here.
Jay Alan Gorham pursued his passion for flying as a fighter pilot instructor in the US Air Force and was stationed at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas, eventually earning the rank of captain. He earned his Master's in Aeronautical Science in 1991.
Charles Z. Walker (’08), 33, was killed July 31, 2019 when the F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet that he was piloting through a Death Valley canyon crashed into a ravine wall at high speed, according to Navy officials. Walker was from Strike Fighter Squadron 151, also known as the Vigilantes, which is based at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California. He was described as an “incredible naval aviator,” a son and a husband by the commander of Strike Fighter Wing Pacific, Navy Capt. James Bates. Walker was commissioned a Naval officer in December 2008 through the Navy ROTC program at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida, and he completed flight school in September 2009, according to his service records.
Daniel Marcus Tidgwell (’07), 35, passed away July 22, 2019 at his home in Woodbury, Connecticut. He was a co-pilot for American Airlines. In the last year, he was an employee at Riordan Surveying.
Southwest Airlines Capt. Lowell Keith Syers, II (’95), 51, of Canton, Georgia, passed away July 22, 2019 from glioblastoma. Syers retired from the Army Reserves in 2007 as a Chief Warrant Officer 4. Syers flew Hueys, C-12s and UC35s in the U.S. Army and was active duty for 13 years. He served in conflicts in Desert Storm, Bosnia and Afghanistan and was buried with full honors at the Georgia National Cemetery. He flew for Netjets for about five years and Southwest for 14 years. He is survived by his wife Tonya and a son and daughter, who are both following their father in the military.
Ronald Chivers (’65), 81, of Sugar Mountain, North Carolina, passed away July 19, 2019. He served in the U.S. Air Force for four years, after which he got an aeronautical engineering degree from Embry-Riddle. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and two daughters.
Daytona Beach student Caleb Cole Driggers, 26, died July 2, 2019 in a motorcycle accident near campus. A junior majoring in aeronautical science, he was also a veteran, serving seven years in the U.S. Army as a technical inspector for UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopters. Driggers is survived by his fiancée Kamlia Lysenko and six siblings.
Longtime Embry-Riddle supporter George R. Mendonca, of San Mateo, California, passed away at home on June 25, 2019. Mendonca established an endowed scholarship fund for aviation students at Embry Riddle’s Prescott, Arizona campus. Starting in 1955 as an aircraft mechanic for Pan American World Airways, he then joined the U.S. Air Force Aviation Cadet Pilot training program in 1957. After he was honorably discharged in 1965, he joined United Airlines, eventually becoming a Captain in 1985. Retiring from United Airlines in 1994, Mendonca stayed active in many aviation clubs and associations and built and flew his own kit airplanes. He participated in Young Eagles, flying with 1,800 children from 1995 – 2015, and volunteered as a docent for more than 20 years at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos. Mendonca is survived by three daughters
Former faculty member Thomas “Tommy” Townsend, 74, passed away June 24, 2019 in Chandler, Arizona. A retired America West Airlines captain, Townsend was a Naval Aviator until he was honorably discharged in 1976. Townsend was an assistant professor for Embry-Riddle Worldwide Aeronautical University in the Greater Phoenix area.
Michael C. Crutchfield (’89) passed away on June 22, 2019.
Former Board of Trustee member David Rummel, M.D., 94, passed away June 19, 2019 in Prescott, Arizona. During the Korean Conflict, Rummel served as a flight surgeon for U.S. Navy/VMF 232. Rummel began his medical career in Massillon, Ohio, and in 1961 moved his family to Prescott, Arizona, and was the first ophthalmologist practicing north of Phoenix. He was a charter member of the Arizona Ophthalmological Society and served a few terms as its president. Rummel was an accomplished pilot, both fixed wing and rotary, and an. active supporter of Embry Riddle’s Prescott Campus. In 1980, Rummel, who served on the Embry-Riddle Board of Trustees from 1979 to 1982, made the first major contribution to the Prescott Campus. Rummel remained a consistent donor to the university and the board later named Rummel Road on the Prescott Campus in his honor. He also served on the Prescott Campus’ Board of Visitors from 2001-2014. He is survived by his five children.
Former faculty member retired U.S. Navy Capt. Richard E. Carlson, M.D. passed away June 15, 2019 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Joining the Navy in 1964, he interned at Bethesda Naval Hospital, was accepted into U.S. Navy Flight School, and became a flight surgeon. He returned to Bethesda Naval Hospital for his ophthalmology residency, then transferred to Portsmouth Naval Hospital. Carlson retired from the Navy after 10 years active duty and began his private ophthalmologist practice in Norfolk, Virginia. He joined the U.S. Naval Reserve as a flight surgeon. He was a senior medical examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration and taught aviation, physiology, and physics at Embry-Riddle. After closing his practice, he joined the Mid-Atlantic Eye Care Practice, where in semi-retirement he did FAA flight physicals on pilots. He is survived by his wife Susan and two children.
Joseph "Joe" George Hajcak (’73) passed away June 6, 2019 in Pensacola, Florida. A Daytona Beach alumnus, Hajcak was an aviator for the U.S. Navy and flew blimps, dirigibles, and airplanes. He flew airships for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and became pilot-in-charge of the Miami Goodyear Blimp crew. Hajcak flew in two movies, over numerous sporting events and traveled to Canada, Mexico, and all over the U.S. Once retired, Joe volunteered at the Pensacola National Naval Aviation Museum for more than 18 years. He is survived by his wife of more than 50 years, Patsy, and one daughter.
Dennis Riddle (’95) passed away June 4, 2019. He was a 26-year U.S. Air Force veteran. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Carol, and two children.
Phillip L. Herron (’89), 51, passed away Tuesday June 4, 2019 at Summit Medical Center after battling pancreatic cancer. He loved aviation and owned a Flight School in Daytona for many years. He presently worked with WGA, where he traveled the world. He was also on the Airport Commission in Lebanon, Tennessee.
David A. Forney (’68) passed away June 3, 2019 in Crawfordville, Florida. A Daytona Beach Campus alumnus, Forney served in the U.S. Air Force from 1961-1965. Forney joined Northwest Airlines, and over a period of 35 years, he advanced from being an aircraft mechanic to the manager of maintenance at Boston Logan Airport. After he retired from Northwest, he joined the new Pan Am as the director of maintenance for two years. He served as a member of the board of directors of East Coast Aero Tech in Bedford, Massachusetts and taught Aircraft Maintenance for five years at the school. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Hazel, and three children.
James G. Benedetto (’97), 61, of Lake Worth, Florida passed away on June 1, 2019. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran.
John Nathan Hutchison Jr. (’87), 61, passed away May 30, 2019 in a fatal plane crash in Wasilla, Alaska. He was flying an experimental aircraft when people saw the plane having mechanical issues and crashed near the Wasilla Airport. Hutchison was the only person on board the plane. Hutchison started flying at 15 years old and flew almost every day until his death. He worked as a skydive pilot, freight pilot, airline pilot, flight instructor, aerobatic pilot and instructor pilot, bush pilot and corporate pilot.
Charles Eric Benson, 56, died May 27. 2019, in an aircraft accident. He began his career with the United States Army as a UH-60 helicopter pilot and served 25 years. He earned his Master's in Aeronautical Science in 2005. In civilian life, he worked for the National Parks Service as a regional safety manager for 11 years.
Steven M. Turley (’14), 28, passed away May 26, 2019 in San Luis Obispo, California on his way home from attending his friends' military promotion in California. A Prescott Campus graduate, Turley was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force in 2015 and had been employed at Honda of America Manufacturing in Marysville, Ohio. The Steven M. Turley Memorial Scholarship at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott, Arizona Campus has been created in his honor. To contribute, email Steve Bobinsky, executive director of philanthropy at Embry-Riddle Prescott, or call (928) 777-4210.
Chief Master Sgt. Donald L. Yeager Jr. (’88) passed away May 25, 2019, in Des Moines, Iowa. Retired from the U.S. Air Force, Yeager served for 21 years, including in the Vietnam Conflict. He is survived by his wife Anita and three children.
James Creighton Welch (‘71), 75, of Landrum, South Carolina, passed away May 25, 2019 at the Hospice House of the Carolina Foothills. A Daytona Beach Campus alumnus, he was a U.S. Army 82nd Airborne veteran, who served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade during Vietnam. He owned a pest control business. He is survived by his wife Carol, and three children.
Theodore R. McLean (’64), 83, passed away May 21, 2019 at Reche Canyon Regional Rehab Center in Colton, California.
DeeDee A. (Farster) Willard (’94) passed away May 20, 2019 in Leesburg, Virginia. A Daytona Beach alumna, she is survived by her husband Paul and two children.
Maj. Dwight Clifton Cheek (‘75), 72, passed away May 13, 2019 in his home, after a battle with cancer. He enlisted in the Army in 1966, attending Officer Candidate School and flight schools in Fort Wolters, Texas and Fort Rucker, Alabama. He was deployed to Vietnam to fly Armed Light Observation helicopters. While in Vietnam, Cheek served with the 1st Squadron 4th Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division. He later served as Army Liaison, Amphibious Force, Sixth Fleet, US Naval Forces Europe at the time of the Embassy bombing in Lebanon. He also served as an Instructor Pilot at Fort Rucker, Alabama several times. Prior to retiring in 1986, Cheek served as the Army advisor to the 45th Aviation Battalion, Oklahoma National Guard. He retired to Mount Dora, Florida and worked as a land surveyor for a number of years. Cheek is survived by his son.
Heinz Verich Lange (’72) passed away May 10, 2019 in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Former faculty member Cmdr. Irving E. Morrill, 98, passed away May 5, 2019. A naval aviator in WWII and the Korean Conflict, he retired from 36 years combined military and government service in 1980. Morrill taught at Embry-Riddle for many years. He is survived by his four children.
Kenneth O. Harbour (’51), 94, of Jasper, Georgia, passed away May 3, 2019. A Miami Campus graduate, Harbour was a World War II veteran, joining the U.S. Navy and serving as an air traffic controller at a Navy fighter pilot training base. After his military service, he joined the Federal Aviation Administration, then known as the Civil Aeronautics Association. He retired from the FAA in 1976, after rising through the ranks from an ATC specialist to a senior executive. Harbour is survived by his wife of 40 years, Nina, and two children.
Edward O. Broach (’63), 89, of Mooresville, North Carolina, passed away May 2, 2019. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving three years during the Korean Conflict. A Miami Campus alumnus, he was a co-pilot and chief mechanic on DC-3 and Convair aircraft for S&W Cafeterias for 12 years and then continued his career as head of maintenance for the Cafeterias. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Willia, and a son.
Walter E. Whitacre (’68, ’05, ’13), 87, of Huntsville, Alabama, passed away May 2, 2019. A Worldwide Campus alumnus, he was an engineer for NASA for nearly 40 years. Whitacre was also an adjunct assistant professor and director of academics at Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide Campus. He served 32 years in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and 51 years in the U.S. Power Squadron. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Donna Lee, and three sons.
Taylor A. Brennan (’11), 29, a Prescott Campus graduate, passed away on May 1, 2019. A native of Arizona and raised in Prescott, Brennan was the operations manager for Yavapai Regional Medical Center Physician Care for three years, before joining Prescott Outpatient Surgical Center as their administrator. He later accepted the job of CFO for Gallus Detox Centers in Prescott and Scottsdale. He consulted for various physician offices, billing companies and clients who were starting their own businesses, through his company, Brennan Strategy Group. The Taylor Brennan Memorial Scholarship Fund at Embry-Riddle has been created in his honor. Click here to donate.
Former faculty member David Comstock Hazen, 91, passed away on April 27, 2019 at Talbot Hospice House in Easton, Maryland. Hazen spent 33 years teaching in the Aeronautical Engineering Department at Princeton University, until retiring as Professor Emeritus in 1982. Pursuing a second career, he served as the executive director of the Commission on Engineering and Technology at the National Research Council from 1980-1985. In 1992, he came out of retirement to teach at Embry Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus and served as chairman of the Aerospace Department and Dean of Graduate Studies until 1995. Hazen is survived by his wife of 70 years, Mary Ann, and two children.
Helicopter Program Chair Rucie Moore (’98), who was a professor and helicopter program chair at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus, died April 16, 2019, in a private helicopter crash near Fountain Hills, Arizona. Moore was a full-time faculty member. He previously spent five years as an adjunct professor for both the Prescott and Worldwide campuses. He was also a past member of the College of Aviation Industry Advisory Board. Before joining Embry-Riddle, Moore was a decorated helicopter test pilot for the U.S. Army.
“Our dear colleague, Rucie Moore, was an outstanding pilot, an Army veteran and distinguished faculty member with deep experience in the flight test arena,” said Prescott Campus Chancellor Frank Ayers. “His many contributions to the education of our students, including his extensive real-world experience, was immeasurable. The entire Embry-Riddle family, our faculty, students and staff, feel his loss and extend our thoughts and prayers to his family.”
Yang Ho Cho (HonDoc ’98), 70, chairman and CEO of Korean Air and the Hanjin Group, passed away April 7, 2019, in a Los Angeles hospital after a brief illness.
Kenneth L. Mitchell (’61), 77, passed away April 4, 2019 in Ellsworth, Maine from a glioblastoma. He was a commercial pilot for 40 years. A Miami Campus graduate, Mitchell served in the U.S. Army in Korea during peacetime, flying Huey helicopters. He is survived by his wife, Mary, and three children.
Donald J. Cambria (’61), 81, passed away April 2, 2019, at his Chestertown, New York home. He served in the U.S. Air Force as an air policeman at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas, from 1955 to 1958. A Miami Campus graduate, he was hired by Pan American World Airways as an airframe and powerplant mechanic. Later, he worked as a flight dispatcher for TWA, retiring in 1997 to the Adirondacks. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Mary, and two daughters.
Kevin L. Schafer (’12), 39, of Lincoln, Nebraska, died April 1, 2019, at his home. A Worldwide Campus graduate with a bachelor’s degree in aviation safety, Schafer served as plane captain for F-18 fighter jets in the U.S. Navy from 1997 to 2004. He is survived by his wife, Amber, and their four children
Steven Joseph Uhrin (’79), 69, of rural Rossville, Indiana, passed away March 30, 2019, due to a brain tumor. Enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1968, he served in the Vietnam War, and worked as an air traffic controller. In 1990 and achieving the rank of chief master sergeant, Uhrin retired at Grissom Air Force Base with 21 years of service. A Worldwide Campus graduate, he also worked at A.E. Staley in Lafayette for five years and was a rural carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Russiaville.
Sr. Master Sgt. William S. Rahiser (’05), 56, passed away March 23, 2019, at his home in Michigan. Rahiser entered the U.S. Air Force at age 17, where he served as a loadmaster on a C130. A Worldwide Campus graduate, he cross-trained to become a flight engineer on a KC10 air to air refueler, a slot he held in the Air Force Reserve until 2013. Rahiser served in both Desert Storm and Desert Shield, attained the status of senior master sergeant and was honored with more than 40 awards and decorations for his service. He joined Atlas Airlines as a co-pilot on a 747, a position he held until his illness grounded him in 2017.
Guy R. Shore, Jr. (’72), 73, passed away March 23, 2019 at his home in Georgia. A Daytona Beach Campus alumnus, Shore was a retired U.S. Air Force Major serving during the Vietnam era and also a retired pilot for United Airlines. He is survived by his wife Sandra and three daughters.
James W. Hill (’11), 38, passed away March 21, 2019, at his parents’ residence in Sylvania, Georgia. A Worldwide Campus graduate, Hill was an engineer.
Maj. Ralph Rushworth (’87), 83, passed away March 20, 2019, in Syracuse, New York. He served more than 20 years, including time in Vietnam, as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and retired in 1978. A Worldwide Campus graduate, he continued to fly commercially in 44 different aircraft, for more than 15,000 hours, retiring again at age 69 from Aero Union. Rushworth is survived by his wife of more than 61 years, Dorothea, and two children.
Lawrence G. Weisman (’85), 55, passed away March 16, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida, due to a returning brain tumor. He graduated from the Daytona Beach Campus with a degree in aeronautical engineering and went to work for McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach, California. He moved to Ponte Vedra, Florida and began his career as a financial advisor, serving for 22 years and recently earning the title of senior vice president investment officer. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Stephanie Weisman, and three children.
Walter E. Houghton (’92), 78, of Lakeland, Florida, passed away March 13, 2019. A Worldwide Campus alumnus, Houghton served in the U.S. Air Force, was a Master Sergeant.with the Vermont Air National Guard 'Green Mountain Boys, and a Colonel with the Vermont State Guard. With more than 58 years working in civil and military aviation, Houghton managed airports from Vermont to Florida, before retiring in 2007 as the director of aviation of the Ft. Lauderdale International Airport. In 1987, Houghton became an associate professor at Embry-Riddle, teaching in South Florida, at McDill Air Force Base and at the Central Florida Aerospace Academy. For more than 40 years, he supervised aviation support following hurricanes and natural disasters in South Florida and the Caribbean, participated in more than 300 aircraft accident investigations, commanded search and rescue operations and organized air shows. Houghton flew more than 50 types of airplanes, from WWII warbirds to DC-3s for missionary relief. He is the former committee chair for Sun ‘n Fun and a member of Warbirds of America and the Valiant Air Command. He was named Florida Aviation Professional of the Year in 2007, received the Glenn Curtiss Award for excellence in teaching aviation and was chosen for the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award in 2013.
Oscar R. Otero (’61), 85, passed away on Mar. 9, 2019, in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Born in Puerto Rico, he graduated from Embry Riddle’s Miami Campus and worked as an aviation mechanic and inspector for Pan-Am, Braniff & American Eagle for more than 40 years. He was a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, serving in the Army and Navy during 1950 into the early 1960s. Otero is survived by his wife Arlette and four children.
Thomas S. “Sid” Mann III (’61) passed away March 6, 2019, in Sarasota, Florida. He graduated from Embry-Riddle’s Miami campus for Airframe & Power Plant Tech and obtained his FAA license. He returned to his hometown of Athol, Massachusetts, following his father’s death in 1976, to run the family business, T.S. Mann Lumber Company. In 2002, his son took over as president, and Mann moved to Sarasota, Florida, where he worked as a building supervisor and drove a CDL Priority Mail truck until he retired in 2015. He is survived by his wife, Sandra, and his three sons. Mann was recently featured in a Lift story about a gift he made in memory of his Embry-Riddle college roommate to help current international students.
