Jan Luger Dec. 14, 1936 ~ Oct. 21, 2026 

Janine Hannah Luger, 89, of Ogden, Utah, passed away on October 21, 2026, from complications of heart failure. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, educator, and tireless advocate for those in need, Jan lived a life distinguished by compassion, generosity, practical wisdom, and service to others. 

Jan was born on December 14, 1936, in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada, to Leo and Emma (Cuthbertson) Simpson. She grew up in Kirkland Lake, attending Holy Name Elementary School and Kirkland Lake Collegiate and Vocational Institute before pursuing her education at North Bay Teachers College. Following graduation, Jan began a career in elementary education, teaching in several communities throughout Ontario and in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Her teaching career eventually took her overseas to Zweibrücken, Germany, where she spent two years teaching children of Canadian military families. It was there that she met Jerry Luger, whom she married on December 29, 1965.

Their life together was marked by travel, adventure, and a shared willingness to embrace new experiences. They lived in Japan from 1966 to 1968, Ohio from 1968 to 1969, and California from 1969 to 1983, before settling in Ogden, Utah, in 1983.

During their years in Okinawa, Jan frequently managed the challenges of raising a young family while Jerry, an Air Force pilot, was away on assignments in Vietnam, mainland Japan, or elsewhere. She formed close bonds with other military wives who supported one another and their families during periods of separation and uncertainty. These experiences reflected the resourcefulness, independence, and enduring friendships that would characterize much of her life.

Jerry later flew for Western Airlines and Delta Air Lines, providing opportunities for the couple to travel extensively. Jan delighted in discovering new places, experiencing different cultures, and exploring the world beyond the familiar. Her curiosity and adventurous spirit remained with her throughout her life. 

Together, Jan and Jerry raised three children: Stephen, Richard, and Kathleen. Ogden became their home for more than four decades and the community to which Jan would devote so much of her time, energy, and heart. Jan was a wonderful conversationalist, blessed with an abundance of common sense, sound judgment, and an ability to listen without passing judgment.

She was remarkably modest about her charitable work, rarely seeking recognition or drawing attention to the countless hours she devoted to others. She was a founding member of the Ogden board of Catholic Community Services (CCS) and established a downtown food pantry to serve homeless and underprivileged members of the community. For more than 22 years, she managed the pantry, dedicating countless hours to ensuring that individuals and families in need had access to food and basic necessities. Her commitment extended well beyond the pantry doors, as she regularly delivered food to those who were homebound or otherwise unable to obtain it themselves. Jan also devoted many years to SHARE, Inc., a volunteer-run food distribution network serving low-income families and homebound individuals in the Ogden area. She served as a principal purchaser of food and personally delivered groceries and essential staples to those in need.

Jan’s Catholic faith was an enduring foundation of her life and service. She was a member of Holy Family Catholic Parish in Ogden for more than 43 years and St. Florence Catholic Parish in Huntsville, Utah, for approximately 30 years. Her faith was reflected not only in her devotion to the Church but also in the countless acts of kindness and generosity she extended to others.

She is survived by her husband of nearly 61 years, Jerome R. Luger; her brother, Jim “Chum” Simpson; her three children, Stephen P. Luger, Dr. Richard K. Luger and his wife, Mary Jennings Luger, of Charlottesville, Virginia, and Kathleen Ann Egle and her husband, Dan Egle; and her beloved grandchildren, Zac Luger and HannahJane Luger. 

Jan’s legacy is found not only in the family she loved but also in the many lives she touched through decades of selfless service. Whether providing food to a struggling family, offering guidance to someone in need, delivering groceries to someone unable to leave home, sitting beside a hospice patient, or sharing lunch with a dear friend, she gave generously of her time and herself. She sought neither praise nor recognition, finding fulfillment instead in the simple act of making someone’s life a little better. Her kindness, humility, practical wisdom, and unwavering commitment to helping others will be remembered by her family, friends, and the Ogden community she served so faithfully. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Northern Utah Food Bank or Catholic Community Services, organizations whose missions were especially close to Jan’s heart.

