With the heaviest of hearts I have to report my father Captain Richard A. Deeds has passed at the age of 87.   A combination of health problems primarily around heart problems and spinal stenosis added up.   The Captain faced the choice of continuing on a feeding tube and being hospitalized for life or discontinuing his medicines and chose to move on.   We saw him as a family yesterday and he passed shortly after falling asleep yesterday night.

Those of you that flew with my dad knew my dad.   I flew with him.  People that never saw him in action when he was flying just didn’t know him.  He was alive when he got in an airplane.  Really he was alive if you just got him within a mile of a runway.  His eyes would get bigger, he’d start talking about any plane that few by, he loved aviation and I’m happy he spent his life doing what he loved so much.   My dad also cared deeply about all of you when he flew.  Like I really mean a lot.  Your wellbeing and your safety was always first.  I personally don’t know what’s next but I just hope my dad is flying an airplane.   When/if we plan a memorial or funeral I’ll post an update.   I thank all of you for being such great friends to my father.  Your friendship and love for one another as pilots meant the world to him.