Willard E. Lineburg (’59), 86, of Phoenix, Arizona and formerly of Strasburg, Virginia, passed away March 6, 2019 at his residence. He attended Embry-Riddle’s Miami Campus, after serving in the U.S. Air Force. He spent his entire career in the airline industry, working on airplanes and retired at age 71 from United Parcel Service after 15 years of service. Lineburg was a Charles Taylor Service Award recipient for having more than 50 years of service as a Master Airline Mechanic. He had also been a member of the Mechanic Teamster Union. Lineburg is survived by his three children.
Professor Emeritus Charles E. Richardson, 87, passed away March 5, 2019 in DeLand, Florida. A retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, Richardson was accepted into the aviation training program, graduating first in his class at San Marcos, Texas. As a captain in Nuremberg, Germany, Richardson commanded the helicopter detachment of the 2nd Armored Cavalry. At Fort Rucker, Alabama, he commanded the Army Aviation School Helicopter Instrument Division. As a major during his second tour in Vietnam, he was assigned to a heavy helicopter battalion. After retiring from the Army, Richardson accepted a position at Embry-Riddle’s Department of Aeronautical Science at the Daytona Beach Campus. During his 25-year tenure, he served as program chair of the aeronautical-studies degree and program coordinator of the Master of Aeronautical Science program. Richardson received the Embry-Riddle Fellowship to pursue his doctoral degree and was the recipient of the Pioneer of Aviation Education trophy and medallion, the highest award in the Aeronautical Science Department. Richardson was also a professor of military science and tactics at Stetson University. He is survived by his wife, Joan Stewart Richardson.
David W. Amberg, II (’90), 54, passed away March 3, 2019, after a long struggle with diabetes. A U.S. Air Force veteran and graduate of Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus, he worked as a second-generation engineer at Pratt and Whitney Aircraft in East Hartford, Connecticut.
Capt. Sean Archuleta (’06) was killed Feb. 23, 2019, in a Atlas Air/Amazon Prime 767 cargo plane crash near Houston, Texas. A Prescott Campus alumnus, Archuleta was an E-175 Mesa Airlines captain, who was aboard the plane traveling from Miami to Houston. Two crew members on the Atlas B767 were also killed on Flight 3591, according to Atlas Air. Archuleta was a pilot since 2013 for Mesa, a regional carrier that operates as American Eagle and United Express. He is survived by his wife, a stepdaughter and an infant son. “Sean was a great young man, a wonderful husband and father, and proud graduate of the Prescott Campus. He will be missed by all,” said Prescott Campus Chancellor Frank Ayers in a written statement.
Michael R. Bevacqua (’84) passed away Feb. 21, 2019. A Daytona Beach Campus graduate, he was a Thrifty Car Rental franchise co-owner and lived in Ormond Beach, Florida.
William Warren "Bill" Powers (’91), 44, of Evansville, Indiana passed away on Feb. 20, 2019 at his home in Evansville, Indiana. A Prescott Campus graduate, he worked at Bonefish Grill in Evansville for 13 years.
David J. Farley (’02), 39, of Lancaster, Massachusetts, passed away unexpectedly Feb. 20, 2019, at Clinton Hospital. He earned a B.S. in Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus and was a member of the Delta Chi Fraternity. After graduation, he trained in Oklahoma City and began his career as a controller at New York Air Traffic Control Center. He was a controller at the Boston Air Traffic Control Center in Nashua, New Hampshire at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife Michelle, two daughters and a third daughter expected this summer.
Thomas F. Root (’41), 95, died Feb. 7, 2019, at Norwalk Memorial Home in Ohio, after a brief illness. Root served as a merchant seaman on the lake freighter William J. Filbert during World War II. He worked 20 years at The Fate-Root-Heath Co., the firm that his grandfather and father cofounded, gaining engineering expertise in brick, clay-tile and ceramic products' fabricating machinery. After the company was sold, he joined J.C. Steele & Sons Inc., in Statesville, North Carolina, a maker of ceramic machinery, as a manufacturer’s representative and engineering consultant, where he remained until his retirement. Root’s business, Tom Root Air Photos, took aerial photographs for farmers, businesses and commercial customers for more than 50 years. His photos form collections at The Ohio Historical Society and area museums. A Miami Campus graduate, Root was a founder of Ohio History of Flight Museum in Columbus, Ohio. The Federal Aviation Administration honored him in 2011 with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, recognizing 50 years of safe aircraft flight operations. He is survived by his four children.
Michael T. Keefe (’05), 35, of Cumberland, Rhode Island, passed away Feb. 2, 2019, after a seven-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He completed his first solo flight on his 16th birthday and was a member of the 102nd R.I. Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol with the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary. After college, Keefe joined Cirrus Aircraft, holding positions in flight operations, flight training and sales. A Daytona Beach Campus graduate, he was president of Kavu Enterprise LLC, providing flight instruction, piloting services and other ancillary aircraft offerings. Most recently, Keefe was a sales director at Aerista, where he specialized in Cirrus aircraft sales and acquisitions.
John D. Carney (’89), 58, of Fulton, New York, passed away Jan. 30, 2019 at Upstate Medical University. Carney was an airline mechanic and had been employed for many years with Continental Airlines. He also served in the US Army. He is survived by his wife Susan and four step-children.
Lt. Tiffany J. Murphy (’92), 48, passed away Jan. 14, 2019 in Richmond, Virginia. She was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in June 1994. After completing Navy Flight School, she flew EA-6B Prowlers from 1995-2003. She flew combat missions in both Bosnia and Iraq. She was a recipient of several military honors including the Navy Air Medal, a Navy Commendation Medal with Valor, and a Meritorious Service Medal. After her military service, she worked at Kraft Foods corporate headquarters, before moving to Virginia to work for Afton Corporation. Murphy is survived by her husband James and her daughter.
Paul J. Neussendorfer (’96), 63, of Leola, South Dakota, passed away Jan. 5, 2019 at Avera McKennan Hospital, after a battle with cancer. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1976 and went to basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. In 1998, he retired from the military and worked as an educational technologist with the Department of Defense until retiring in 2017. He is survived by his wife Dawn and four children.
Helen Wessel (HonDoc ’17), who was an artist and educator living in South Daytona, Florida, passed away Jan. 12, 2019. She had a relationship with the university that spanned nearly two decades and left an enduring mark on the Daytona Beach Campus.
“Helen Wessel’s generosity to Embry-Riddle encompassed both the arts and sciences. She funded iconic artwork throughout the Daytona Beach Campus and enriched cultural life with an endowment that brings live performances to students,” says Embry-Riddle President P. Barry Butler. “[Additionally] her support made our aerospace physiology degree possible. Her gifts to us will continue to enrich our community.”
A March 14 memorial will be held for Wessel at the College of Aviation Atrium, followed by a sunset reception at the Pathways to the Sky Courtyard on the Daytona Beach Campus.
Growing up in Cincinnati, Wessel studied at the Cincinnati Art Academy in high school and earned degrees in art and education from the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture and Art. She went on to teach art in the Cincinnati public schools for 10 years. While teaching in Massachusetts, Wessel became one of the first students to earn her master’s degree from Harvard University’s art education program. She earned a Ph.D. in Art Education from the University of Cincinnati and then spent 20 years educating art teachers there, eventually becoming head of the department. Wessel’s late husband, Bob, an economist who also taught at the University of Cincinnati, was a savvy investor — the fruits of which resulted in the founding of the Wessel Foundation in 1996, with a goal of supporting art and education. One of Wessel's most popular stories to tell was how she and Bob first discovered Embry-Riddle, when Bob was flying a Piper Cub out of Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, Ohio — Embry-Riddle's birthplace. She and Embry-Riddle shared the same birth year (1925) and birth city.
Richard J. Mosler (’08) passed away Jan. 9, 2019, from complications of heart and renal failure. A Prescott Campus graduate, Mosler earned degrees in aviation business administration and airport rescue and aviation safety. He was president of the Student Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives and was granted the Outstanding Graduate award from the Business Department, which is given to one graduate each year. After graduation, Mosler worked in the operations department at Paine Field in Everett, Washington, then worked as superintendent of operations at Los Angeles International Airport. From 2012-2017, he was airport duty manager at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. He is survived by his sisters, Rosemarie Mosler and Patti Rinaldi.
Lt. Col. Lonnie E. Slade Jr. (’14), passed away on Jan. 8, 2019, after a valiant fight with cancer. During his 10-month struggle, Slade continued to teach aeronautical science at Middle Georgia State University in Eastman, Georgia. Slade served his country for 32 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, the Army Reserve, and the U.S. Army and retired in 2014. He had many deployments, including tours to Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. He was licensed to fly a fixed-wing aircraft and any kind of helicopter. He was part owner of Blackbird Helicopters in Jasper, Georgia, and became a Certified Flight Instructor. Slade is survived by his wife, Becky, and two children.
Kendall "Kenny" Eugene Sears Jr. (’86), 63, passed away Jan. 5, 2019 at his home in Healdton, Oklahoma. Sears had a congressional appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy, graduating in 1977. A Worldwide Campus graduate, he was an officer in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a major in 1994. After retirement, he worked as a systems engineer with several different defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. Sears is survived by his three children.
Prescott Campus student Shannon N. Smith (’19), 26, a U.S. Navy veteran and senior majoring in aeronautics, with minors in Helicopter Flight and Aviation Safety, was killed Jan. 4, 2019 in an automobile accident in Prescott, Arizona. A memorial service and a celebration of life for Smith was held Jan. 15 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Anaheim, California. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service was held for Smith on Jan. 26 at the Haas Chapel on Embry-Riddle’s Prescott campus. The Smith family is requesting donations to establish a scholarship fund at Embry-Riddle in Smith’s memory. To donate or for more information, contact Steve Bobinsky at bobinb97@erau.edu or (928) 777-4210.
Dennis E Nutting (’82), 62, of Hilo, Hawaiis passed away Dec. 19, 2018, at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. He retired from the U.S. Air Force, as a Lieutenant Colonel instructing at the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center, Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, St. Joseph, Missouri. He then became a courseware design specialist and C-27J instructor pilot with L-3 Communications and Alenia Aeronautica of Turin, Italy. At the time of his passing, he was the chief pilot and instructor pilot of Asia Pacific Airlines and was serving as a Boeing 757 captain. Nutting is survived by his wife Catherine and three sons.
Charles Fredrick Shipley III M.D. (’64), 72, passed away Dec.17, 2018. A graduate of Embry-Riddle’s Miami Campus, he was a physician working at several hospitals in Charleston and Columbia, South Carolina. He worked at Trident Hospital, the University of South Carolina School of Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Richland Memorial Hospital and Lexington Medical Center. Shipley was a certified OB/GYN physician with the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a published physician in the area of OB/GYN academic medicine, a lifelong pilot, and was involved in numerous medical and aviation organizations. Shipley is survived by his wife, Kaye, a son and step-daughter.
Richard Willard “Rich” Dawson (’18), 40, of Lexington Park, Maryland, passed away Dec. 9, 2018 at his home following a severe gunshot wound to his left thigh. A Worldwide Campus graduate, he served in the U.S. Navy from 2001 until 2012, including aboard the USS Enterprise and earned numerous awards. Later, he worked with DynCorp at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
U.S Marine Capt. Jahmar F. Resilard (’12), 28, died Dec. 6, 2018, in a midair collision of an F/A-18 Hornet that he was piloting and a KC-130 Hercules aerial tanker. The collision happened about 60 miles off the coast of Japan. A Daytona Beach Campus graduate, Resilard was a member of the Air Force ROTC program from 2008 to 2010 and belonged to the Strike Eagle Squadron student organization. From South Florida, he was based at the Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi, Japan, and a member of the All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242. His military decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and National Defense Service Medal.
Col. Wayne P. Mayfield (’80), 72, passed away Dec. 5, 2018 in Virginia. He was a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps and commissioned in 1968. Mayfield entered active duty as an aerospace engineer at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where he was the development engineer for the J-85-21 engine used in the F-5 aircraft. He attended flight navigation training in California, and was assigned to bases in the U.S., Korea, Germany, Italy and England. Mayfield was a master navigator and served for nearly 28 years on active duty. After leaving military service, he spent ten years as an executive vice president with SAIC in Command, Control, Communication and Computers. He is survived by his wife Judy and two children.
Charles Keith Claytor (’89), 64, of Granite Falls, Washington, passed away on Dec. 4, 2018. He served 20 years in the U.S. Army, enlisting in 1974. He served in Operation Desert Shield and helped liberate Kuwait. He served in the Fulda Gap in Germany during the Cold War with the Third Reconnaissance Squadron of the 11th “Blackhorse” Armored Cavalry Regiment. After retiring from the Army, Claytor worked for the U.S. Coast Guard, as a civilian in the District 13 Auxiliary Office. He is survived by his wife Jutta and four daughters.
Thomas W. “Tom” Butler (’68), 89, passed away Dec. 2, 2018, at The Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport, Mississippi. A Daytona Beach Campus graduate, Butler joined the U.S. Navy in 1948 and was made Chief Petty Officer in 1958. After his Navy retirement, he worked 17 years at R&R supply in Jacksonville, Florida.
Former faculty member Neil A. Armstrong, 88, of Port Orange, Florida, passed away Nov. 27, 2018. He served as adjunct faculty at Embry-Riddle for several years, teaching in the MBA program. Armstrong served in the U.S. Navy Reserve, then was a project engineer at the Guided Missile Branch of the Radar Laboratory at Watson Research Laboratories. He worked at the General Electric Company on U.S. Air Force Atlas and Titan ballistic missile programs and spin-off research. In 1969, he worked in the Apollo Support Department in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he initiated worldwide marketing activities to acquire naval digital control systems programs to replace the completed Apollo program. He retired as a manager of international market development in 1984, after suffering a heart attack while in Southeast Asia. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Peggy, and seven children.
Worldwide Campus student Senior Master Sgt. Harold Robert Mosley II, 37, passed away Nov. 23, 2018, in Park County, Colorado, from injuries he received following a rock climbing accident. Mosley was a senior master sergeant with the National Space Defense Center at Schriever Air Force Base, east of Colorado Springs. He had previously served as squadron superintendent of the 25th Space Range Squadron at Schriever. He had been in the U.S. Air Force since at least 2000, when he was an aircraft electrician with the 62nd Airlift Squadron. Mosley was working toward a master’s degree in leadership through Embry-Riddle's Worldwide Campus. He is survived by his wife Amanda.
Carl J. Puntureri (’88), 61, of Grove City, Pennsylvania, passed away Nov. 18, 2018, in the VNA Hospice of Butler, following a one-year illness. A Worldwide Campus graduate, Puntureri enrolled in U.S. Air Force officer training school and served 22 years, retiring with the rank of colonel. Later, he worked for Interstate Chemical and then Butler County, where he was first deputy recorder of deeds. In addition to his wife, Ann, he is survived by three daughters.
Daniel Andrew Yaklin (’62), 77, of Colonels Island, Georgia, passed away at home on Nov. 17, 2018, from natural causes. A Miami Campus graduate, he obtained a degree in Aviation Maintenance Science and returned to Detroit, Michigan, to begin his career as an aircraft mechanic in 1963. In 1976, he moved to Savannah, Georgia, to join Gulfstream Aerospace, where he worked until his retirement in 2003. Yaklin is survived by his wife of 54 years, Karen, and two sons.
James "Jay" Shannon McKain III (’77), 64, of Clifton, Virginia, passed away at his home on Nov. 17, 2018. After graduation, McKain flew inter-island flights in the Caribbean and worked various commuter jobs to build up his flight time. He was hired as a pilot by United Airlines at age 25. In his career with United, Jay flew the 737, Airbus 320, 757, 767 and 787 jets and worked as a captain for more than 25 years. He was a line check airman on the 737 and the Airbus 320. He served as a volunteer on ALPA’s Professional Standards Committee for 25 years doing dispute resolution between pilots and other airline employees. McKain is survived by his wife of 30 years, Miriam (Maria), and three children. He wrote Thoughts on Life by Jay McKain.
David Hall (’89), 53, was killed in a helicopter crash in Chliton County, Alabama, on Nov.16, 2018. A Worldwide Campus graduate, Hall was a retired Columbus, Georgia, Police Department officer, who still served the city through his piloting skills. He started with the Columbus Police Department in 1990 and served for 28 years.
Former Naval ROTC Unit Commander Capt. Randall J. Lynch, of Daytona Beach, Florida, was fatally injured with his father, Jay, in a Nov. 16, 2018, aircraft accident in rural Arizona. Lynch served as the chair and professor of Naval Science and Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Unit from 2013 to 2016 at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus. Following his retirement after 28 years in the U.S. Navy, he remained at Embry–Riddle as an adjunct professor in the department of security studies and international affairs in the College of Arts & Sciences and in the College of Business. He also taught private pilot operations and unmanned aircraft systems at Father Lopez Catholic High School in Daytona Beach, Florida, through Embry-Riddle's Gaetz Aerospace Institute.
Robert G. Laws (’94), 59, passed away Nov. 14, 2018 at his home in Okanogan, Washington. A Worldwide Campus graduate, he served as an aviator and officer in the U.S. Air Force from 1983 to 2004, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He is survived by his two sons.
Daytona Beach student Adam Hostetter Kelly, 22, of Fernandina Beach, Florida, passed away suddenly on Nov. 9, 2018. A senior business administration major, Kelly was expected to graduate this semester. A member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity, he was an avid volleyball player who hoped to earn a master’s degree in sports management. The son of John Kelly and Prudence Hostetter, Kelly was remembered at a Nov. 15 Memorial Vigil at the Spirit Rock on the Daytona Beach Campus.
Retired U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Norman George Brander (’81), 71, passed away Nov.7, 2018 at his home in Warrenton, Virginia. A Worldwide Campus graduate, he retired from active duty in 1992, following a 27-year career. He then began working with AFJROTC students, leading to 18 years of service at the Randolph-Macon Academy. He is survived by his wife, Sue, and three children.
Todd Lee McNamee (’00, ’04), 52, passed away Nov. 1, 2018, after being fatally injured in a car crash on the grounds of Camarillo Airport in Ventura County, California. A Worldwide Campus graduate, McNamee was the county's director of airports.
