Author: dickdeeds@pacbell.net

Rita Akelis, wife of Captain Tony Akelis

dickdeeds@pacbell.net

Notification with the passing of Rita Kwan Akelis, wife of retired Western/Delta pilot Captain Anthony Akelis.  Rita was 85 years of age at the time of her passing.  She is survived by her husband Tony and her children. Obituary information for Rita may be viewed online at https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/rita-akelis-obituary?pid=193064562 Also at http://hosting-1085.tributes.com/obituary/show/Rita-Kwan-Akelis-107162622  Sneider & Sullivan & O’Connell’s Funeral Home of San Mateo CA has been entrusted with arrangements. Should more information be received we will be sure to pass it along.             Thank you,                 ~ Carol for the PCN   https://pcnflightwest.blogspot.com/2019/06/rita-kwan-akelis-wife-of-wadl-capt-tony.html Obituary………….. Rita Kwan Akelis Born in Hong Kong May 31, 1934. Died June 2, 2019 In Burlingame, of heart failure. Rita graduated Mary Knoll Catholic High, Kowloon, and attended nursing college in London. She returned to Hong Kong and became a Flight Attendant for Cathay Pacific Airways. Later, she was recruited by an American carrier, TransOcean Airlines, for her fluency in Chinese dialects. When TransOcean Airlines ceased operations, she was hired to continue her career by United States Overseas Airlines.   Rita met her future husband, a pilot, Captain Anthony Akelis of Delta Air Lines, who at that time was a Flight Engineer for United States Overseas Airlines. While flying the Pacific, Rita dated Tony. They married in Hong Kong in 1962 at a Catholic church.   She was a very talented designer and artisan, making flower arrangements and custom-stitched quilts, handbags, jewelry boxes, decorative ornaments, and other fabric creations, including knitting one-of-a-kind scarves. All her handmade items were sold at a co-op store in Palo Alto, CA. Her skills first started as a hobby and later became a full-fledged business.   She also had a green thumb, growing many flowers and plants at home herself, which she then included in her fabric projects.   Rita enjoyed walking, hiking, skiing, and attending outdoor and indoor events. She volunteered at Strybing Arboretum in San Francisco as a docent, and served as host at various flower and plant parks in the San Francisco area.   Rita raised two children, daughter Aline, who became a court reporter, and son Vincent, who became an airline pilot, almost on her own as Tony was away half of the time flying for the airlines.   She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Tony; her two children; her sister, Norma; her brother, Man Woo.

Condolences may be sent to:

Tony Akelis

35 Avendale Rd.

Hillborough, CA 94010

flyone@comcast.net

Passing of WAL/DAL Captain Tom Goldt

dickdeeds@pacbell.net

AS soon as I receive any new info about services etc. I’ll pass along. Dick

Sad news…Tom Goldt passed away this morning (Saturday the 1st at 2:45).   Hal

Begin forwarded message:From: mulligoldt <mulligoldt@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: High Flight
Date: June 1, 2019 at 5:16:47 AM PDT
To: Hal Cody <halcody@sbcglobal.net>
Poem was beautiful..appropriate..Tom passed away this morning at 2:45am….Marin

High Flight
By John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
(A sonnet written by John Gillespie Magee, an American pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force in the Second World War. He came to Britain, flew in a Spitfire squadron, and was killed at the age of nineteen on 11 December 1941 during a training flight from the airfield near Scopwick.)

Portions Of This Lovely Poem Appear On The Headstones
 Of Many Interred In Arlington National Cemetery,
Patricularly Aviators And Astronauts

“Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds –
and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of –
wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence.
Hovering there I’ve chased the shouting wind along
and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air.

“Up, up the long delirious burning blue 
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace, 
where never lark, or even eagle, flew; 
and, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod 
the high untrespassed sanctity of space, 
put out my hand and touched the face of God.”