Please help us celebrate Jan by sharing memories and uploading photos to her memorial page at

https://myers-mortuary.com/obituaries/janine-luger

Funeral and memorial service details will be announced. 

Services entrusted to Myers Mortuary of Ogden.

~ IN MEMORY ~

Jeanine Mae Jacobson, wife of WA/DL Capt. Carl Jacobson

October 22, 1940 – October 15, 2026

Jeanine Mae Ahrens was born on Oct 22, 1940 in Yakima, Wa, to William and Erma Ahrens. Her growing-up years were mostly spent in the Gig Harbor area of Washington, where her parents owned a lumber and hardware store at the end of Henderson Inlet. Her pursuit of music began at the age of six when her grandmother shipped a piano from Nebraska, so Jeanine could begin lessons. In high school, she continued piano lessons, began organ lessons, and played the flute in the band. She excelled at the piano and upon entering the University of Washington began working towards her bachelor’s degree in piano performance.

Three years into her studies, she married the love of her life, Carl Jacobson. They had dated in high school, played music together in the band and attended the University together. They had their first child, Katherine, Carl joined the Navy becoming a pilot and their second daughter Rachel was born. Jeanine’s music career was put on hold as she and the girls followed Carl’s squadron around Europe. When Carl was deployed to the Vietnam War, Jeanine refused to sit around and worry, finding it the perfect time to finish her music degree. Carl’s Navy obligation ended, and he became a commercial pilot for Western and then Delta Airlines. Now it was his turn to follow Jeanine while she pursued a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota and a doctorate from the University of Oklahoma. With her degrees, Jeanine became a professor at Cal State Northridge in Los Angeles, teaching and performing piano for 20 years.

Her time in retirement was spent between Hood River and Olympia where her two grandchildren, Dylan Matson and Rhianna Salman lived. She loved spending time at the’ beachhouse’ with all the family. Jeanine continued to share her love of the piano in her retirement. She wrote two piano pedagogy textbooks, worked with the Music Teachers Associations of Washington and Oregon, and organized various fundraising music events.

She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Carl Jacobson, daughters Katherine Jacobson and Rachel Bergin (Bill Bergin), brother Douglas Ahrens (Linda Ahrens), granddaughter, Rhianna Salman (Sam Fennell) and grandson, Dylan Matson.

A celebration of life followed by reception will be held 11:00 A.M., Thursday, November 5, 2026 at Anderson’s Tribute Center.

Condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com

~ IN MEMORY ~

WWII veteran, WAL Capt. William “Bill” Newell

May 8, 1924 ~ May 13, 2025

William Edmond Newell joined Western Airlines 04-10-1950. Remembered and not forgotten….in 2015 the Prescott AZ newspaper ran an interview/article honoring Bill’s service.  Bill became a member of The Caterpillar Club (an international organization for people whose lives were saved by using a parachute to escape a disabled aircraft). Bill was taken as a POW on March 29, 1944.  Some excerpts below are taken from that news article.  Bill did another lovely interview with the local newspaper which you can still view at    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A4KHMMDPBQ  pt.1  and 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FTVd-sccEY   pt.2

World War II Prescott Valley retiree Bill Newell….. 19-year-old fighter pilot, Newell was shot down on 13th Mission over Germany.

“What sustained Newell throughout his ordeal was pictures of his wife – especially one with a lock of her hair carefully tucked inside its plastic wrapping. He has faithfully carried that picture in his wallet ever since.”  Bill and his wife Patricia was a forever love story….Patricia “Pat” passed in 2007.

https://americanarchive.iwm.org.uk/archive/person/william-edmond-newell

Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant

Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Awards: European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Prisoner of War Medal World War II Victory Medal

Assigned 335FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return from mission, hit by Flak, coolant system streaming glycol, Lt Newell abandoned P-51 43-6759 near Lingen, Germany. 29-Mar-44 POW. MACR 3524.

Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.

Post War: Retired as VP Flight Operations for Western Airlines having flown for them for 32 years.