Robert Johnathan Love (‘15 ), 36, died October 29, 2018. He served in the United States Air Force and later as a civil servant as a hydraulics mechanic on Warner Robins Air Force Base. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics.
Former faculty member Margaret T. Mishoe, 68, of Fernandina Beach, Florida, passed away Oct. 22, 2018, of an apparent heart attack. She was an assistant professor of humanities at the Daytona Beach Campus from 1999 until 2011.
Former faculty member retired Lt. Col. Joseph V. Wildinger Jr. passed away Oct. 11, 2018. He spent 23 years in the U.S. Air Force, flying KC-135 tankers and UH-1N helicopters. After retiring, he continued flying with Eastern Metro Express. He spent 20 years as an adjunct professor at Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide Campus and later served as a full time associate professor and director of academics at Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field Air Force Base, both located near Pensacola, Florida. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jeanne, and two children
Elmo Torres Jr. (’66) , 72, of Bradenton, Florida, passed away Oct. 10, 2018. Torres was a pilot for Piedmont Airlines and later US Airways. A Daytona Beach Campus graduate, he had a 26-plus year career as a commercial airline pilot, until his retirement in the late 1990s. He is survived by his four children.
Neil Currier (’86), age 55, of Sanford, Florida, passed away Oct. 2, 2018. A Prescott Campus graduate, he was a commercial airline pilot. Currier relocated to the Orlando area in 2008 from Los Angeles where he was a founding member of the Airline Pilots Association for Jet Blue Airlines. He is survived by his wife, Renee, and three children.
Loren “Jake” A. Jacobson (’60), 85, a co-founder of Sun Country Airlines, passed away Sept. 30, 2018, at Mayo Clinic Hospital/Methodist Campus after a six-month battle with lymphoma. A Miami Campus graduate, Jacobson received his pilot’s license and worked for Buckeye Pipeline, Sears, Eastern, Braniff International and Sun Country Airlines. He continued to fly for Sun Country until his retirement. A resident of Dundas, Minnesota, he is survived by his three daughters.
Former faculty member Malcolm “Mac” Romeiser, 83, of Prescott, Arizona, passed away Sept. 29, 2018. He worked 30 years in telecommunications research and development at Bell Telephone Laboratories on a variety of transmission technologies and the development of optical fiber systems technology. After his retirement from Bellcore, he became a professor of engineering at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus, where he authored a textbook on fiber optics. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Sonja, and two children.
Reagan Kyle "Shaggy" Whitlow (’03), 45, of Austin, Arkansas, passed away Sept. 26, 2018, in a single engine plane crash near his home. A Worldwide Campus graduate, he was a C-130 instructor pilot. He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Deeanne, and three children.
Former faculty member John Paul Wheeler passed away Sept. 26, 2018, in DeLand, Florida. He was a professor of humanities at Embry-Riddle for 24 years. In addition to teaching, he was also university chaplain and ministered to thousands of students during his tenure, by performing weddings and providing guidance and counseling. He is survived by Kay, his wife of 63 years, and four children. His son Ian Wheeler (’91) is an instructor in the department of Aviation Maintenance Science at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus.
Worldwide Campus student Tech. Sgt. Joshua L. Kidd, 30, of Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana, passed away suddenly on September 25, 2018. Kidd may have been confronting a burglar when he was shot and killed near his home in Bossier City on Sept. 25, 2018, according to a Shreveport Times story. Kidd’s death was the first homicide reported in Bossier City this year. Kidd, who joined the U.S. Air Force in 2008, was previously stationed at Osan Air Base in South Korea and at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany. Barksdale Air Force Base was Kidd’s fourth assignment and he was assigned to the 2nd Maintenance Group, serving as a loading standardization crew chief. He is survived by his wife Alyssa, and their son, Beckham.
James "Jim" Ray Garner (’75), 71, of High Point, North Carolina, died September 23, 2018. A Daytona Beach Campus graduate, he was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and worked many years as a commercial airline pilot with Piedmont Airlines (US Airways). He is survived by his wife Margaret (Meg) and two daughters.
Jim Cook (’94), 49, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, passed away September 14, 2018, at his residence. A Daytona Beach Campus graduate, he retired from the U.S. Army after 27 years of service, obtaining the rank of lieutenant colonel. Cook is survived by his wife of 14 years, Vickie, and three daughters.
James B. Woodliff (’58), 85, passed away Sept.14, 2018, in Marietta, Georgia. A Miami Campus graduate, he earned an airframe and powerplant certificate. He spent a number of years in the aircraft industry, then later transitioned into the automotive industry. Hired by the Chrysler Corporation in 1965, he built a career spanning more than 40 years, serving in multiple positions. He is survived by his wife, JoAnn, and two sons.
Michael P. LaPlante (’00, ’02), 55, of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, passed away Sept. 3, 2018. A Worldwide Campus graduate, LaPlante served with honor in the U.S. Air Force from 1981 till his retirement as Master Sergeant in 2002. During his service he received numerous medals and honors. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Jacqueline, and a son.
Wallace R. Bookser (’43), 96, passed away Aug. 30, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. A Miami Campus graduate, Bookser was inducted into the City of Pittsburgh's Soldiers & Sailors Hall of Valor in 2006 for his service as a lieutenant in World War II. He served as a C-47 pilot with the 10th Combat Cargo Squadron of the 10th Air Force in the China-Burma-India theater and received the Distinguished Flying Cross and four Oak Leaf Clusters. He was vice president of the Thermometer Corp. of America. Later, he was a civilian employee at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base where he was awarded for his work as as director of research and development contracting of the Aeronautical Systems Division. He is survived by his partner Vera Poppe, and six daughters.
Russell C. Plunkett (’80), 78, of Clements, Maryland, passed away on Aug. 29, 2018. A Daytona Beach Campus graduate, Russell served in the U.S. Navy from 1958 to 1962, and was stationed at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. He was in the U.S. Navy Reserves from 1962 to 1998, then worked for the Department of Defense as an electronics technician, retiring in 1998. He is survived by two children.
Vincent Lewis “Vince” Caruana (’97), 56, passed away Aug. 29, 2018 of pancreatic cancer in Virginia Beach, Virginia. A Worldwide Campus graduate, he worked as a purser with United Airlines, a stand-up comedian, field engineer and construction supervisor. While working as a rural carrier in Virginia Beach, Caruana was credited with saving many elderly residents’ lives, when the Hillhaven Rehabilitation and Convalescent Center caught on fire in the early 1990s.
Student Andrew (Drew) James Swenson, 23, passed away Aug. 25, 2018, as a result of injuries sustained in a single engine airplane crash over an airfield in Swainsboro, Georgia while transporting skydivers. An aeronautical science major at the Daytona Beach Campus, Swenson was an expected to begin work as a flight instructor this fall and graduate in December. A native of Texas, he was an active member of the Student Veterans Organization, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and the Skydiving Club. Before enrolling at Embry-Riddle, Swenson served with the U.S. Army and was deployed overseas twice with Alpha Company, 1-18th infantry Battalion, the Big Red One. He was honorably discharged in 2016. Swenson is survived by his parents, Eric and Sandy Swenson, of Heath, Texas. A vigil was held Aug. 26 at the Spirit Rock on Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus and an Aug. 29 memorial service was held in the Henderson Welcome Center.
Garland Frederick Withers (’59), 80, of Jericho, Vermont, passed away on Aug. 22, 2018, at the University of Vermont Medical Center following a rapid decline after a long illness. Born and raised in Daytona Beach, Florida, he was a mechanical engineer and a long-time employee of IBM in New York, Virginia, and Vermont. He is survived by his wife, Helen, two sons and numerous stepchildren.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Taylor Galvin (’16), 34, from Spokane, Washington, died Aug. 20, 2018, in Baghdad, Iraq, as a result of injuries sustained when his helicopter crashed in Sinjar, in Iraq’s Ninevah Province, according to a Pentagon statement.
Galvin’s helicopter crashed late on the night of Aug. 19, 2018, while conducting a partnered counter terrorism mission in support of the Operation Inherent Resolve coalition to defeat the Islamic State, according to a U.S. Central Command statement. A Worldwide Campus graduate, Galvin was assigned to Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment — known as the Night Stalkers — out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The incident is under investigation; however, it was last reported that enemy fire was not suspected to have caused the helicopter crash.
Galvin entered the Army as a CH-47 aircraft mechanic in 2003, and in 2007, he was accepted into Warrant Officer Candidate School. He graduated from flight school in 2008 at Fort Rucker, Alabama, according to information provided by U.S. Army Special Operations. He was then assigned to Charlie Company, 2-1 General Support Aviation Battalion at Fort Riley, Kansas, where he served as a UH-60 instructor pilot, deploying twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan Command. In 2015, he was assigned to the 160th SOAR, where he flew as an MH-60M Black Hawk pilot. Galvin was a combat veteran with nine deployments — two in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, three in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and four in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
Brandon Louis Jones (’13), 25, passed away suddenly Aug. 18, 2018 in Washington, D.C. He attended the Daytona Beach Campus and is survived by his parents, Jeffery and Pamela Jones, and two sisters.
Capt. Willmore J. Stuart (’95, ’11), a pilot at United Airlines, passed away while on a layover Aug. 12, 2018, according to a release by the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP). He is pictured here (left) with one of his crews. He returned home to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Aug. 16, 2018, to a water cannon salute provided by the airport fire department. Stuart arrived on United Flight 1174, piloted by his friend, IAH A320 Capt. George Gonzalez, and was met by family, friends and several United Airlines employees. A Worldwide Campus graduate, Stuart is survived by his wife, Aletha "Mitzi" Stuart, and his five children. A resident of Plantation, Florida, he originally hailed from Bimini, Bahamas.
Edgar Joseph "Pat" Patterson, Jr., (’86), 72, passed away on Aug. 7, 2018 in Gulfport, Mississippi. A Worldwide Campus graduate, he served two years in the U.S. Navy and had a 20-year career as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. After retiring from the Air Force, Patterson became a sixth grade teacher at Henry Miller School in Los Banos, California for 10 years, then spent eight year in administration at Los Banos Elementary School. Patterson is survived by his wife, Karen, and three children
Daniel Sola (’92, ’95), 64, passed away on Aug. 6, 2018 in Carpinteria, California with his wife Robin Sola. Danny was an aeronautical mechanic, wood artisan and farmer.
Fay Jung (’76, DB) passed away July 31, 2018. A Daytona Beach Campus graduate, Jung and his wife, Marilyn “May” Jung, participated in the Embry-Riddle Eagle Explorers trip to Italy in 2017.
Brian Calvin Hooker (’94), 50, of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, passed away July 28, 2018, from injuries sustained in a head-on boating accident. A Daytona Beach Campus graduate, he is survived by his wife, BJ, and one daughter. He worked on the Joint Strike Fighter software maintenance team at Lockheed Martin, sub-contracting for ITI Inc.
Tom Harlan Thompson (’74), a Daytona Beach Campus graduate and a Delta Chi Fraternity brother, passed away July 24, 2018, in Montgomery, Texas. He was a staff sergeant in the Vietnam War with U.S. Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets. He served as a combat leader and medical specialist and earned two Bronze Stars and one with valor. After the war, he started flight training at Embry-Riddle and taught flying for five years. He was hired by Braniff Airlines, the same airline where his father, W.W. Thompson, flew for more than 35 years. After Braniff went out of business, Thompson flew for Continental Airlines for 27 years, then United Airlines. He is survived by his wife, Kay, and two sons. He will be buried in the Houston National Cemetery in Houston, Texas.
Retired U.S. Air Force MSgt. Ronald Allen Bricker ('01) passed away on July 23, 2018, after a long illness. A Worldwide Campus graduate, he earned his private pilot's license in the early 1970s while stationed in Puerto Rico. After being sidelined from his Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) classes by a stroke in 1999, during his employment at Airborne Express in Wilmington, Ohio, he was able to complete his degree with the help of Embry-Riddle and receive his A&P licenses.
George F. (Jeff) Condrey (’76), 63, passed away July 21, 2018 at his home in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. A Daytona Beach Campus graduate, he obtained a private pilot’s license before he graduated from high school and earned a degree in aviation management. He retired in 2017 after a long career in airport and local government management. Condrey is survived by his wife Ramona and three sons.
Alan C. Fisher (’81), 62, of Newark, Texas, passed away July 18, 2018, after an illness. He is survived by his wife, Christy, and two stepchildren. Obtaining his pilot’s license at age 16, Fisher, who was a Daytona Beach Campus graduate, managed logistics for American Airlines at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, then later at Dallas-Fort Worth Texas International Airport.
Kathleen Campanaro (’09, ‘16), a Worldwide Campus graduate and longtime employee at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach Campus, passed away July 14, 2018, following an illness. She was an admissions counselor at Embry-Riddle and worked in many areas within the university. Campanaro is survived by her husband, Frank, and a son.
George B. Sullivan (’60), 84, passed away July 12, 2018 in Rhode Island, after a brief illness. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1954 and sent to helicopter maintenance school at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He served two years in the U.S. Army, including a stint in Korea. Upon his discharge from the Army, he attended Embry-Riddle’s Miami Campus. After graduation, Sullivan returned home to Aquidneck Island to work for more than 20 years as chief of maintenance at Newport Aero at the former Newport State Airport in Middletown. He was awarded the Federal Aviation Administration’s Aviation Mechanic Safety Award in 1972 and named Rhode Island’s Aviation Mechanic of the Year in 1973. In 1978, he founded Quonset Aircraft Services, Inc., at the former Quonset Naval Air Station. Quonset Aircraft was an FAA-certified repair station. He retired in 1997 and was inducted into the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame in 2010. He is survived by his daughter and his son.
Chester Allen "Al" Stine Jr. (’65, MC ), 78, of Bluff City, Tennessee, passed away July 9, 2018. He served four years from 1959 to 1963 in the U.S. Air Force with deployments to Quito, Ecuador, and Lima, Peru. Upon graduation from Embry-Riddle, he was employed by Pan American Airlines in Miami, Florida. When Pan American left Miami, Stine started his own home improvement business. In 1984, he returned to his home town of Bristol, Tennessee, and worked at Flav-O-Rich until his retirement in 2003. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Diane, and two sons.
Chester Allen “Al” Stine, Jr. (’65), 78, of Bluff City, Tennessee, passed away July 9, 2018 at his home. He served from 1959 to 1963 in the U.S. Air Force with deployments to Ecuador and Peru. Following his military service, he was employed by Pan American Airlines in Miami, Florida. When Pan American left Miami, Stine started his own home improvement business. In 1984, he returned to his hometown of Bristol, Tennessee and worked for Flav-O-Rich of Bristol, Virginia until his retirement in 2003. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Diane and two sons.
Retired Lt. Col. Gregory A. Stevens ('87), 62, of Wichita Falls, Texas, passed away July 6, 2018, at Hospice of Wichita Falls, after a four-year battle with metastatic melanoma. A Worldwide Campus graduate, Stevens joined the U.S. Air Force in 1982 and retired in 2001 with over 4,300 hours of cumulative flying time. He was deployed to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, in support of Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and flew multiple bombing missions in the F-111. After retiring from the Air Force, Stevens was hired by Delta Air Lines; but upon completing his training, he was furloughed following the events of 9/11. He later embarked upon a civilian career as a simulator instructor pilot at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, Georgia, and then Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. In 2013, he returned to Delta Air Lines and flew the A-320 Airbus, but was medically grounded in 2014. Stevens is survived by his wife of 28 years, Carol, and two sons.
Kathleen M. Carroll (’90), 53, of Wailuku, Hawaii, passed away June 28, 2018, at Hospice Maui Hale. A Prescott Campus graduate, she was a retail saleswoman.
Gi H. Bae (’98, ’01), 43, of Oakland, California, passed away June 24, 2010. He was a Worldwide Campus graduate.
Prescott student Jonathan D. Bahr, 27, of Platteville, Wisconsin, was killed June 9, 2018, when his helicopter struck high-tension power lines and crashed into the Fox River near Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He had been flying photographers over Lake Winnebago to cover a power-boat event. He was a U.S. Army veteran and an Embry-Riddle student since 2013. After high school, Bahr was a U.S. Army Airborne Ranger with the 3rd Batallion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Georgia, and he served a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Benjamin Peter Tibbetts (’91, PC), 53, passed away on June 6, 2018 from cardiac arrest. He most recently worked at People to People Ambassadors Group, retiring in 2014. He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Teresa, and two daughters
Retired Col. Jerry L. Sinclair (’82, WW), 81, passed away June 3, 2018, in Melbourne, Florida. Serving in the U.S. Air Force for 30 years, he was vice commander of the Eastern Space and Missile Center, base commander of Elsworth Air Force Base and commander of the U-2 Squadron in Korea. His career included flying B-52s and U-2s and he earned many honors during his military service. He is survived by his wife, Lynda, and one daughter.
Clayton Kaoao Forsythe (’92, WW), 63, passed away May 30, 2018, in Provo, Utah. Forsythe worked for American Airlines as an aircraft mechanic in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, area. In his later years, he volunteered for the Civil Air Patrol and served as a logistics and flight release officer. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Kristine, and three sons.
Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Campus student Nandish Patel, 22, was killed May 22, 2018, in a private aircraft accident at the Spruce Creek fly-in community in Port Orange, Florida, according to news reports. The accident also seriously injured Embry-Riddle flight instructor Chase Zinn (’17, DB), who was taken to Halifax Health Medical Center. Read the university announcement. Patel was a senior aeronautical science major and a member of the Airline Pilots Association Aviation Collegiate Education (ALPA ACE) Club, the Business Aviation Student Association and the Cricket Club. A permanent U.S. resident, he was originally from India and had transferred to Embry-Riddle from Eastern Florida State College. Zinn, 23, graduated from Embry-Riddle in May 2017. An Instructor Pilot 2, he is a member of Alpha Omicron Alpha and the BlueWings network of aviation professionals. He also has participated in the Business Aviation Student Association, as well as two different sports car groups affiliated with Embry-Riddle. A vigil to remember Patel and to support Zinn was held May 23, 2018, at the Spirit Rock at the Daytona Beach Campus.
Ramsey S. Ah-Nee (’08, WW), 31, of Manchester, Conn., was killed May 20, when his plane crashed in Woodford, Vermont, according to news reports. State Police identified Ah-Nee as the pilot and sole occupant of the 1975 Piper PA-34-200T. Ah-Nee was an experienced pilot with more than five years of aviation experience, according to State Police. Ah-Nee was employed as a production readiness leader at Pratt & Whitney in Connecticut and previously worked for GE Aviation, according to his LinkedIn profile.