Passing of Captain Fred Guenzel

dickdeeds@pacbell.net

I received this today from Duane Meier. Will forward any info as soon as I receive it. Dick

Hi Dick   It is with much sadness that I just received word that Fred Guenzel passed away yesterday, Details are pending. I will advise when they are available.   Duane

Hi Dick   It is with much sadness that I just received word that Fred Guenzel passed away yesterday, Details are pending. I will advise when they are available.   Duane

Services for SLC Jay Mooney – NOT J. Moody

dickdeeds@pacbell.net

1928 ~ 2019
Beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and friend passed away this week at his home in Salt Lake City. Jay was born February 25, 1928 in Butte, Montana to Albert Silva and Johanna Murray Mooney. His family moved to Salt Lake City in 1935 when his father was appointed theand earned a first chief pilot of Western Airlines. Jay attended Judge Memorial Catholic High School graduating in 1946 with the James McGean Outstanding Athlete and Scholar Award. He later attended the University of Utah earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. At Judge Memorial, Jay met the love of his life Bernice Maher Mooney and they married on June 9, 1952 in the Cathedral of the Madeleine. Jay and Bernice were blessed to be the parents of five children. The family lived in Montana, New Mexico, Kansas and California before returning to Salt Lake in 1978.
Jay grew up around airplanes and learned to fly at a young age. He was passionate about flying both professionally and personally and enjoyed flying aerobatics in his Decathlon. Jay served his country in the United States Air Force during the Korean War and was stationed at Edwards AFB. He had a distinguished career in aviation first as the co-owner of Butte Aero Sales and Service and later in the Los Angeles and Salt Lake City offices of the Federal Aviation Administration. Jay retired at the age of 80 after 46 years of service with the FAA where he was a check airman for Western, Delta and Skywest Airlines.
Jay was devoted to his family and his church, living a life filled with integrity, faith and compassion. He was an avid skier and fly-fisherman and enjoyed skiing fresh powder at Alta and Solitude and fishing in Montana well into his eighties. Thank you to Dr. Luras as well as the kind professionals at Huntsman and all his friends at Whole Foods who were part of his wellness journey. Jay is survived by his son James (Kimberly), and daughters Julie, Mary (John Greer), Anne (John Sparano), grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife (Bernice), son (John Jr.), his parents, and brothers (Albert “Al”, William “Bill” and Brien). 
A funeral mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, May 7 at 12:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.Vigil service Monday, May 6 at 7:00 p.m. at Neil O’Donnell & Sons Mortuary where friends may call 1 hour prior. Internment at Mt. Calvary.

Passing of Jim Pollak

dickdeeds@pacbell.net

https://vietnamtowesternairlines.com/excerpts/volume-1/chapter-20-jim-pollak/
Volume 1, Chapter 20 by Jim Pollak
Jim Pollack
Excerpt from Volume 1, Chapter 20: Shootdown of Jim Pollak, by Jim Pollak, USAF
F-100D, January 4, 1968
Date of hire by Western Airlines: 1/27/1969

—–Original Message—– From: Carol Faulkner
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2019 11:47 AM
To: S.K. FRANKS ; Dick Deeds
Subject: Re: Jim Pollak heads WEST

…I’ll keep eye out for more information…thank you
~ Carol

—–Original Message—– From: S.K. FRANKS
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2019 11:34 AM
To: Dick Deeds ; Carol Faulkner
Subject: Jim Pollak heads WEST

Have received word that WAL/DAL Captain and USAF fighter pilot flew west
yesterday afternoon!

Info will follow as soon as info is received

Stan Franks=

—————–


From: George Buchkowski
Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2019 7:58 PM
To: death.flwnwst@gmail.com
Subject: Death of Jim Pollak

I just received a phone call from Jim’s wife, Bonnie, that he passed away today.  Jim was based in LAX and retired in Sept. 2000.  Funeral arrangements are pending.


Passing of Capt James Hoover

dickdeeds@pacbell.net

James B. Hoover, 84, Ridgeland, Wis., died unexpectedly Monday, March 4, 2019, at Mayo Clinic Health System, Menomonie.

Jim joined the United States Air Force after high school and served in combat during Vietnam. He then flew for Western Airlines and later Delta Airlines, retiring in 1994.

Surviving are his wife of 60 years, Nancy, and sons Michael of Wisconsin and John of Kentucky.

A celebration of Jim’s life will be held 4-7 p.m. Saturday, March 9, from Rausch-Lundeen Funeral Home, Dallas, with military honors accorded by the Willard Hinzman American Legion Post 511 of Ridgeland.