~ IN MEMORY ~

USAF veteran, WA/DL Capt. Wendell Lee Cook

June 20, 1942 ~ August 19, 2026

Wendell Lee Cook, a decorated military and commercial airline pilot of Argyle, Texas, passed away on August 19, 2026. In a fitting coincidence for a man who spent so much of his life in the sky, he departed this world on National Aviation Day. He was 84 years old.

Born June 20, 1942, in Whiteface, Texas, Wendell grew up in Holtville, California, a small town near the Mexican border. Even as a young man, he distinguished himself both academically and athletically. He was a star basketball player, class president, and valedictorian of his high school. He later attended the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, graduating in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

His years in the Air Force marked the beginning of a remarkable career in aviation. He trained on and flew both the F-100 Super Sabre and F-4 Phantom II, distinguishing himself as an exceptional pilot and marksman. At Moody Air Force Base in 1967, he received a flying award during undergraduate pilot training. The following year, during F-100 training at Luke Air Force Base, he received the Barry Goldwater Top Gun Award after placing first in gunnery. In 1969, he again placed first in gunnery during F-4E training at MacDill Air Force Base.

During the Vietnam War, Wendell served as an F-100D pilot at Phan Rang Air Base and later as an F-4 aircraft commander at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base. Over approximately two years in Southeast Asia, he flew more than 400 combat missions. His military service earned him numerous decorations, including the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Medal, and Purple Heart.

After serving on active duty until 1972, he continued his military service as a major in the Air Force Guard/Reserve. In 1976, he began his commercial aviation career with Western Airlines and later became a captain for Delta Air Lines, where he remained until his retirement in 2002.

 Beyond his accomplishments, Wendell had a big personality, a curious mind, strong opinions, and an infectious enthusiasm for whatever captured his attention. He could talk to anyone, and his presence could shift the energy in a room. He also had a remarkable tenderness toward animals. His bird feeders were always stocked, and stray cats and other assorted “varmints,” as he affectionately called them, could always count on finding a meal.

Wendell was an avid follower of current events and a devoted sports fan—not of any particular team, but seemingly of all of them. If there was a game on TV, there was a good chance he was watching.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Ruby Cook. He is survived by his daughter, Vanessa Cook; his son, Justin Cook; his twin brother, Weldon Cook; and his sister, Patsy Cook.

From a small desert town in California to the Air Force Academy, from the skies over Southeast Asia to the captain’s seat of a commercial airliner, his was a life few people could have imagined. Wendell was accomplished and complicated, curious and charismatic, strong-willed and tenderhearted. He loved aviation, animals, sports, conversation, and the people who mattered most to him.

Wendell had a remarkable life, and his absence leaves a profound space behind. He is deeply loved and will forever be missed. His remains will be interred at the U.S. Air Force Academy Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with services to be held at a later date.

~ IN MEMORY ~

Carol Ann Wakefield, wife of retired WA/DL Capt. A.L.”Tony” Wakefield

Feb 14, 1943 — Aug 31, 2026

Carol Ann Wakefield died peacefully on the evening of August 31, 2026, at Intermountain Health St. George Regional Hospital, with her husband and five of her seven children at her side. She was 83.

She was born on Valentine’s Day, 1943, in Mobile, Alabama, the second of Fred and Marion Davis’s four daughters. She grew up mostly in Mobile, with several years in Chateauroux, France, where her father worked as a civilian employee at the Air Force base. After high school, while working as an X-ray technician and taking classes through the University of Alabama, she met a Naval aviation cadet in flight training across the bay in Pensacola named Anthony L. Wakefield. They fell in love quickly and completely and married on December 19, 1964.

They began their family at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, where sons Glenn and Todd were born. Daughter Sherry arrived a few years later, after Tony left the Navy and the family settled in Southern California. There they built a home, a career in the airline industry, and an orchard of 800 avocado trees. In 1979 they more than doubled their family, adopting three siblings – Paul, Matt, and Amy – and also taking in their adult older brother, Mark, as their own. In 1984 they moved the family to Summit County, Utah, where Carol spent the next thirty years before she and Tony moved to St. George in retirement.