James C. Buck (’94, WW), 59, passed away May 18, 2018, in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. Buck worked for URS Federal Services as the assistant quality manager at the Lakehurst, New Jersey, location. Previously, Buck served 22 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a master sergeant. He also worked as a maintenance control manager at Air Transport International. Buck is survived by his wife of 29 years, Laurie.
Dale O. Harding, Jr. (’02), 63, passed away May 17, 2018 in Madison, Alabama at Huntsville Hospital. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years, retiring in 1992 as a Tech Sergeant. After retiring from the Air Force, Dale worked for Aerotech, McDonell Douglas, and Boeing. He is survived by his wife Karen.
Andrew C. Deas (’60, MC) passed away May 15, 2018. Deas earned an associate degree in aviation maintenance technology and, in 1965, he served as a flight instructor at the Daytona Beach Campus. Later, Deas began his career in corporate aviation, joining the General Electric Company in 1967 as co-pilot and advancing to pilot in 1969. He retired in 1995 as manager of corporate air transport, following 28 years of service. He established the Andrew C. Deas Endowed Scholarship for Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Campus students with high financial need.
Benjamin A. Silver (’93, DB) passed away May 9, 2018, at Halifax Hospital Hospice Care in Port Orange, Florida, after being diagnosed with ALS. After high school, he was a jet ski performer for SeaWorld's Baywatch Show. Upon earning his degree from Embry-Riddle, he worked as an airplane mechanic for Delta Air Lines in Atlanta. Later, he was an instructor for Jet Blue based in Orlando, Florida.
Former Prescott Board of Visitors member Robert E. Hannay, 92, of Paradise Valley, Arizona, died May 6, 2018 after battling pneumonia. He served in the U.S. Navy for three years during World War II and two years in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He flew for 60 years, owned a variety of airplanes, and was a member of the Quiet Birdmen. He was an entrepreneur, owning and operating a number of businesses, including the design and development of several residential communities in the Prescott area and later delving into commercial property. Hannay is survived by his wife of 64 years and two children.
Daytona Beach Campus student Carlin R. Hausmann, 20, unexpectedly passed away May 4, 2018, at the age of 20. He was a sophomore civil engineering major from Brookfield, Connecticut, and a member of the Air Force ROTC. A student employee in the Housing & Residence Life department, he had recently been recognized with the Jackie Hill Hall Tour Ambassador of the Year Award. He is survived by his mother, Lindsay, and brother, Mason. A May 4 candlelight vigil for Hausmann was held at the Daytona Beach Campus’ Spirit Rock and a memorial service was held May 9 at Blessed Sacrament Church in Cocoa, Florida.
Retired Maj. J. Michael Borland (’74, DB), 70, of Stafford, Virginia, passed away May 3, 2018. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy, but left the academy in 1968 and enlisted in the U.S. Army for the Warrant Officer Flight Training Program. He flew the AH-1G Cobra Attack Helicopter and conducted aerial artillery gunship missions in support of the 101st Airborne Division. Later, he served as a standardization instructor pilot in various assault and air cavalry units. He also was an attack platoon leader, operations officer, airfield commander/U-21 pilot, assistant professor of military science at North Carolina State University and rotary wing priority air transport and aviation officer. He retired from the Army in 1994, after 26 years of service. Borland is survived by his wife of 48 years, Julie and two children.
Col. Joseph A. Hoecherl (’98, WW), 51, passed away on May 2, 2018 in Huntsville, Alabama. He enlisted in the Army Reserve at 17 and later switched to active duty. After finishing his college degree in 1990, Hoecherl re-entered the U.S. Army as an officer and was trained as an Army helicopter pilot. During his more than 30-year career, Hoecherl was stationed around the U.S. and world. In 2016, he became Apache program manager at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, where he served until 2018. He is survived by his wife Kelly and three children.
Capt. Charles D. Ladd (’05, WW), 35, passed away May 1, 2018 in California. He served as a Predator UAV systems technician at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. He was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Tennessee Army National Guard and served as an intelligence officer. After completing his law degree, he joined the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps. During his military career, he was posted to Nevada, Iraq, Pakistan, South Korea, Germany, and Texas and his deployments include Operations Enduring Freedom, and two deployments to Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is survived by his daughter.
Retired Chief Warrant Officer 3 Carl E. Midkiff (’76), 83, passed away April 24, 2018. A Worldwide graduate, he served two tours in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and was a flight simulator instructor at Fort Knox. A resident of Radcliff, Kentucky, he is survived by his wife, Ingeborg and three children.
Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Earl W. “Snake” Pitts (’84), 92, passed away on April 23, 2018, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. A Worldwide Campus graduate, he joined the U.S. Navy Aviation Program and trained for two years, before he was released to reserve status. Pitts worked as a municipal fireman, then joined the U.S. Air Force in 1949. He spent 34 years as a fighter pilot, including two tours in Vietnam, an assignment at the Pentagon and deployment in Iran. After retiring, he taught aviation science to high school students and worked as a commercial flight instructor, a commercial glider pilot and instructor, and flew with the Civil Air Patrol on both search and rescue and border patrol missions. Pitts is survived by three daughters.
Leonard “Len” Brazis (’97, ’99, DB), 55, of Forest Hill, West Virginia and formerly of Ponce Inlet, Florida, passed away April 18, 2018 at his home following a sudden illness. Len became a private pilot at age 14, attended Embry Riddle and was a strategic planner for 17 years. Formerly director of strategic planning and an adjunct faculty member at Embry-Riddle, Len worked for the university for almost two decades. He left in August 2017 to open his own company, Brazis Consulting, LLC. Len was pursuing a Ph.D. He is survived by his wife of 24 years, Mary and one daughter, Kristen Reinlieb.
Steven Clint Scharstein (’69, DB) passed away April 18, 2018. He had a long career with Delta Air Lines. He is survived by his wife Linda and two daughters.
Charles H. (Sonny) Smith (’74, WW), 79, of Enterprise, Alabama, passed away April 11, 2018, after a lengthy illness. A retired CW-4, Smith served three tours in Vietnam and was awarded numerous medals. Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Sally and four children.
James Kevin Plachinski (’13, WW), 39, passed away April 8, 2018. A native of Norfolk, he was a vehicle mechanic for Virginia International Terminals at Portsmouth Marine Terminal. He was a U.S. Navy veteran. Survivors include his wife, Tracy and three children.
Colin Mayers (’70, DB), 75, two-time Barbados consul general, died of a heart attack on April 6, 2018, in Miami, Florida. Mayers worked as a pilot for Carib West Airlines from 1971 to 1981 and was general manager of Caribbean Air Cargo’s North American Operations from 1981 to 1992. He was vice president of Caribbean Motor Works from 1995 to 1999, then a marketing consultant from 1999 to 2008. Mayers first served as Barbados consul general for seven months in 1994. He returned in January 2008, following elections in the Caribbean nation. Mayers is a member of Negro Airmen International. He is survived by his wife, Elicia, and two daughters.
Retired CW4 Burton E. Etheridge, III (’82, WW), 75, of Watertown, N.Y., passed away Apr. 6, 2018. He was a decorated master aviator for the U.S. Army, retiring after 24 years as a Chief Warrant Officer-4 (CW-4) helicopter pilot and instructor who served in Korea and Somalia and received numerous awards. His second career was as a middle school teacher for the Indian River School district, where he retired after 23 years in October 2017 and was honored with the establishment of the Burton Etheridge memorial veteran’s day essay competition. He is survived by two children.
Preston Ashford Parham (’48, MC), 96, passed away on April 5, 2018 in Dayton, Ohio. He was a World War II U.S. Navy veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor. Parham joined the U.S. Navy in 1940, was assigned to the USS St. Louis and was on board Dec. 7, 1941. After Pearl Harbor, he served throughout the Pacific Theater until the conclusion of the war, when he was present aboard the USS Pasadena in Tokyo Bay at the signing of the terms of surrender. After discharge from the U.S. Navy in 1946, he worked for 36 years as an aircraft engine mechanic for the U.S. Navy at the Naval Air Station Rework Facility in Norfolk, Va. He is survived by two daughters.
Thunderbird pilot Maj. Stephen “Cajun” Del Bagno (’18, WW), 34, was killed April 4, 2018, when the F-16 Fighting Falcon he was piloting crashed. Del Bagno was doing training maneuvers at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, when the aircraft crashed about 10:30 a.m. at the Nevada Test and Training Range. The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Accident Investigation Board of the Air Force. Del Bagno was in his first season as a pilot for the Air Force Air Demonstration team. An Embry-Riddle Worldwide/Online Campus alumnus, he completed his M.S. in Aeronautics degree on March 23, 2018, just weeks before his death. He served as an F-35A evaluator pilot before joining the Thunderbirds unit. Del Bagno, who had been a corporate pilot and civilian flight instructor, was selected for the team in June and was the first F-35 pilot to serve in the unit, according to the Thunderbirds. At a public funeral service on April 15, Del Bagno received full military honors, including a 21-gun salute, taps and a flyover of F-35 Lightning IIs and F-16 Fighting Falcons.
Zachary M. Capra (’18, DB), 25, of Thornton, Colorado, passed away April 4, 2018, in an aircraft accident in Daytona Beach, Florida. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in July 2012 and served through 2016 as an Aviation Boatswain's Mate aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, and was deployed twice to the Persian Gulf. In August 2016, he started his studies at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus. Capra was awarded a posthumous degree of Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle. He is survived by his parents and four siblings. A memorial service was held on April 9 for Capra at the Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Campus. He was buried with Military Honors on April 18 at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.
Gunnery Sgt. Derik Richard Holley, 33, a Worldwide Campus student, was killed April 3, 2018, in a helicopter crash. Holley was one of four Marines killed in a crash of a Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California. Holley joined the U.S. Marine Corps in November 2003, serving as a CH-53E Super Stallion crew chief his entire career. He deployed twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, once to Japan as part of the Unit Deployment Program, and once with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. He received several Navy and Marine Corps awards. He is survived by his wife, Kasey, and son, Dane.
William P. Barnes (’69), 73, passed away Mar. 29, 2018, in Dade City, Florida. He attended the Daytona Beach Campus.
Peter M. “Pete” Smith (’88, WW), 66, of Leola, Pennsylvania, passed away March 26, 2018, after a 15-month battle with brain cancer. Born in Stuttgart, Germany, Smith served in the U.S. Army for 24 years, spanning from the Vietnam War to the 1980s as an air traffic controller. After the Army, he worked as a communication specialist at the University of North Carolina Hospital and Brandywine Hospital Sky Flight Care. He is survived by his wife of 19 years, Karen, and two children.
Joseph Tams (’64, MC), 73, of Ruskin, Florida, passed away March 25, 2018, following a brief illness. Tams was a pilot for Capital Cargo Institute of Orlando and formerly for Eastern Airlines for 23 years. He is survived by his wife, Sharyn, and two children.
Louis "Laddie" Hugo Hoth, III (’82), 67, of Terrytown, Louisiana, passed away March 23, 2018. A Worldwide Campus graduate, he retired from the Department of Defense in 2005, after serving in the U.S. Navy for 11 years.
Stanley I. Hardy (’03, ’06) passed away Mar 23, 2018.
James V. Ruddy Jr. (’68, DB) passed away March 22, 2018 in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. He is survived by his wife Gwyn and three sons.
Shannon W. Emerick (’87) passed away on March 17, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Tracy James Woolery (’01, DB), 43, of Longmont, Colorado, passed away unexpectedly March 6, 2018. Woolery served four years in the U.S. Air Force as an F-15C crew chief stationed at Mountain Home, Idaho, with deployments to Egypt and Turkey. After earning his bachelor’s degree, he was a flight instructor for three years at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus. He left in 2003 to work for Pinnacle Airlines from 2003 to 2012. During his eight years there, he became a captain. Woolery was then hired at Atlas Airlines as an international Boeing 747 pilot. He is survived by his three children. The Tracy Woolery Memorial Scholarship fund has been established at the Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Campus. Click here to donate.
Former Embry-Riddle Worldwide adjunct faculty member Saundra T. McDavid, 49, of Eagle, Idaho, passed away on March 5, 2018. She was a professor of law, business, and cybersecurity at numerous universities, a member of the Missouri Bar and practiced law in Missouri. McDavid was also a consultant for business, technology and legal issues for companies and schools. McDavid is survived by her husband, Andrew V. Petrehn, and two children.
Retired Lt. Col. Douglas E. Tauscher (’93, WW) passed away March 4, 2018, at his residence in Valrico, Florida. He entered the U.S. Air Force as a Second Lieutenant in 1984, began pilot training and served as an officer and senior command pilot from 1984 to 2007. His career included service as a KC-10 pilot, DC-10 exchange pilot with the British Royal Air Force, White House presidential agent, senior science and technology advisor and transportation command advisor. Tauscher retired from the Air Force in 2007 at MacDill Air Force Base, after serving nearly 24 years and receiving numerous awards. Following his retirement, he continued to serve as an intelligence and science and technology contractor at MacDill Air Force base. Tauscher is survived by his wife of 30 years, Lee Ann, and two children. He was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., where he received full Military Honors.
Howard Charles Walls (’10, ’12, DB), 31, of Las Vegas, Nevada, passed away March 4, 2018, from injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash. Walls was director of quality control and safety for Allegiant Airlines. Previously, he worked for Spirit Airlines and Continental Airlines. Walls' primary occupation was quality control and safety, but he was also trained as a multi-engine pilot. He received his private single-engine pilot certificate at age 17. He was the first ever All-American in Embry-Riddle track and field history at the Daytona Beach Campus, and set a school record that still stands today. He achieved the status of "NAIA All American High Hurdler" for four years. View the touching tribute video that Kira Ball (’13, DB) made in Walls’ memory, featuring many of his old Eagle teammates and friends.
Former faculty member William “The Judge” Dean Hoover, of Lemoore, California, passed away Feb. 24, 2018, at home after an extended illness. Prior to his military service, he drove a formula race car to a division championship in the Midwest. Hoover served a tour with the U.S. Air Force’s Strategic Air Command's Bombardment Wing from 1960-64. After completing law school at the University of Kansas, he was given a direct commission to be a JAG Officer in the U.S. Navy. After retiring from the military in 1986, Hoover opened his own law practice in Lemoore, before he went on to be the director of the Lemoore Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. He served as full-time faculty, teaching business, management, law and aviation-related courses at Embry-Riddle's Worldwide Campus. Hoover is survived by his wife of 16 years, Maria, and four children.
John R. Schwarz (’74, DB) passed away Feb. 16, 2018 in DeLand, Fla. He served in the 1st and 9th Air Cavalry as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Schwarz later worked as maintenance supervisor at the DeLand Municipal Airport. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Karen and one son.
Belkys B. Diaz (’95, DB) passed away Feb. 13, 2018 in Kissimmee, Fla.
William Clayton (’79, ’80, WW), 70, passed away Feb. 11, 2018. He was the former director of the Chanute National Aviation Center and manager of the Rantoul, Illinois, Airport. Retired as a U.S. Air Force major in 1992, he helped start the Chanute Air Museum and was manager of the Rantoul National Aviation Center after the Chanute Air Force Base closed in 1993.
Ferdinand “Jack” Funke (’81), 78, of Boise, Idaho, passed away Feb. 11, 2018, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. A Daytona Beach graduate, he served in Vietnam, where he flew combat missions in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. He then became an F-111 instructor and operations officer at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. Funke later moved to Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, where he was chief of quality assurance and a flight instructor until he retired in 1986. After military retirement, he was chief flight test conductor at Rockwell Corp., then joined Northrop Grumman’s B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber program as chief flight test conductor. Funke is survived by his wife of 57 years, Judy, and his four children.
Former faculty member Dorothy Mildred (Dottie) Crawford, 84, passed away Feb. 9, 2018, in Daytona Beach, Florida, following a brief illness. Before retiring from the Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Campus in 2011, she served 24 years at the university, both as an advisement counselor and an instructor at the College of Business. She will be remembered as the voice of students and a tireless supporter of the many young people who benefited from her experience and compassion, said Keith Deaton (’05, ’12, ’16, DB), director of alumni relations. Crawford served the college’s freshman students as their academic adviser, mentor, and instructor of the BA 101 College Success course. Crawford was also a featured guest at College of Business events, including its annual Student Awards Ceremony, where the Dottie Crawford Outstanding Freshman Award was given. A longtime resident of Ormond Beach, Florida, she is survived by her two children. A memorial service is planned for Feb. 24, 2018, in the Center for Faith and Spirituality on the Daytona Beach Campus. In addition, initial plans are underway to create a Scholarship in Dottie’s memory that will be awarded to selected first-year students.
Capt. Lawrence C. Bollrud (’88, WW), 69, of Germantown, Tennessee, passed away Feb. 8, 2018 after a long illness. He served as an U.S. Air Force pilot during the Vietnam War. Bollrud was hired as a pilot at Flying Tiger Line on April 17, 1978 and he continued flying for 35 years with Flying Tigers and Federal Express until he retired as a FedEx captain. He is survived by his wife, Martha and three sons
Douglas A. Bufis (’87) passed away on Feb. 8, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Talman C. Sharpe (’86, DB) of Palm Coast, Fla, passed away on Jan. 31, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. He is survived by his wife Tamara and two children.
Michael Wayne Corder (’82, DB), 55, passed away Jan. 18, 2018, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He was employed with United Airlines as a quality control manager. He is survived by his two children.
D.L. “Whitey” Varney (’56, MC), 86, passed away Jan. 17, 2018 from Alzheimer's disease. Varney served four years in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. After his service, he earned his commercial pilot's license at Embry-Riddle. From 1957 to 1997, Varney served as co-pilot, captain, chief pilot and director of aviation and flew a range of business aircraft. He flew CEOs, celebrities, foreign dignitaries and former U.S. Presidents around the world. When Varney retired as director of aviation for a 28-person flight department, he was rated in more than half a dozen aircraft. He received numerous pilot safety awards from Flight Safety International and, in 1990, he was awarded the National Business Aircraft Association's Pilot Safety Award. In 1990, he transported American hostages held hostage in Iraq by Saddam Hussein back to the U.S. Upon retirement in 1997, he moved to Paradise, California and was an aviation consultant. Varney is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ruth, and one daughter.