Passing of WAL/DAL Captain Bill Grimditch

dickdeeds@pacbell.net

~ IN MEMORY ~ USAF veteran, WA/DL Capt. William ‘Bill’ Grimditch September 3, 1944 ~ February 8, 2019

Notification with the passing of retired Western/Delta pilot Captain William Henry Grimditch III, age 74.  Captain Grimditch joined Western Airlines 06-11-1973 and retired with Delta Air Lines, based SLC/030.  Captain Grimditch suffered an at home fall resulting in brain trauma, and those medical complications led to his passing.  He is survived by his wife Heidi plus many dear family members and friends.  To view the obituary online please visit https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/longmont-co/william-grimditch-8154482 Also at https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dailycamera/obituary.aspx?n=william-grimditch&pid=191846948 CELEBRATION OF LIFE event:  Saturday, March 23rd at 2:00 PM Mountains Edge Gym, 555 30th St., Boulder, CO.             Thank you,                 ~ Carol for the PCN  https://pcnflightwest.blogspot.com/2019/03/wadl-capt-william-bill-grimditch.html Obituary……………… Bill Grimditch was a man who brought his classic smile and sweet demeanor with him and shared that with everyone he met. Whether it was greeting people boarding his plane, showing kindness to the cashier at McDonalds, or his unwavering loyalty to his friends and family, Bill loved people. He was a connoisseur of fast food fish sandwiches, soft-serve ice cream, Coca-Cola, flan and conservative talk radio. He had the ability to talk politics in a light-hearted manner with the staunchest of Boulder liberals and somehow remain pals. Bill was a rare soul that will be deeply missed, yet his life history shows that he lived and loved to the fullest. Bill was born in Phoenix in 1944 to Bill Jr. (deceased) and Gioia (deceased). His childhood was spent in Phoenix, Hillsboro Beach, and Lake Placid, NY. Growing up, he was a gun toting, scuba diving, waterskiing wild man that drove way too fast, and managed to get thrown out of more than one school. Bill had numerous odd jobs like picking cotton in Phoenix, cutting new ski trails in Upstate, NY, driving a taxi cab in Miami, and teaching waterskiing in the summers. He would be the first to admit that he was not a stellar student but managed to earn a degree in Psychology from the University of Miami – by the skin of his teeth. A career in Psychology was not in his cards though. With the Vietnam War looming, Bill decided to join the Air Force and soon after asked his girlfriend, Heidi, to marry him. They married in Atlanta in ’68 and moved to Del Rio, TX where he began pilot training. Bill was transferred to Rapid City and was shipped overseas to fly KC-135 refueling tankers during the Vietnam War. During this busy time, Bill and Heidi managed to own and operate a hotel in Deadwood, a former brothel, and have their first daughter, Lauren. Bill and his young family (and their cats) survived the devastating Rapid City flood of ’72 thanks to his bravery and quick reactions (qualities that he was renowned for). Bill described joining the Air Force as one of the best decisions he ever made as it gave him a clear vision which led to a rewarding career as an airline pilot. In ’73, he accepted a pilot position at Western Airlines, later Delta, and moved his family to Boulder where he lived the rest of life. During their time in Boulder, Bill and Heidi added Brent and Lleane to the family, and five grandchildren. He served on the Boards of the Lake Eldora Race Team and the Humane Society of Boulder Valley. Bill loved Halloween and he entertained trick-or-treaters with his elaborate productions and costumes which became quite a neighborhood spectacle. He loved his family and tried to attend almost all his children’s and grandchildren’s events. As a grandfather, he and relished the opportunity take them to get soft-serve – even at 9 in the morning! In recent years, he worked at the Mountain’s Edge Gym in Boulder where he greeted people at the front desk with that classic Bill smile and took seriously his duty to research the daily trivia stumper and gave his absolute best no matter the task. Bill was a classic gentleman in that he valued tradition and he demonstrated chivalry daily. He used words like “gal” and “mixed company” and said things like, “are you decent in there?” If he was eating at a table with “mixed company,” he would stand up every time a gal would arrive or leave the table. Words to describe Bill are; loving, loyal, brave, humble, sweet, serving, honorable, humorous and driven. His family will be hosting a Celebration of Life for Bill at Mountains Edge Gym, 555 30th St. in Boulder on March 23, 2019 at 2:00PM, more info on Caring Bridge. We will all miss Bill so much but are thankful he is now free to move about the western sky, without an airplane!