Carol carried the grace of the Southern belle she was raised to be and the grit of the Western mountain woman she became. She never met a stranger. She would welcome anyone into her home as family, sometimes to the surprise and even the chagrin of her actual family – though every one of us has since come to wish we could be more like her in that regard. She was a mama bear in defense of her children, and if the moment called for it, she could tell someone exactly where to go – but so sweetly that they would look forward to the trip.

She and Tony were inseparable for nearly 62 years, as husband and wife and as best friends. Their travels took them to very nearly every continent ocean, much of it by ship. Through five years with COPD, the illness that ultimately took her home to her Maker, she was slow to complain and quick to name what she was grateful for.

If Carol lived by a single principle, it was that love conquers all. She met eight decades ·of whatever life sent her by throwing love at it – at the problem, and at everyone in the room while she worked on it. Her life is the argument for that principle.

She is survived by her husband, Tony; her sisters, Edna and Judy; her children, Mark (Elva), Glenn (Trista), Paul (Elizabeth), Todd (Paige), Matt, Sherry (Fred), and Amy; 17 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Patty, and two grandchildren.

~ IN MEMORY ~

WA/DL Capt. Kent Jeffrey

January 8, 1944 ~ June 2026

s noted in the August issue of the ALPA magazine’s In Memoriam column, the passing of WA/DL pilot Captain Kent Alan Jeffrey.  I was not able to find an online obituary for Kent but we do have his father WWII USAF fighter pilot Col. Arthur Jeffrey listed in our memorial site at 

https://pcnflightwest.blogspot.com/2015/05/col-arthur-jeffrey-father-of-wadl-capt.html

Kent joined Western Airlines 01-10-1977 and retired with Delta Air Lines in 2004 based LAX.  

Per whitepages, Kent had most recently resided in California :  36 Orange Ave, Larkspur, CA 94939.

If anyone has more information to share, please let us know and we will update this listing.

Thank you,

~ Carol for the PCN

PCN memorial site https://pcnflightwest.blogspot.com/2026/09/wadl-capt-kent-jeffrey.html

~ IN MEMORY ~

WA/DL Capt. Alvin Eatinger

October 16, 1938 ~ June 22, 2026

As noted in the September issue of the ALPA magazine’s In Memoriam column, the passing of Capt.  Alvin R. Eatinger in June of 2026. Alvin Eatinger, of Ashland, Oregon died after suffering a medical emergency while swimming in Shasta Lake on Monday afternoon, according to the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office.

Captain Alvin Ray Eatinger joined Western Airlines 08-29-1966 and retired with Delta Air Lines in 1998 based SLC.  I believe that Al was born/raised in Indiana, and I believe that he was widowed in July of 2019…..but I was unable to find a published online obituary.  

We will update when more information is received.

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SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. — An 87-year-old Oregon man died after a medical emergency while swimming on Shasta Lake on Monday afternoon.

Deputies with the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) Boating Safety Unit responded at about 4:23 p.m. on Monday, June 22, 2026, to the Shoemaker Creek area of the Big Backbone Inlet on Shasta Lake for a medical call. Authorities said an adult male, later identified as Alvin Eatinger of Ashland, Oregon, was swimming near a houseboat when he became unresponsive and submerged underwater.

Bystanders pulled him from the water and began providing medical aid before deputies arrived. Deputies continued those lifesaving efforts until paramedics took over. Eatinger was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The department said Eatinger’s relatives have been notified, and an autopsy will be scheduled.

PCN memorial site https://pcnflightwest.blogspot.com/2026/09/wadl-capt-alvin-eatinger.html

https://krcrtv.com/news/local/oregon-man-dies-after-medical-emergency-while-swimming-at-shasta-lake

~ IN MEMORY ~

USAF veteran, WA/DL Capt. Keith Arnold Litke

June 19, 1947 ~ May 31, 2026

Keith joined Western Airlines 02-19-1979 and retired with Delta Air Lines based CVG/030.  Keith is survived by his wife Marsha, and by his children and their families. For those who may wish to send a personal note, I see the Litke’s address listed in whitepages as: 

18922 Covey Ct., Grass Valley, CA 95949.

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Keith Arnold Litke, 78, of Grass Valley, CA passed away peacefully on May 31, 2026 at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital.