Randy P. Malo (’97, DB), 43, of Shelton, Connecticut, passed away Jan. 17, 2018. He had worked as a software engineer for Sikorsky Aircraft for the past 20 years.
Joseph Salomon (’46), 90, passed away Jan. 13, 2018. He served in the U.S. Navy as a Seaman Second Class and then in aviation for five years, from 1945 to 1950 on 10 different ships.
Frank Heffernan (’54, MC), 89, passed away Jan. 11, 2018, in Farmington, Connecticut. From 1946-50, he served in the U.S. Navy. Later, he flew with Transocean Airlines in both its Atlantic and Pacific divisions, and he also flew with Lufthansa Airlines. After returning to the United States, he worked at Kaman Aircraft until 1968 and was a company representative for Japan, the Philippines and the Hawaiian and Alaskan territories. Heffernan later worked in real estate in West Hartford, Connecticut. He also worked for the American Red Cross in Farmington as the Connecticut state site inspector for 11 years. He retired at age 71. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, whom he married in 1985.
Reuben C. Oakley, Jr. (’49, MC), 95, passed away Jan. 10, 2018 at Piedmont Henry Hospital in Stockbridge, Georgia. He spent five years in the U.S. Navy, followed by 37 years in the U.S. Navy Reserves, the first three of which he served during WWII on the famous Catalina aircraft "flying boats" on every major island chain in the Pacific except the Aleutians. Following WWII, he received his A&E mechanic certification and was employed by Eastern Airlines from 1953 until 1980 when he retired. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Rhodes Oakley and one son.
Lt. Col. Robert T. “Wedge” Sweginnis (’09, WW) passed away Jan. 5, 2018 after battling brain cancer. He served as a pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was selected as a Presidential Command Pilot under then-president Barak Obama. Sweginnis served first as operations officer and then as executive officer of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa, Japan. He also piloted a UC-12 KingAir to transport “high priority passengers and cargo” throughout southeast Asia and the western Pacific. Sweginnis leaves behind his wife Lisa, and two children.
Joshua Hayes Burris (’08, DB) passed away Dec. 31, 2017, following a car accident in Santa Rosa County, Florida.
Myron Sommervold (’89, WW), 70, of Roseville, Calif. formerly of Toronto, died Dec. 27, 2017. Sommervold attended U.S. Air Force pilot training and earned his wings at Laredo Air Force Base in Texas. He served during the Vietnam and Gulf Wars. He was assigned to Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota where he flew KC-135 air refueling aircraft. After his initial service in the Air Force, he began flying commercial aircraft for Braniff Airways. After several years, he returned to the Air Force and flew KC-135’s at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, Castle Air Force Base in California, and Lincoln Air National Guard Base in Nebraska. After 23 years of service, he retired from the Air Force in 1998 as an operations officer, flight instructor, and flight evaluator in the KC-135, plus served as a wing chief of safety and training. He worked for Rockwell Collins’ government systems division in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and retired after 17 years. Myron is survived by his wife, Gloria, and a daughter.
Retired CSM Patrick L. Sucharski (’80, WW), 66, passed away December 26, 2017 at his Indian Mound, Tennessee residence. He was a U.S. Army veteran and retired after 24 years in aviation. After retiring from the military, he went on to work for Dyna Corp at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Kimmie, and two sons.
Brian Fitzgerald Regn (’76, PC), 56, of Nazareth, Penna., passed away Dec. 25, 2017. He was a pilot; but, due to an illness, he was forced to end his career as a captain for Delta Airlines. Following the Sept. 11 attacks, Regn became an armed federal flight deck officer to defend the cockpit from any potential threats. He was appointed to Nazareth Council in 2014.
Howard Thomas Trimble (’73, DB), 70, passed away Dec. 22, 2017. Trimble joined the U.S. Army, where he served as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam in 1966 - 1967. After the war, he continued to serve in the U.S. Army as a pilot, unit commander and staff officer for 20 years, serving tours in Korea, Texas, Florida, Germany, and Colorado. Retiring from the Army in 1985, he worked as a senior executive for the Titan, L-3, and SAIC corporations, which provided technology to the Department of Defense until 2010. He is survived by his wife of 21 years, Sally and one son.
Anthony J. Pascarella (’77), 67, of Ormond Beach, Fla. passed away Dec 14, 2017. He was a Daytona Beach Campus graduate.
Richard W. Goebel (’81, DB), 62, passed away Dec. 12, 2017, at his home in Tucson, Arizona. Born in Germany, he was the owner of Viscount Air Tours, Viscount Car Rentals and Absolute Computers. He was a sergeant in the U.S. Army for eight years, serving in Thailand, Vietnam and Korea as an operations and intelligence specialist, and finished his last three years in Georgia as a recruiter. He was awarded the Purple Heart Medal in February 1974 for injuries received during hostile engagement.
Robert L. Lasham (’42, BFTS) passed away Dec. 10, 2017.
Retired SMSgt. Benjamin K. Ross (‘01, WW), 46, passed away unexpectedly Dec. 9, 2017. Ross served in the U.S. Air Force for 24 years, including multiple deployments. He served in the Ohio Air National Guard stationed at Springfield Air National Guard Base as an active member of the 162d Reconnaissance (Fighter) Squadron, 178th Operations Group, 178th Wing. Since 2015, Ben served as the administrator for the Village of Enon, Ohio. He is survived by his wife, Trina, and three sons.
Michael Staley (’16, WW), 58, who was executive director of corporate and technology education at Embry-Riddle, passed away suddenly Dec. 1, 2017. He followed his father's footsteps into the U.S. Navy where he was an air combat controller. Before he was hired at Embry-Riddle, Staley worked in sales and business development for 11 years with Rosetta Technologies and for 14 years with ECN. He also taught business and marketing at Atlantic High School in Central Florida. He is survived by his wife, Kim, and two daughters.
Former faculty member William Vann Cheek, 88, of Prescott, Arizona, died on Nov. 30, 2017. He served as a U.S. Marine from 1950-53 and was awarded the Bronze Star as a hero and veteran of the Korean War, engaging in battles at Inchon and the Chosin Reservoir. He earned a law degree in 1957, initially practicing law in Alamogordo, N.M. for several years. Moving to Eugene, Ore., Cheek worked as a legal counselor for a land and title company. In 1966, he became chief legal counsel on staff at Alaska Airlines in Seattle, Wash.
He would subsequently become vice president of two regional airline carriers in California and Colorado, before finally moving to Arizona to serve as a professor at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus from 1988-2009. During his time at the university, he held a number of roles including Aviation Business Administrator faculty, department chair and campus grants coordinator. He also was instrumental in writing the campus’ initial grant for the McNair Scholars program. An avid chef, he often held themed dinners for many of his university colleagues. After retiring from Embry-Riddle, Cheek remained active in the military retirement community. He is survived by his wife of more than 63 years, Joella, and five children. A memorial service honoring his life will be held Jan. 27, 2018 at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus and Cheek will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Chris MacDougall (’94, DB), 47, of Atlanta, Ga., passed away Nov. 28, 2017. He was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. “He was a great man, good friend, and awesome fraternity brother,” said his friend and fraternity brother Tom Reynolds.
Professor Emeritus Adelbert W. Ransom, 88, passed away Nov. 20, 2017. Ransom, who lived in Port Orange, Fla., was a professor of mathematics at the Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach campus. Ransom graduated from the University of Rochester and Purdue University with a Ph.D in mathematics and computer science and taught all over the world. He served in the U.S. Air Force and worked at Patrick Air Force Base and NASA during the moon exploration era with many contributions.
Capt. Paul Barbour (’09, PC), 32, was killed in the T-38 Talon crash in Del Rio, Texas, on Nov. 20, 2017. Barbour was the air crew flight equipment flight commander with the 47th Operations Support Squadron and an instructor pilot with the 87th Flying Training Squadron at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. He was from Van Nuys, Calif., and is survived by his spouse, mother, father and sister. The crash occurred at around 4 p.m. approximately 14 miles northwest of the base near Spur 454 and U.S. 90 in Del Rio, Texas. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
“Paul was an exceptional pilot and officer, and an outstanding representative of our university,” said Embry-Riddle Prescott Chancellor Frank Ayers. “He graduated in the fall of 2009 with a major in Aeronautics, and was commissioned a 2nd Lt in the Air Force at that time.”
Ayers said the Prescott Campus is working with Air Force ROTC Detachment 028 and the Dean of Students office to memorialize Captain Barbour. His name will be placed on a brick at the campus’ military memorial, located adjacent to the College of Security and Intelligence.
Carl A. Pennock (’43, WW), 93, of Brewerton, N.Y., passed away Nov. 20, 2017. A WWII veteran, he served in the Army Air Corps as a bombardier/ navigator aboard B25s in Europe, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with clusters and honorably discharged as captain. A 66-year member of I.B.E.W. Local 43, he was employed 40 years with Alex F. Jones Electric. Pennock is survived by his wife of almost 70 years Vivian, and four children.
Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Charles “Chuck” Neyhart (’44, BFTS), 84, passed away Nov 12, 2017. Neyhart was one of a couple hundred USAAF cadets who trained at Embry-Riddle’s British Flying Training School No. 5, and earned both Royal Air Force and U.S. Army Air Forces wings as a result. He was awarded his RAF wings from a British officer at a graduation ceremony on April 15, 1944, and later that day he received his Army Air Corps wings from a U.S. representative. Neyhart went on to serve in World War II as a ferry pilot and later in the Korean War and in Vietnam. He retired in 1968 and is survived by his wife, Shirley. He was featured in a recent Lift Wings of Legacy story on the BFTS.
Richard A. Lindekens ('11), of Santa Ynez, California, passed away on Nov. 9, 2017 after a long battle with cancer. From early on he had a love of flying and spent his career flying helicopters in Panama, the Amazon jungle, Alaska, and for the U.S. Army. He was a proud Vietnam Veteran until the end. A true patriot, he retired with full military honors after 20 years of service. He met his wife Raelynn Pedersen in the National Guard where they shared a love of flight. He became a corporate pilot for Fluor Corporation where he developed a love of international travel. This love of flying took him to work for AirCal and shortly thereafter to American Airlines, where he retired as a Captain on the 757/767. After retirement his "never let the grass grow under your feet" mentality took him all over the world where he pursued and excelled in his passion of photographing wildlife and people. His photography was published in the Montecito Times, was on display at the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art and is proudly hanging at the U.S. Department of the Interior.
John George Gillespie Jr. (’82, WW), 80, of Conroe, Texas, passed away on November 4, 2017. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served for 20 years. He worked as an air traffic controller for the Department of Defense and later for the Federal Aviation Agency. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Beverly, and two children.
Brian Michael Blazek (’00), 48, passed away Oct.16, 2017, in the city of Angeles, in the Philippines. A Daytona Beach Campus graduate, Blazek earned a degree in aviation maintenance and worked for Alpha Aviation Group, a London-based company with offices in the Philippines. He was the director of aircraft maintenance and championed safety for his aircrafts and student pilots. He is survived by his wife Eva, whom he met while he was living in Dubai, and loved and cared for her children, Shaira, 20, and Renz, 17, as his own. Later, he moved to the Philippines, Eva's family's native country.
Retired Lt. Col. Devery S. Miller (’94, WW), 64, passed away Oct. 14, 2017 at Memorial Hospital in Belleville, Ill. Retired from the U.S. Air Force, he worked for Paragon Technology Group Inc. as a business process analyst at United States Transportation Command. He is survived by his wife, Bette, and a son.
John A. “Jack” Mullican (’71, DB), 73, died Oct. 1, 2017, in Savannah, Ga., after suffering from Parkinson’s Disease and dementia. He enlisted in the U.S. Army, graduated from Army Aviation School and was immediately deployed to Vietnam to fly helicopters. He was assigned to the 118th Assault Helicopter Company based at Bien Hoe Air Base. A combat veteran, Mullican was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism while participating in flight. In 1972, he joined Union Camp Corporation as a pilot in its aviation department in Franklin, Va. He retired from Union Camp Corporation in 1997, then started his own business, Corporate Jet Pilot Service. He retired in 2010. Mullican is survived by his wife of 41 years, Debra, and a daughter.
Daytona Beach Campus student Colton Butterfield died Sept. 29, 2017, in a motorcycle accident in Daytona Beach Shores, Fla. Originally from Averill Park, N.Y., Butterfield, 21, was a junior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics degree. He was a member of the Embry-Riddle Eagle Battalion (Army ROTC) and Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. The Eagle Battalion, Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity members and campus leaders attended an Oct. 6, 2017, memorial service on campus to remember and honor Butterfield.
Arnold B. Leonora (’86, DB) passed away Sept. 29, 2017. He served on Embry-Riddle’s President's Advisory Board and was active in Embry-Riddle’s Atlanta Alumni Network. He was born in Willemstad on Curacao, the main island of the Netherlands Antilles. He came to the United States to study at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus, where he served as Student Government Association president and was a member of the Brothers of the Wind student club. After graduation, Leonora was an investment banker with the Bank of Boston and Merrill Lynch. In 1989, Leonora started his own business, Air Transport Group Private Equity, which engages in selling, financing, leasing, re-marketing and managing aircraft and parts internationally. He was CEO, president, treasurer and secretary of Air Transport Group Holdings Inc. and most recently served as its chief financial officer (CFO) and principal accounting officer. He was CEO of Harvard Holdings International Inc., since 2006, and served as its CFO, president, secretary, principal accounting officer and treasurer. He had also been the CEO and president for ABL Hotel Properties Inc., since 1998. Leonora, who resided in Georgia, is survived by his wife, Thelma, and three children.
Benjamin Joseph Moore (’11, PC), 29, passed away Sept. 29, 2017, at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., after a long illness. He worked as an aerospace engineer on the Joint Strike Fighter Test Team at Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland.
Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. David Arlen Smithhart (’97, WW), 53, passed away in San Antonio, Texas, on Sept. 28, 2017. He was a navigator on the E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft and served in 1990-91 in Operation Desert Shield during the Persian Gulf War. Later, he was assigned as navigator on board Air Force Two, which flew dignitaries, including the U.S. Vice President and First Lady. In 1999, Smithhart served as chief of synthetic air exercises at NATO in Mons, Belgium. His final assignment was chief of the information operations requirements division at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He retired from the Air Force in 2007, following 20 years of service and many decorations. He is survived by his wife of 17 years, Tatiana, and two children.
Michael R. Sparks (’90, ’97, WW), 65, passed away Sept. 27, 2017 in Inverness, Fla. He joined the National Guard and was a wrecker driver, then a helicopter crew chief for six years. He graduated from U.S. Army helicopter flight school in 1977 and served as an Army aviator and instructor pilot. He went to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California in 1985 and became fluent in Spanish. He instructed School of Americas’ students from South America during his 26 years in the military. After retiring from the U.S. Army in 1997, he taught at Ft. Rucker, Alabama with civil service about a year. He began his second career in 1998 as a contract helicopter pilot for the State Department with DynCorp. He is survived by his wife, Wendy, and his two sons.
Bruce Edward Evans (’87, PC), 59 of Clarksville, Tenn. passed away Sept. 21, 2017. He was the owner of Evans Roofing, a roofing contracting company which he operated until his health no longer permitted. He is survived by four children.
Robert L. Huekels (’93, ‘95, DB), 59, a resident of Alexandria, Va., passed away Sept. 18, 2017 at Fairfax Hospital. He worked for DynCorp International as an aircraft mechanic at Andrews Air Force Base.
Robert P. McDannel (’57, MC), 88, passed away Sept. 15, 2017. A long time resident of DeLand, Fla., he was a Korean War Veteran in the U.S. Army. He was a watch/clock maker by trade. He is survived by his wife DeeDee and four children.
Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. James L. “Larry” Jackson (’83, WW) passed away Sept. 14, 2017, after a valiant fight with cancer. Born in Chicago, he spent 20 years in the U.S. Air Force as a pilot and instructor pilot. After retiring from the Air Force, he had a job in marketing at Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas. He also spent several semesters teaching at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Cathy, and two daughters.
Wayne VanValkenburgh (’56), 88, of Jasper, Georgia passed away Sept. 7, 2017 at his home. He served in the U.S. Air Force. He is survived by his wife, Betty and three children.
Gerald R. Fox (’84, ’86, WW), 56, of Fairchild, Wis., passed away Sept. 4, 2017, in Eau Claire, Wis. Raised in Orlando, Fla., he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1981 and served in the 5th and 7th Special Forces Groups (Airborne) and the 1st Special Operations Command up to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He earned an associate degree and bachelor's degree from Embry-Riddle in professional aeronautics. In 1990, Fox left the Army to attend the University of Wisconsin Law School, graduating in 1995. He joined a private practice, Skolos & Skolos, in Black River Falls, Wis. In 1999, he became assistant state public defender, serving until he was elected to the office of District Attorney in 2006. He was re-elected in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Fox joined the Wisconsin Army National Guard in 2003 as a commissioned officer at the rank of First Lieutenant. In 2005, he deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and served as the pre-trial agreement attorney in the Central Criminal Court of the Iraq Liaison Office as part of Task Force 134 (Detainee Operations). He has received numerous awards for his service. Fox is survived by his wife of 28 years, Susan.
Retired U.S. Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Leshell Vance (’99, WW), 60, passed away at Aug. 24, 2017. He enlisted in the Navy in 1976 and retired at Naval Air Station Whidbey in Washington. with the rank of Master Chief. Leshell is survived by his wife Rose and two daughters.
Herman D. Fentress (’66, DB), 77, passed away Aug. 21, 2017, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. He was a corporate pilot, a business owner and entrepreneur, and a farmer. He is survived by his wife, Elaine, and three children.
Charles Wesley “Wes” Fowler (’93, DB), of Memphis, Tenn., passed away Aug 19, 2017, at Pickwick Lake in Tennessee, from heart complications after wake surfing. Raised in Haywood County, Tenn., he earned an associate degree in aviation business administration and a bachelor's degree in aeronautical studies from Embry-Riddle. He went on to earn a Juris Doctorate in 1997 from The Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis. He taught Constitutional Law as an adjunct faculty member at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University from 2006 through 2008. He formed The Fowler Law Firm PLLC in 2008, after spending 11 years with Memphis law firms Glankler Brown, PLLC and Gary K. Smith & Associates PLLC.
Richard "Dick" Dolloff II (’86, DB), 49, passed away unexpectedly Aug. 15, 2017. Dolloff was the president and owner of D&D Medical Sales, based in St. Augustine, Fla., for 25 years. He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Beth, and two children.
Patrick Pottinger (’02, DB), 36, passed away on Aug.15, 2017 in Sanford, Fla. He is survived by his wife Jennifer and a son.
Virginia State Trooper Lt. Henry Jay Cullen III (’91, DB), 48, was killed in a helicopter crash near Charlottesville, Va., on Aug. 12, 2017.
Cullen had nearly 20 years of experience flying helicopters and airplanes for the department’s aviation unit. He was promoted to commander of the aviation unit in February. He had been flying Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe around the state for more than three years. Cullen earned a B.S. in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle. He graduated from the Virginia State Police Academy in 1994 and joined the Virginia State Police aviation unit in 1999. He is survived by his wife, Karen, and two sons.
James A. Cooper (51, MC), of Climax, Ga., passed away Aug. 4, 2017. Born in Chicago, he was an airplane mechanic in the U.S. Air Force. He retired as vice-president of operations from the Atlanta Journal Constitution/Cox Enterprises and the Washington Post. Survivors include one son.
Philip Bishop Hickman (’01, WW) passed away Aug. 1, 2017 in Phoenix, Ariz. He was a U.S. Navy officer in the nuclear power program and served on the USS Carl aircraft carrier from 1989-1996. He worked for Honeywell in aerospace as a global commodity manager for 19 years.
Jake Vernon, a Daytona Beach Campus student, passed away July 27, 2017. Originally from California, Vernon was a U.S Navy veteran who served his country before transferring to the Daytona Beach Campus to pursue flight, according to the university’s Office of the Chancellor. He was a junior in the aeronautical science program and had earned a private pilot certificate and instrument ratings.
Arthur John "Clem" Thurgood (’44, BFTS) passed away July 25, 2017.
Arthur John "Clem" Thurgood (’44, BFTS), 94, passed away July 25, 2017. He joined the Royal Air Force during WWII and did his initial pilot training in Florida. After the war, Thurgood joined the City of St Albans Police Force in the United Kingdom. The St Albans Police Force was integrated into the Hertfordshire Police Force and was promoted to inspector, retiring in 1975. He is survived by two daughters.
Aviation pioneer Irene Leverton, who was selected to be one of the "Mercury 13" project women, passed away July 23, 2017, at the age of 90 in Paulden, Ariz. A Chicago native, she was inducted into the Women in Aviation Hall of Fame in 1966 and the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame in 2004. With an aviation career starting in 1944 and ending in 2011, she was a pilot, flight instructor and check pilot.
In 1961, Leverton was selected for what is now known as the “Mercury 13” project, a privately funded program that enlisted women to undergo some of the same physical and psychological tests as the “Mercury 7” male astronauts. Although it was never an official NASA program, members of the First Lady Astronaut Trainees (also known as FLATs) secretly trained to become astronauts for America's first human spaceflight program in the early 1960s.
In the 1980s, Leverton moved to Phoenix and then to Prescott, where she started her business, Aviation Resource Management in 1985. She was a certificated Federal Aviation Administration Airline Transport Pilot and worked with the Civil Air Patrol squadron in Prescott as a check-ride pilot.
Bill Thompson, executive director of alumni relations at Embry-Riddle, recalled Leverton as a local Prescott-area icon who lived and breathed aviation, and a supporter of all aviators.
“Irene gave many check rides to Embry-Riddle pilots throughout the years,” he said. “She understood the challenges of being a woman in both aviation and the early space program. A staple at the local airport restaurant, she shared her stories with all members of the Embry-Riddle family and provided a window into aviation history.”
Memorial contributions can be made to a scholarship fund in Leverton’s name at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Prescott Campus. Contact Steve Bobinsky at bobinb97@erau.edu or (928) 777-4210, to make a donation.
James A. Henderson (’71, DB), age 70, of Shelbyville, Tenn., passed away July 11, 2017. Born in New York, he was a retired pilot for Federal Express. He was also one of the first chief pilots for Embry-Riddle, and was voted Pilot of the Year for the Angel Flight Program. Early in his career, he was the first chief pilot and director of operations for both Colgan Airways and Tennessee Airways. Survivors include his wife, Susie, and three children.
William D. Price (‘13, DB), 40, of Glen Burnie, Md., passed away July 9, 2017. Born in New Jersey, he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1999 with degree in systems engineering. He served in the Navy for 10 years in the submarine force as a navigator on multiple deployments. Bill earned a master’s degree in astronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and a master’s degree in engineering management from Old Dominion University. After leaving the Navy, he earned a doctorate in engineering physics from Embry-Riddle. Price worked for Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab for three years as a non-profit engineer on Navy technology. He is survived by his wife of two years, Lisa.
Reed F. De La Vergne (’52, WW) passed away July 7, 2017.
Professor Emeritus and Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Herbert Elliot Palmer, who served in the physics department at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach Campus for 28 years, died on July 2, 2017, at the Merrimack County Nursing Home in Boscawen, N.H.
Born in Lawrence, Mass., Palmer studied physics and mathematics at the Lowell Technical Institute in Massachusetts. In 1960, he entered the U.S. Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant Weather Officer. He continued his education in meteorology at New York University and the University of Michigan, within their High Altitude Engineering Lab, studying high altitude physics and solar geophysical relationships with a specialization in solar optical work.
As a captain in the Air Force, Palmer earned a master’s degree in meteorology in 1967 and a master’s degree in aeronomy (the science of the upper atmosphere) in 1968. The commander of the U.S. Air Force's Air Weather Service (AWS) in 1972 named Maj. Palmer “the best-qualified solar radio astronomer in the AWS.” Following his military career, Palmer moved his family to Daytona Beach, Fla. He began teaching first at Bunnell High School and then at Embry-Riddle, where he received his glider pilot license. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 2005 and moved back to Warner, N.H. Palmer is survived by his wife of 22 years, Barbara Hawk Palmer, and two children. A graveside service with military honors was held on July 10, 2017, at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery.
Victor Ngie Ming Wong (’17, DB) passed away on June 30, 2017, at Florida Hospital Waterman in Tavares, Fla., as a result of a diving accident at Alexander Springs, Fla.
Wong, 22, was an international student from Malaysia, who graduated in May 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. During Wong’s time as a student at Embry-Riddle, he was active in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Avion newspaper, the Diving Eagles Scuba Club and the Embry-Riddle Future Space Explorers and Developers Society.
Snorri Gudmundsson, assistant professor of aerospace engineering, described Wong as a team player and a diligent problem solver when he attended his Aircraft Preliminary Design and Aircraft Detail Design courses.
“He was a very respectful person and a pleasure to be around. I recall clearly his quiet, polite, but triumphant laughter after he, on a few occasions, explained to me why he went down a particular path in his resolution of a design task,” Gudmundsson said.
Wong is survived by his parent Toh Yong Wong and uncle Vincent Phang. A viewing and funeral services were held on July 8, 2017, at DeGusipe Funeral Home in Maitland, Fla.
Carl Wayne Raymond (’89) passed away June 28, 2017 in Pelham, Alabama. He started working as a mechanic in 1965 at Delta Air Lines. After five years, he became a ground training instructor for pilots at Delta. In 1972, he became a Delta pilot and enjoyed a 30-year career, retiring in 2002. After retirement from Delta, he became a real estate broker and continued his love of flying with his Bonanza. He is survived by his wife, Kathryn, and three children.
Peter Brannan (’45, BFTS), 91, passed away June 24, 2017. He joined the Air Training Corps at 15 and the Royal Air Force at 18 in 194. He was chosen to train in the U.S. in 1945 and was demobilised in 1947 having served nearly four years in RAF Training Command. After WWII, Brannan worked as a reporter, then emigrated to Toronto, Canada, in 1956. He worked at Canadian Aviation magazine , where he served as editor for 10 years. After leaving the magazine, he became the editor of Debates for the Ontario Provincial Legislature.
Fred R. Birdsong (’48, MC), age 90, of Tyrone, Ga. passed away June 19, 2017. Born in Roanoke, Ala., he joined the U.S. Navy and served during World War II from 1944-1946 in the 200th Infantry Regiment. After his service, he graduated from Embry Riddle in 1948 as an aircraft mechanic. He was employed with Delta Air Lines for 34 years and retired as an aircraft inspector. He is survived by three children.
Romeo Thomas, who was a professor of Mathematics at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus, passed away in California on June 18, 2017, after the recurrence of a long illness. Thomas taught at the university for more than 25 years. Prescott Campus Chancellor Frank Ayers called Thomas “a dear friend to all of us, an amazing professor, a fighter with his health issues, and a devoted member of the Embry Riddle family."
Clinsey F. Adams, Jr. (’02, ’03, WW) passed away June 13, 2017 in Shreveport, La. after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He served in the U.S. Air Force for more than 20 years, rising to the rank of Master Sergeant. After retiring from the military, he became a police officer in Shreveport, where he served for almost 20 years. He is survived by one daughter.
U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. James “Jim” V. Celani, Jr. (’97, DB) passed away June 11, 2017, in San Diego, Calif., after being taken to a local hospital with gunshot wounds the night of June 10, 2017. Celani was shot in the chest, after an apparently unprovoked attack at the Westfield Horton Plaza mall that also left his cousin wounded.
Assigned to Naval Special Warfare (NSW) command headquarters, Celani joined the U.S. Navy in 1997 and was a career Naval Aviator with more than twenty years of service and numerous awards. He served in multiple aviation units as both an H-60B and C-12 pilot throughout his career. In 2000, Celani served with Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 51 (HSM 51) in Japan. In 2008, he transferred to the Naval Special Warfare Community and at Naval Special Warfare Command, Celani led and carried out pioneering work in NSW’s Unmanned Aerial System programs and acquisitions.
A memorial service was held June 16, 2017, to honor and remember Celani at the Naval Amphibious Base chapel in Coronado, Calif.
Anthony M. Ungaro (’56, MC) passed away in Sarasota, Fla., on May 29, 2017. Born in Hartford, Conn., he earned his Aircraft Mechanic Certificate from Embry-Riddle in Miami, Fla. He spent 34 years working at Heublein Inc., in Hartford, Conn. A veteran of the Korean War, Ungaro was buried at Sarasota National Cemetery. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Cynthia, and one daughter.
Rita A. Ferencak (’95, PC) passed away May 29, 2017. Moving to Arizona in 1970, she was a successful real estate broker in Tucson for many years.
She relocated to Prescott, Ariz., where she graduated magna cum laude from Embry-Riddle with a bachelor’s degree in aviation business administration and was named "Outstanding Business Student." After earning her master’s degree in counseling, she worked for several charities including Catholic Social Services, Arizona Woman’s Education & Employment, and Stepping Stone Agency. She was also an academic counselor at Northcentral University. She is survived by her husband, Andrew, and four children.
Paul A. Majer (’71) passed away May 22, 2017 in Kent, Washington, after a battle with ALS. Majer learned to fly at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus and then joined the U.S. Air Force, serving eight years and flying the KC-135 tanker. He was worked for Wien Air Alaska for four years and then was hired by Alaska Airlines. He retired from Alaska Airlines in 2013 after a 28-year career, and his tenure as chief pilot was the longest in Alaska Airline's history, according to his obituary. Majer is survived by his wife of 40 years, Linda, and three children. His burial was at Tahoma National Military cemetery.
George M. Noble, Jr. (’05, ’10, WW) passed away May 14, 2017, at the age of 38. Born in Burlington, Vt., he grew up in Ft. Myers, Fla. and joined the U.S. Air Force upon graduation from high school. He became a pneudraulic systems journeyman and later obtained his master’s degree from Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide Campus. He worked for UPS in Louisville, Ky. as an aircraft maintenance supervisor.
Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Roberto Miguel Martinez (’93, DB) passed away May 11, 2017. He was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and grew up in Brooklyn, NY. Martinez served in the U.S. Navy for more than 30 years, including service in Asia. He is survived by his wife Gina and two daughters.
James Fernando (’13, PC) passed away April 29, 2017. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and was an employee of ACSS in Phoenix, Ariz.
Anthony Tommasino (’03, WW), 51, of Phoenix, Ariz., passed away on April 14, 2017, after a tragic accident. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he served six years in the U.S. Navy where he learned aircraft maintenance. He earned a degree in aeronautical engineering at Embry-Riddle and worked the past 30 years in the aviation industry. He leaves behind his wife of 26 years, Roxanne, and two children.
Wayne D. Smouse (’85), 54, of Hilton Head, South Carolina, passed away April 13, 2017 in Savannah Memorial Hospital. He was a Daytona Beach Campus graduate. Early in his career, he worked at The University of Pittsburgh, under Dr. Ronald Herberman, the founding director of The Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, where he developed databases to interface the electronic medical record system. Later, he worked at Penn State University’s New Kensington Campus to spear-head the Information Sciences and Technology program and develop university partnerships with IBM, Alcoa Foundation, Allegheny Ludlum, Oracle and other businesess. Smouse received Penn State University’s Spirit Award and Continuing Education Excellence in Teaching Award. He also was honored with a commendation from the Secretary of the U.S. Air Force in appreciation of his "Citizen Airman" Tradition after the 911 terrorist attack, when one of his students cited his cybersecurity education from Smouse as crucial to the success of a military mission. He is survived by his wife Susan and two daughters.
John A. Onorati (’03, WW), 57, passed away Apr. 3, 2017 in Long Beach, California.
Lt. Eric W. Ferguson (’08, DB) passed away Mar. 30, 2017 in Yokosuka, Japan at the age of 31. Born in Chicago, he attended summer camp at Embry-Riddle and flew his first solo flight at age 17. As a university student at Embry-Riddle, he was named to the Dean’s List and was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the Sophomore/Junior Advisory Board and the Sport Compact Import Racing Car Club. He also attended Embry Riddle’s Study Abroad Program in Paris, France. After graduation, he was a pilot for Continental Connection and flew throughout Florida, the Bahamas and Cuba. After 9/11, Ferguson applied and was accepted into U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Newport, RI. His naval career took him from San Diego to Japan and he rose through the ranks to Lieutenant. An only child, he is survived by his parents, many family members and his fiancee Annalyn. His mother Fay Ferguson created Allies of Innocence, a nonprofit that provides free grief and trauma counseling to survivors of gun violence in Chicago.
Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Hoyt Porter Maulden (’43, MC), who was an Embry-Riddle Professor Emeritus, passed away March 30, 2017. Joining the Navy in 1942, he was designated a naval aviator in 1945 and served for 31 years on a variety of aircraft carriers. After retirement in 1973, he was a managing partner in a consulting firm and an instructor at Pasco-Hernando Community College and Florida Keys Community College. A Certified Financial Planner, he retired from Embry-Riddle in 1994 as Professor Emeritus of Financial Management. Hoyt is survived by his wife of 38 years, Sharon, and two sons.
William Michael ‘Mike’ Grubbs (’84, DB), a 25-year veteran pilot of American Airlines, passed away March 29, 2017. According to news reports, he died after collapsing in the cockpit during a flight. Flight 1353 from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport was preparing to land in Albuquerque, N.M., when the captain declared a medical emergency. Medics boarded the plane but were unable to revive Grubbs, who was serving as first officer of the flight. A resident of Lebanon, Tenn., Grubbs is survived by his wife of 27 years, Helen, and one son.
John Olsen (H '16), who is a former Embry Riddle Trustee, an honorary alumnus of the university and a member of the Prescott Campus Board of Visitors, passed away March 19, 2017. As a longtime pilot and aviation enthusiast, Olsen served as an adviser, advocate and supporter for the creation of Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus.
He served as a U.S. Navy officer, mostly in the South Pacific, during World War II. He graduated from Colorado State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now Colorado State University) with a degree in agronomy, was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and earned a teaching certificate in vocational agriculture. Moving to the Prescott, Ariz., area, he developed the JCJ ranch in the Big Chino and, in 1972, his career shifted to farm management and consulting. He spent 16 years as an elected county supervisor and, in 1979, he helped start Olsen’s Grain.
He also served with the Chino Winds Natural Resource Conservation District, the board of Catholic Charities, the Elks Opera House Foundation Board, the regional hospital board, and was a long time member of Yavapai Cattle Growers. In 2005, he was named Prescott’s Man of the Year. In 2016, Olsen was awarded honorary alumnus status at Embry-Riddle during the OctoberWest Alumni Awards Dinner.
He is preceded in death by his wife Ann, who passed away in 2014, and is survived by four children.
Donations are being accepted to the “John Olsen Classroom Fund” by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to permanently honor Olsen and his contributions to the Prescott Campus. The named classroom would be located in the STEM Education Center, currently under construction. Click here to donate.
Henry Kurtz Weiser (’42, MC, Non-degree) of Rockville, Md., died March 19, 2017. He was a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and flew more than 24 different types of aircraft. He also flew the China-Burma Hump as a "Hump Pilot." He is survived by his son, Greg ('73, DB), who is also an Embry-Riddle alumnus. Weiser was featured in Lift in fall 2014.
Maj. Andrew C. Becker (’07, DB), who was a member of Embry-Riddle's Air Force ROTC Det. 157, died March 14, 2017, in the crash of a reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft during a training flight in New Mexico, according to the U.S. Air Force and related news reports. The 33-year-old married pilot from Novi, Mich., was one of three service members killed when the single-engine U-28A crashed near the Clovis Municipal Airport. Co-pilot 1st Lt. Frederick Dellecker, 26, of Ormond Beach, Fla., and Capt. Kenneth Dalga, 29, were also killed. All three were assigned to the 318th Special Operations Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Daytona Beach Campus student Abbey Trinca, 21, passed away Feb. 27, 2017. Trinca came to Embry-Riddle in 2013, after graduating from the Maribyrnong Sports Academy in Melbourne, Australia. She was a student in the human factors program and an accomplished four-year letter winner for the Eagle’s golf team. She was a member of the housing and residence life staff at Embry-Riddle and a staff member for the athletic department’s game operations and facilities and weight room. A memorial service was held March 7, 2017, in the ICI Center to remember and celebrate Trinca’s life.
Maj. Brian P. Murray (’11, WW) passed away Feb. 22, 2017, in St. Louis, Mo. Murray was a member of the Illinois Air National Guard as an aircraft commander in the KC-135 with three CENTCOM deployments. He had more than 15 years of military service. As a naval aviator, he flew the MH60S and T6 Texan II. In the civilian sector he was an airline pilot for Southwest Airlines. He is survived by his wife, Anne, and three children.
Richard T. Carter (’94, DB) passed away Feb. 13, 2017, in Clearwater, Fla., from complications of leukemia. He was a 101st Airborne U.S. Army veteran.
William “Bill” Robert Chadney (’10, WW) passed away Feb. 7, 2017, at Eternal Hope Hospice Center in Griffin, Ga. Upon graduation from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in the Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 2, VMAQ-2, MAG-14, at the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at MCAS Cherry Point and received several citations and medals. Chadney also served as a member of the Marine Corps League Stephen W. Pless Detachment 1196. He used his Marine Corps training in aircraft mechanics to work for Delta Airlines. Chadney is survived by his wife of 30 years, Betsy, and one son.
John E. Quicksall (’71, DB) passed away Feb. 3, 2017, at Bay Pines Veterans Administration Hospital. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam conflict and retired from Delta Air Lines as a flight captain after 30 years of service. He flew around the world and taught flying for Delta in Atlanta, Ga. In the Navy, he flew as navigator into hurricanes to take wind measurements. He is survived by his companion and caregiver, Dolores Kania, and two children.
Retired Maj. Alan K. Miller (’94, WW), 60, passed away after a long battle with cancer on Feb. 2, 2017 at Houston Medical Center. Miller served in the U.S. Air Force, retiring with the rank of Major. He achieved many honors in the military and later worked as a software engineer at Robins Air Force Base. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Elaine and two children.
Richard E. Waddell, who was the former library director at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus, passed away Jan. 25, 2017. He served as library director at Embry-Riddle, until retiring in 2006. Waddell is survived by his wife Patricia and two children. A brief service was held Feb. 2 at the Embry-Riddle Center for Faith and Spirituality.
Joseph F. Golinski, Jr. (’79, DB) passed away Jan. 18, 2017 with his family by his side. Golinski served as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot during the Vietnam Era. He coached the Embry-Riddle baseball team 1978 - 1980 and coached Bethune-Cookman College baseball team from 1984 - 1985. He spent 15 years at the U.S. Postal Service and retired in 2000. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Mary Grace, and a son. In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Athletics Department.
T.J. Lees (’41, BFTS) passed away Jan. 15, 2017 in Kemble, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. at age 93. His memorial service was held on Feb. 6, 2017, in Kemble Church.
Retired Harry C. Stoddard (’73), of Richmond, Virginia, passed away Jan. 12, 2017. Joining the U.S. Army at age 18, he served in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot. A Daytona Beach Campus graduate, he completed a degree in aviation management, then joined the U.S. Navy. He served 22 years in the Navy, retiring as a Lieutenant Commander. He is survived by his wife, Jo Ann, and one daughter.
Deborah Butts (’01, DB; Former staff) passed away Jan. 11, 2017. Born in Winter Park, Fla., she moved to Daytona Beach as a child, attended Volusia County Community College, and later enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where she served for six years. Upon returning to Daytona Beach, Butts was hired by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where she worked for 36 years, prior to retiring as the assistant director of Veteran Affairs in 2008. She relocated to Virginia Beach, Va. in 2015, where her daughter serves as a minister.
Kenneth McNeil Armstrong (’54, MC) passed away on Jan. 7, 2017, surrounded by his family. He served in the U.S. Navy as an aircraft mechanic, and, after the service, he graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at the top of his class. His love for helicopters brought him to work for Petroleum Helicopters in Lafayette, Waverly Growers Co-Op in Florida, Air Logistics in New Iberia and Arrow Aviation in Broussard. He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Dora. As Armstrong requested, his body was donated to Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.
Michael “Kell” Ryan, an Industry Advisory Board member for Embry-Riddle’s College of Business and a former Embry-Riddle Board of Visitors member, passed away Dec. 30, 2016. Ryan, who was the younger brother of the late Ryanair founder Tony Ryan, joined the airline in 1986 after many years with Aer Lingus and shortly before its successful relaunch as a budget carrier. Ryan, originally from Tipperary, Ireland, had lived and worked in the UK for many year, including serving as Aer Lingus manager at Heathrow Airport. He is survived by his wife Glenis and two daughters.
Gary Lee DeWindt, who was a flight instructor at Embry-Riddle for 12 years and retired in 2012, passed away on Dec. 21, 2016. He is survived by his wife Lynda.
Capt. Kory J. McLeod (’08, ’16, WW), 33, passed away Dec. 21, 2016 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. He served in the U.S. Air Force.
Samuel Eugene Poole Jr. (’54, MC) passed away Dec. 8, 2016 in Tampa, Fla.
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Richard Earl Dickson (’80, WW) passed away Nov. 30, 2016 in Anthem, Ariz., after a six-year battle with stage 4 colon cancer. He served in the U.S. Army as an attack and scout pilot, test flight evaluator and aircraft maintenance officer, before retiring in 1996. During his military career, he received numerous medals and awards. He is survived by his two daughters. Donations may be made to the Veteran's Administration (homeless program), National Memorial Cemetery or Salvation Army.
Blaine Harris Schultz (’43, BFTS), 94, passed away on Nov. 24, 2016 in South Milwaukee, Wis. While studying electrical engineering at North Dakota State College, he took pilot training as part of the Civilian Pilot Training program. After Pearl Harbor, he enrolled in the U.S. Army Air Corps and was inducted in as an aviation cadet. After training at #5 British Flying Training School, he was placed in the Air Transport Command. He served 13 months in North Africa flying a variety of planes out of Casablanca and Tripoli. After he was discharged in 1945, Schultz resumed his engineering training, graduating in 1947. He worked in engineering for the Line Material Company in South Milwaukee, retiring in 1984. He acquired 13 patents during his career. He is survived by his wife, Muriel, and three children.
Blaine Harris Schultz (’43, BFTS) passed away on Nov. 24, 2016.
Bill J. Thayer (’56, MC), 90, passed away Nov. 17, 2016. He served with the U.S. Army Air Corps and was a helicopter pilot with 13,000 hours of pilot in command flight time. Married 55 years, he and his wife Helen traveled the world, creating educational programs for a national program called Adventure Classroom. Together, they skied to the magnetic North Pole, walked 1,600 miles across the Gobi Desert and 4,000 miles across the Sahara. To create a rain forest educational program, he kayaked 2,200 miles of the Amazon River with Helen. The couple spent one year camping alongside a wild wolf den in the Canadian Yukon in a wolf study.
Retired U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Ralph M. Malcolm Jr. (’82, DB) passed away Nov. 9, 2016, in Alexandria, Va. Born in Panama, he moved to the United States in 1957. While a student at Embry-Riddle, he was an original founding member of the Brothers of the Wind, an African-American student organization established in 1974 to promote aviation in the minority community. After 20 years of service, he retired from the U.S. Coast Guard. He continued his aviation career, working for U.S. Air, Lockheed Martin, and as an aviation safety analyst with the Federal Aviation Administration. Malcolm is survived by his wife of seven years, Birtukan (Betty) and two sons. Interment was held at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers or cards, the family is requesting donations to establish a memorial scholarship fund be sent to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in memory of Ralph Malcolm Jr. Contributions may be mailed to the Office of Development, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 600 S. Clyde Morris Ave., Eagle Alumni Center, Daytona Beach, FL 32114-3900. Checks should be made out to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and note "In Memory of Ralph Malcolm Jr." on the memo line. For additional information, contact AJ Smith, assistant director of development at (928) 777-4216.
Alan Bruce (’41, BFTS) passed away on Nov. 7, 2016.
Retired U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Loura Lee Winkels (’07, WW) passed away Nov. 3, 2016 in Converse, Texas at the age of 56. Born in Torrance, Calif., she joined the Air Force in 1978 and served 30 years.
Robert A. "Bob" Hoover, who was an American aviation legend, World War II fighter pilot and a friend of Embry-Riddle, passed away Oct. 25, 2016, at the age of 94 in Los Angeles.
Called “the greatest stick-and-rudder man that ever lived," Hoover was a pilot who escaped Nazi captivity in a stolen German plane, tested supersonic aircraft with Chuck Yeager, trained military aviators and spent decades as a stunt pilot.
He flew more than 300 varieties of airplanes and knew virtually every significant figure in aviation history, including Orville Wright and Charles Lindbergh. He was enshrined in the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio, in 1988.
Taking flying lessons at 15, Hoover joined the Tennessee Air National Guard at 18. During World War II, he flew 58 missions as a fighter pilot with the Army Air Forces. He was shot down in 1944 and spent more than a year in a German prison camp before he escaped.
Leaving the military in 1948, he became a test pilot for General Motors, North American Aviation and North American Rockwell. He flew at air shows around the world, flying a yellow P-51 Mustang or white-and-green Shrike. Retiring from aerobatics in his late 70s, he piloted his last plane when he was 85.
His wife of 68 years, Colleen Humrickhouse, died in February 2016. He is survived by two children.
Hoover published an autobiography, Forever Flying, in 1996 and a documentary about Hoover's life, Flying the Feathered Edge, premiered in 2014.
The Citation Jet Pilots (CJP) Association, in conjunction with the Bob Hoover Legacy Foundation, has provided scholarships in Hoover's name to students attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Numerous Embry-Riddle representatives, including Prescott Campus Chancellor Frank Ayers, attended the recent Bob Hoover "Celebration of Life", held at Clay Lacy Aviation in Van Nuys, Calif. Click here to view the memorial.
William C. Gladish (’92, WW), 56, of Dayton, Ohio, passed away Oct. 14, 2016.
Robert "Bob" Neubert (’68, DB) passed away unexpectedly from natural causes on Oct. 11, 2016, in Connecticut. He worked as an aeronautical engineer at Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, Conn., for 30 years. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Marilyn, and two sons.
William C. Russell III (’85, WW) passed away Oct. 4, 2016. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Sue, and two sons.
Harold "Hal" D. Cope, a longtime friend of Embry-Riddle, passed away in October 2016. A founding member of the Aviation Pioneers Association, Cope helped establish the Aviation History Project at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which continues to document the stories of the “Non-sked Airlines” from the entrepreneurs, pilots and employees who sought to capitalize on a growing market. Hal’s efforts, along with others involved in the project, enabled the Non-skeds to be inducted into the San Diego Air and Space Museum’s Hall of Fame in November 2016. Cope served in airline management and aviation consultation in addition to flying as a commercial pilot over a 42-year career. In the 1960s, Cope fulfilled a longstanding dream of going to Kenya on a safari hunt; however, the late actor William Holden turned his hunting ambitions from gun to camera. Holden instilled in Cope the need to work with African wildlife conservation programs, which he supported and promoted throughout the remainder of his life. Cope enjoyed telling stories of his flying career and his work with well-known personalities of the era. “Bwana Hal,” as he was known, will be remembered for his passion for Africa, its animals and its people.
Michael M. Antinori (’99, DB) passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 30, 2016. He worked as a flight instructor for seven years at Dominion Aviation Services at the Chesterfield County Airport in Richmond, Va. He spent the last nine years working for CommutAir in Cleveland, Ohio where he was a dispatcher for several years and recently became a dispatch trainer. Antinori is survived by his parents and two siblings.
Gerald “Jerry” Zimmerman (’58, MC, Non-degree), who was launch team supervisor for Apollo 1, passed away Sept. 23, 2016. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he first worked with North American Rockwell on the Vigilante and OV-10 programs, followed by working with NASA on the Apollo Program. Jerry was in charge of the command module of Apollo I at Kennedy Space Center. He returned to Columbus, Ohio and worked with the B-1 and Space Shuttle programs while at Rockwell before retiring. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Joe Ann, and four children
Kim Q. Habermann (’78, DB) passed away Sept. 23, 2016, in Falls Church, Va. He was a loyal donor to Embry-Riddle and created the Kim Habermann Term Scholarship at the Daytona Beach Campus' College of Business.
Col. Raymond J. Wienk (’44, MC) passed away on Sept. 22, 2016 in Olympia, Wash. Born on a dairy farm in East Otto, NY, he served in World War II in the 20th Army Air Corps. He piloted B29 and B24 bombers in the 498th Bomb Group, Saipan, Asiatic-Pacific Theater. He retired as a Colonel from the Air Force Reserve after 32 years of service, serving many year as a liaison officer for the Air Force Academy. He flew for the Civil Air Patrol and he and his wife Phyllis, who passed away in 2013, ran the Niagara Frontier Air Force Association Scholarship Program. Wienk is survived by two children.
Wayne W. Woolhiser (’01, WW) passed away Sept. 19, 2016. Born in Pereira, Colombia, he lived in Thailand, Pakistan, Greece, and Egypt, prior to moving to Oregon in the late 1960s, because his father worked in international construction. He worked for The Boeing Company for 29 years, retiring in 2008. He and his wife worked together in the avionics group on the V-22 Osprey Tilt-Rotor program at the Boeing Helicopters plant in Philadelphia, Pa. Near the end of his career, he was a systems engineer, concentrating on configurations in military and commercial applications in airplanes, bombers and weaponry. He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Karen, and one son.
Wayne F. Bramwell (’89, DB) passed away Sept. 13, 2016. He is survived by his two children.
Vandon D. Johnson (’60, MC, Non-degree) passed away on Sept. 3, 2016, from a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, after years of circulation problems. He spent time in the U.S. Navy, then attended Embry-Riddle's Miami Campus, where he earned an airframe and powerplant certificate.
Betty Jane France, a friend of Embry-Riddle, passed away Aug. 29, 2016. She was the founder of the NASCAR Foundation and wife of the late NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. France was known for her philanthropy, which included the creation in 2006 of the NASCAR Foundation, which supports hospitals and clinics, with a focus on its Speediatrics Children's Fund. It also awards the annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award to a NASCAR fan displaying charitable ideals.
Master Sgt. Selwyn G. Curtis (’82, WW) passed away Aug. 18, 2016, after a battle with cancer. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he was the Air Force Junior ROTC instructor at Lakeland High School in Suffolk, Va. Curtis was also chaplain of the Hampton Roads Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club, of which he was one of the founders, and was the proprietor of Curtis Horsemanship.
Robert Wayne Harsha, who is a retired Embry-Riddle Worldwide Campus faculty member, passed away Aug., 16, 2016, after a 10-month battle with prostate cancer complicated by pulmonary fibrosis. Born in Billings, Mont., Harsha grew up on the family ranch and joined the U.S. Air Force in 1968. He completed pilot training and then became a flight instructor. During his 24 years in the military, he was stationed at nine bases around the world and completed over 5,000 flying hours on four different types of planes. While in the Air Force, he completed his doctorate in education and began teaching at Embry-Riddle. With the rank of Lt. Colonel, Harsha retired from the military in 1991 and started a 27-year academic career at Embry-Riddle's Worldwide Campus. He taught nearly 4,600 students at 38 different corporate and military facilities in 11 states and two foreign countries, before retiring in May 2015 as an associate professor in the College of Business. He is survived by his wife Heidi and five children.
Former faculty member Paul R. Gaddie, 68, of Taylorsville, Kentucky, passed away Aug. 14, 2016 at the University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington, Ky. He was nationally known for his engineering knowledge and capabilities to teach, especially in the areas of human factors and engineering associated with airplanes and flight. He was director of academics at Embry-Riddle Worldwide’s Louisville Campus from 2006 to 2010. He spent many years flying in the U.S. Navy, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander and served as assistant director of the Center for Advanced Research at the Naval War College in the mid-80's.
Rev. Russell R. White, a friend of Embry-Riddle, passed away Aug. 10, 2016. He founded the Eagle Flight Squadron nonprofit organization, which led to a number of underprivileged youth in the New Jersey area seeking employment in the aviation industry and attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. White founded the program 35 years ago to encourage youth to develop trade, educational and manual skills related to aviation, while raising their grades in school. Of the Eagle Flight Squadron’s students, 19 have gone on to Air Force academies, 37 are commercial pilots, 190 attended aviation schools such as Daniel Webster College in New Hampshire and Embry-Riddle in Florida, and 259 are working in aviation-related positions, according to the organization’s website: http://www.eagleflightsquadron.com/. White was inducted into New Jersey’s Aviation Hall of Fame for his leadership of the squadron. White was also the former pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in Orange, N.J., a former disciplinarian and truant officer at East Orange High School and one of the founding members of the East Orange Clergy Organization.
Ralph Waldo "Wally" Emerson III (’96, WW), a former faculty member at the Worldwide Campus in Oklahoma City, Okla., passed away on Aug. 4, 2016, in Midwest City, Okla. He retired as a lieutenant colonel after 20 years of service as a combat pilot in the U.S. Air Force. While serving, he was a survivor at the Pentagon on 9/11 and aided in the treatment of victims. At the time of his death, he served as director of aviation services with Keybridge Technology. He is survived by his wife, Joey Emerson, a son and a daughter.
Richard C. Steele (’12, ’15, WW), 34, of New Braunfels, Texas, passed away unexpectedly at his home on July 31, 2016. He was a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot for six years and two months for the U.S. Army, and he served for a total of 13 years. During his Army tenure, Steele also was an electrical avionics technician of helicopters, including the Kiowa. Steele was medically retired from service in May 2014 and attended the University of Texas at San Antonio to earn a second bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He is survived by his wife Emily and one daughter. He was buried with honors in Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.
Andreas H. Wiedemann ('05, PC) passed away July 29, 2016, in Switzerland, after a courageous battle with cancer. A dual major in engineering and air science, he was a flight instructor and standards pilot for many years. He is survived by his parents, Klaus and Minami, and girlfriend, Amber.
Lt. Col. Michael L. Drake (’77), 70, passed away July 29, 2016, unexpectedly at his home in Cicero, Indiana. Serving more than 24 years in the U.S. Army, Drake was an instructor pilot and served as a combat helicopter pilot in Vietnam. After Vietnam ended, he transferred to the Army Finance Corps and had various assignments around the world. At retirement, Drake worked for the Undersecretary of the Army for Financial Management. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Glenda, and a son.
Gerard “Jerry” T. Doyle ('79, DB) passed away suddenly on July 27, 2016, at his residence in Las Vegas, Nev. He was employed as a jet salesmen for Falcon Jet in Teterboro, N.J., from 1979-1980, and in 1980, he was the vice president of sales for Drexel Burnham in San Diego, Calif. In 1985, Doyle went to Hollywood, starring in Babylon 5. He had parts and stunts in many movies during the 1990s. In 2001, Doyle made a Republican run for Congress in California. In that same year, The Jerry Doyle Show started on radio and became nationally known. Doyle became the No. 6 political radio show host in America to this present day. In 2013, he created and was president of Epic Times, Las Vegas, Nev., a digital mass media company. Doyle is survived by his son, Matthew Doyle.
Col. Jack W. Revels (’77, WW) passed away July 22, 2016.
Tech. Sgt. Sunny (Siler) Podobensky ('04, WW) passed away July 10, 2016, at Walter Reed National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., after a battle against melanoma. Joining the U.S. Air Force in 1997, she served as an aerospace physiologist and as an aircraft/aircrew safety and mishap officer and investigator. Podobensky won multiple Air Force, Command, Wing, Group and Squadron awards throughout her career, plus served as the first female State Air Force Association president while stationed at McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas. She deployed multiple times to Afghanistan and Iraq in support of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Podobensky was the recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal, NATO Medal, and numerous others. Podobensky is survived by her husband, Greg, and two sons.
Eugene Coker ('86, WW) passed away July 9, 2016. He retired from the U.S. Air Force after 23 years of service, including serving in Vietnam. Coker worked for United Airlines as an aircraft mechanic for 20 years. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Ruth, and one son.
David E. Gotwald, III (’71, DB) passed away July 3, 2016 at York, Penna. He was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer only 18 days earlier. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served a year in Vietnam. He was CEO and owner of Surtech Industries. He is survived by his wife Rebecca and three children.
James Philip “Fibber” McKee ('58, MC) passed away June 24, 2016. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and retired from Materials Handling Equipment Corporation in Fort Wayne, Ind. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie, and one son.
Dawn Brooke Owens ('02, PC) passed away June 24, 2016, of cancer at age 36. A resident of Houston, Texas, she was a pilot and space policy expert, who had worked for NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the White House’s Office of Management and Budget. In honor of Owens' life and professional contributions, a group of colleagues and friends established in 2016 the Brooke Owens Fellowship Program, a paid internship and mentorship program designed to inspire and train exceptional undergraduate women seeking careers in aviation or space exploration. The program is administered by The Future Space Leaders Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3).
Gonzalo “Zalo” Lopez-Garzón ('42, MC), believed to have been Embry-Riddle’s oldest living alumnus, passed away on June 23, 2016, at the age of 101. Originally from Argentina and later a resident of Miami, Fla., Lopez-Garzón was one of 526 students representing countries from all over Central and South America who attended Embry-Riddle in 1941-42 through the federally-funded Inter-American Aviation Training Program scholarship. Read about his life and his Embry-Riddle experience.
Robert C. Sellers ('56, MC, Non-degree) passed away May 25, 2016 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He received his commercial pilot's license from Embry Riddle School of Aviation in Miami, Fla., in 1956. A founding member of the Delaware Valley Aviation Flying Club at Wings Field Airport in Montgomery County, he was a flying club member for more than 20 years. In 2008, he was honored by the FAA as a Master Pilot for more than 50 years of accident free flying. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and three sons.
Craig Chilcote (’94, PC), age 47, of Hollywood, Fla., passed away May 22, 2016. He began his aviation career in 1990 as a charter pilot and flight instructor. Later, he became vice president of flight operations at American Eagle Airlines, then vice president of safety and regulatory compliance for Pinnacle Airlines, Inc.
Craig Chilcote (’94, PC), age 47, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., passed away May 22, 2016. He began his aviation career in 1990 as a charter pilot and flight instructor. Later, he became vice president of flight operations at American Eagle Airlines, then vice president of safety and regulatory compliance for Pinnacle Airlines, Inc.
Anna Christine "Chris" Gohranson (’84, ‘00, WW) passed away May 19, 2016. She was a retired U.S. Navy Master Chief Petty Officer. Married to William Edgar "Bill" Gohranson, she is survived by three sons.
Jesse R. Goodwin ('00, PC) passed away May 17, 2016, in a airplane crash in Mesa, Ariz. Goodwin, an A-320 first officer, was flying a WWII North American AT-6 warbird that crashed at Falcon Field. He was a commercial pilot for Mesa Airlines and America West, before joining US Airways/American Airlines. He was also a member of the Commemorative Air Force and Wings of Flight Foundation. He is survived by his wife, Katie.
Harry Alex Senopoulos III ('15, DB), 23, died May 13, 2016, while attending flight school in Pensacola, Fla. Second Lt. Senopoulos was a U.S. Marine commissioned through the Embry-Riddle Navy ROTC program in spring 2015. He is survived by his wife, Second Lt. Karissa E. Hewitt ('15, DB), who is in the Army Reserve and was commissioned through the Embry-Riddle Army ROTC in 2015. Rev. David Keck, university chaplain, and the Navy ROTC held a memorial service honoring Senopoulos on May 25, 2016, at the Center for Faith and Spirituality at the Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Campus.
Janice L. McBreen (’81, PC) passed away on May 12, 2016, in Phoenix, Ariz. Enlisting in the U.S. Navy, she served as an air traffic controller in multiple locations, including Keflavik, Iceland. She left the Navy, earned her degree and was commissioned as an officer in the 161st Air National Guard. She traveled globally, was part of the first all-female refueling mission in 1984 and served during several conflicts. She retired from the U.S. Air National Guard in 2002 with the rank of major. For the past 15 years, she battled scleroderma, an autoimmune disease. She is survived by her son, Connor.
James J. “Jim” Ballough Jr. (’04, WW) passed away May 3, 2016, after a seven-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Ballough was a vice president at Cavok, a division of Oliver Wyman Inc., in Keller, Texas, and had retired as the director of Flight Standards Service for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with 27 years of service. A Vietnam veteran, he started his civil aviation career as an airframe and powerplant mechanic with Eastern Airlines, before becoming an FAA safety inspector. At the FAA, he served as principle maintenance inspector of US Airways and manager of the Eastern Region’s Technical Branch, before his promotion to director of the Flight Standards Service in Washington, D.C. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Michele, and his two children, Lauren and James III.
Debra Roob Costello (’01, WW) passed away on May 2, 2016. She lived in Virginia and was a pilot for UPS. She completed the U.S. Navy Aviation Officer Candidate School, and as a commissioned officer, she attended Navy Flight School and became a naval aviator. Serving in the Persian Gulf War during her 12-year career, she received multiple decorations. She is survived by her husband of 28 years, Patrick L. Costello.
David P. Bjorneboe (’92, DB) passed away unexpectedly April 20, 2016, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., of complications from hemochromatosis. He worked for various aviation authorities in Florida: Miami-Dade Aviation Department, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) as the aviation programs administrator covering Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, and Broward County Aviation Department as assistant to the aviation director. The last seven years he worked as a consultant in the transportation industry for FDOT and Miami-Dade Transit, and he was currently consulting with the Broward County Aviation Department. He loved the Bahamas and managed the Abaco Inn in Hopetown on Elbow Cay in the Abaco Island Chain.
Dana G. Beyer ('85, WW) passed away April 17, 2016. Beyer, of Boynton Beach, Fla., served as district pastor for Trinity Church International in Lake Worth, Fla. He is survived by his wife, Debbie, and four children.
William E. Pitts (’60, MC) passed away April 1, 2016 in Coral Gables, Fla. He worked in maintenance for United Airlines, then was a co-pilot for Northeast Airlines which is now Delta Airlines. He retired after 41 years of service.
Elizabeth “Betty” Nelson, who was an Embry-Riddle Professor Emerita, passed away on March 25, 2016, at age 92.
She was a faculty member in the English department at Bethune-Cookman College (now Bethune-Cookman University) in Daytona Beach, Fla., before joining Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus in 1966 as chair of the English department, which later became part of the humanities and social sciences department. She subsequently served as dean of women at Embry-Riddle and retired in 1989. Nelson founded the local film society Cinematique, served in numerous capacities with the Friends of the Volusia County Library, and was the force behind Daytona Beach’s Sister Cities alliance with Campeche, Mexico. She was also an early member of the Daytona Beach chapter of the NAACP. A May 28, 2016, remembrance gathering, held at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Daytona Beach, honored Nelson's life and her many friendships and accomplishments.
Col. Gary E. DeKay (’80, WW) passed away March 25, 2016, in Daytona Beach, Fla. DeKay served his country for 46-plus years, including more than 35 years as a member of the U.S. Army, and later as a civilian working for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Fla.
DeKay served as a Master Army Aviator with nearly 9,000 total flight hours, including more than 1,800 combat flight hours during his two tours in Vietnam. He received numerous military awards and decorations.
He earned both a bachelor's and master's degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. DeKay retired in 2001 from military service and he retired in 2012 from civilian service. He is survived by his wife, Karla Key, and one daughter.
Lt. Col. Tyson William Hummel (’93, PC) passed away March 20, 2016, after a long battle with thyroid cancer. He joined the U.S. Air Force in December 1993, commissioned through an ROTC scholarship at Embry-Riddle. He retired from the 432nd Wing, Creech Air Force Base, Inspector General office in 2014. Tyson had been a member of the Civil Air Patrol. He is survived by his two children.
Henry "Ray" Raymond Bazo ('63, MC) passed away on March 4, 2016. He worked on several government projects, including the Saturn V rocket. He is survived by his wife Arline and five children.
Ashley Marie Guindon ('10, DB) was killed in the line of duty on Feb. 27, just one day after being sworn in as a police officer for Prince William County, Va.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach Campus held a memorial service for Guindon for alumni, students, staff, faculty and the local community on March 22 at the Center for Faith and Spirituality.
Guindon, 28, of Woodbridge, Va., formerly of Merrimack, N.H., earned a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics with minors in psychology, homeland security and aviation safety. She also served in the U.S. Marines Corps Reserve while she was a student at Embry-Riddle.
Stephen D. Ford ('86, '88, WW) died suddenly on Feb. 7, 2016, at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Conn. Having served in the U.S. Army, he was the superintendent of operations at Sikorsky Memorial Airport, with more than 25 years of service. Ford served as president on the Board of Directors of Blackhorse 4 Heroes Inc. He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Robbin.
Sami Almulhim (DB student) passed away from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident over the weekend of Feb. 6-7, 2015. Originally from Saudi Arabia, he was a junior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace and Occupational Safety. He is survived by his wife, two children and many Embry-Riddle friends. His memorial service was held at the Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Campus' Center for Faith and Spirituality on Feb. 12.
Jonathan Harrington (DB student), a senior majoring in unmanned aircraft systems science, died Feb. 5. He was a Marine Corps veteran and is survived by his three children and three grandchildren. The wake and funeral were held in Medford, Mass., and a Feb. 9 service was held at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach Campus in the Center for Faith and Spirituality.
Edgar D. Mitchell (HonDoc '96), the Apollo 14 astronaut who was the sixth man to step foot on the moon, died Feb. 4 in South Florida. The Lunar Module Pilot on his 1971 trip into space, he collected rock samples and walked on the lunar surface during his nine hour visit with Commander Alan Shepard.
Mitchell received a degree in Industrial Management from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1952 before joining the U.S. Navy. While in the Navy, he completed his Doctor of Science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1964 and was selected to be an astronaut in 1966.
He retired from NASA and the Navy in 1972 and lived in Lake Worth, Fla., south of West Palm Beach. He is survived by five grown children.
Sid Shelby Barling, Jr. (’71, DB) passed away January 21, 2016. He was one of the founding brothers of Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Campus’ Sigma Chi, Eta Iota chapter. He served four years in the U.S. Navy, then worked at the Tampa Fire Department. After college, he flew with Shawnee Airlines in Orlando. He obtained his General Contractor’s license in 1976, and he specialized in commercial construction. Barling is survived by his wife of 44 years Carole, and two children.
Edward A. Curry, Jr. ('41, BFTS, Non-degree) passed away Jan. 16, 2016. He lived in Los Angeles, Calif.
Christopher A. Pyle ('88, '95, DB) passed away Jan. 12, 2016. He lived in Broomall, Pa. Pyle was formerly employed as a commercial pilot and is survived by three children.
Thomas Masano (‘44, BFTS), age 98, of Reading, Pennsylvania, passed away Jan. 7, 2016. During WWII, he served as a captain in the U.S. Army-Air Force and trained with the Royal Air Force, earning both AAF and RAF wings. He flew C-46s C-47s and C-54s for the Air Transport Command in the China-Burma-India Theater, ferrying supplies into China. The operation over the Himalayas was known as “The Burma Airlift” or “Flying the Hump,” for which Masano was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1945. Masano was the chairman of Tom Masano Auto Group, which he started with his brother Bruce in 1947 and now encompasses Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Ford, Lincoln, Mitsubishi and Mazda, as well as the new Tom Masano Auto Park. Additionally, he was owner of Galen Hall Corp. in Wernersville, acquired in 1964, which includes Galen Hall Woods and Stone Pond developments. Masano, who is survived by four children, was also president of Berks Development Corp. and served on the boards of Meridian Bank, Great Valley Savings Bank and Reading Aviation Service.
Franklin T. Basham ('58, MC) passed away Jan. 6, 2015, in Oregon. He is survived by his wife Patricia.
Charles H. Miller ('15, WW) passed away Jan. 4, 2016. He earned his Bachelor's degree while undergoing extensive treatment for cancer and even walked for his diploma in May 2015, just a few days after he had ended chemo treatments, according to his wife Judith Miller.
Erik J. West (‘75, DB) passed away Jan. 1, 2016.
John Jorgenson (’43, BFTS) passed away Jan. 1, 2016.
Herman Mark Bogantz (’01), 57, passed away June 1, 2015 in his Mansfield, Ohio home following a brief illness. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked nearly 20 years for Airborne Express, as an avionics safety director. He is survived by two children.
Kerry L. McGraw, 67 died on April 14, 2015 at his home in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. He served as an avionics electrician in the United States Navy for 22 years and retired as a Chief Petty Officer. He is survived by a wide circle of family and friends.
Ralph Brian Jones (’96, ’04), 52, passed away April 22, 2014. He joined the U.S. Air Force, retiring after 25 years of service.
Capt. Sean M. Ruane (’05), 31, based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, was killed Jan. 07, 2014, in a Pave Hawk helicopter crash, while on a U.S. Air Force training mission. Ruane entered the U.S. Air Force active duty and began undergraduate pilot training, after graduating from Embry-Riddle. He first mastered the UHlH Huey helicopter, earning his pilot wings in 2007, and then learned the HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter and tactics that would enable him to save lives in combat as part of the 41st Rescue Squadron. He was deployed four times to the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. He advanced to aircraft commander, and then on to HH-60G flight lead. He was then selected to become an HH-60G instructor pilot to teach others combat rescue. Joining the 56th Rescue Squadron in England, he further advanced as an evaluator pilot, and was selected as the squadron's chief of standardization and evaluation section. He was again deployed to Afghanistan in 2013, as the flight lead of a formation of two Pavehawk helicopters and 14 aircrew. He was then promoted to operations group executive officer. Ruane received many major awards and decorations. He was survived by his wife Rachel and one son.
CW4 James R. Dupasquier (’05), 48, passed away Sept. 25, 2012, after a two-year battle with leukemia. He joined the U.S. Army and enjoyed a distinguished military career. After retirement in 2008, he continued to work in Aviation Safety in Alabama. He is survived by wife, Michelle, and two children.
Capt. Nicholas T. Giglio (’03), 32, of Dalzell, S.C., passed away Oct. 15, 2009, in the line of duty while piloting an Air Force F-16 fighter jet over the coast of South Carolina. Enlisting in the U.S. Air Force, Giglio was assigned to McGuire Air Force Base as an aircraft communications/navigations systems journeyman on the C-141. In 1998, he received a military scholarship and earned a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering at Embry Riddle, plus completed the ROTC program with Detachment #157. He was commissioned as an Air Force officer in 2003 and received his Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, in 2004. He continued at Sheppard as a first assignment instructor pilot with the T-37. He then trained to fly the F-16, and later, he was assigned to the 77th F-16 Fighter Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. Giglio was survived by his wife, Leigh. He and Leigh had a daughter, Grace, and Leigh was pregnant with their second child, Caleb, when Giglio passed away.
Richard Aubrey Coleman (’75), 56, from Washington, D.C., passed away April 18, 2009 in Covington, Louisiana. He was a professional musician for 39 years, studying the violin and drums and percussion. He performed with the jazz trio he formed in 2005, known as the Bob Ellis Trio, the group composed of piano, bass and drums. In addition to being an accomplished musician, Coleman was an aviation professional and flew for the Department of Homeland Security as a Federal Officer and pilot. Coleman was a pilot for the federal government for 22 years.
2nd Lt. John S. Vaughan (’05), 23, of Edwards, Colorado, was killed June 7, 2006 when he encountered enemy small-arms fire during dismounted combat operations in Mosul, Iraq. He was assigned to the U.S. Army 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
Oliver Joseph Dellies died at the age of 76 in Annapolis. For 27 years, he was a senior engineer at Westinghouse Electric Corp. A private pilot for more than 60 years, he earned his A&P certification in 1995.
He is fondly remembered by Jeffrey Miller, who writes, “This man was a mentor to me when I started learning to fly. He was a fixture around Lee Airport in Annapolis, and when I told him I was moving to Florida to go to college, he asked, ‘Where you going?’ I said, ‘Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.’ His face lit up in a huge smile and he said, “I graduated from there in ’56 in Miami. We called the classroom building the Chicken Coop and boy could you tell when it rained.” I said, “How?” He said, “You could smell the chicken s#!t.”
Kerry L. Browning, Sr. (‘89), who was an airline pilot for U.S. Airways, passed away Feb. 28, 2002 at Elvis Presley Trauma Center in Memphis, Tennessee, of heart failure.
Christopher G. Herring (’92) passed away October 18, 1992. He played four years on Embry-Riddle Daytona Campus’ baseball team and later he helped coach.
Lt. Eric W. Sherman (’88) passed away Oct. 25, 1991.
John Bates "Rip" Holmberg II (’84) passed away June 23, 1987. He was a 1st Lt. flying a F-16C over Weselberg, Germany, near Ramstein Air Base, when he flew into the ground. It is believed he was inverted and a malfunction led to the crash, according to a Facebook post from the AFROTC Det. 157 Alumni and Cadet Association.