Keith was born in San Mateo in 1947 and was the son of Raymond and Nadine Litke. He graduated from Mills High School in 1965 and later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautic Operations from San Jose State University. Upon graduation, he joined the United States Air Force, where he spent 8 years as a Pilot, Instructor, and Aircraft Commander, including two years with the 1st Military Airlift Squadron. After separating from the military, Keith became a commercial pilot and spent 28 years as a Captain for Delta Air Lines.

He married his devoted wife Marsha Rodman Litke in 1970, and together they raised two children. In retirement, he found joy in golf, travel, and volunteering his time to causes he was passionate about.

Keith was a friend, mentor, and confidant to many. He will be remembered for his kindness, his unwavering generosity, his invaluable guidance, and the unconditional love and support he gave those he cared for.

To his grandchildren, Lucy and Grady, he was simply “Papa.” Though he lived far from them, distance never kept him from their lives. He logged on to watch their sports games whenever he was able, cheering them on from afar. The children loved him dearly.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Marsha; his son Mark and his wife Deb of Needham, MA; his daughter Meredith of Minneapolis, MN; his beloved grandchildren, Lucy and Grady; his brother Lane Litke and his wife Gaby of San Diego, and their two daughters, Elisa and Sara; and his brother-in-law and dear friend Jack Favour of Grass Valley.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his siblings, Ken and Janis; and his sister-in-law, Renee Rodman.

~ IN MEMORY ~

Linda Malone, wife of WA/DL Capt. Dan Malone

August 8, 1947 ~ August 12, 2026

Linda Carol Malone (born Smith), 79, passed away peacefully on August 12, 2026, surrounded by family.

Linda was born on August 8, 1947, in Los Angeles, California, where she grew up until the age of sixteen when her family moved to Phoenix, Arizona. When she showed up at Washington Highschool, it was love at first sight for Dan Malone. “I’m going to marry that girl someday,” crossed his mind as he watched her cross the courtyard. The two were married in 1968 and shared 58 years of marriage, living their vows of love to the fullest, through sickness and in health. Their marriage was a model to so many of what true devotion looks like. Their love overflowed.

Linda earned a B.A. in Home-Ec and worked as a flight stewardess before devoting herself fully to her family and home. She had a gift for making everyone feel welcome, nourished with good food and lots of chat, and her home was always open to friends and family. She could make a friend anywhere and usually did! She was an avid tennis player, an enthusiastic shopper, and a talented knitter and seamstress who loved making handmade gifts especially for her grandchildren. She also enjoyed gatherings with her Bridge Club (formed with neighborhood women back in the early 80’s… though we’re not sure how much Bridge was actually played!) and cherished time with her many friends.

Linda’s faith and love for Jesus was central to her life. She was raised in a Christian home and remained dedicated to the Christian faith throughout her life, reading her Bible every morning, and pouring herself out in love for others. She was a long-time member of Scottsdale Bible Church and was recently chrismated in the Orthodox Christian Church.

Her battle with ALS began last summer, robbing her of the ability to talk, eat, and eventually move. She bore this horrendous disease with grace and strength. Her deep inner beauty and strong faith radiated peace. In her final moments she continued to be an inspiration.

Linda is survived by her husband, Dan; her son, Kevin; her daughter, Karie Johnson, and spouse, Adam; her daughter, Megan Gilbert, and spouse, Gaelan; and seven grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings, Darrell and Marilyn.

She was preceded in death by her sister, Kathy, and her parents, Barbara and Russell Smith.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, August 17, 12:30 p.m. at Hansen Mortuary Chapel on 7th street, followed by a gathering at Dan and Linda’s home.

In place of flowers, please consider a donation to Hospice of the Valley and ALS AZ.

~ IN MEMORY ~

Sharon “Sherrie” Wilson-Walton

May 22, 1942 – August 15, 202

On August 15, 2026, I said goodbye to the love of my life. Sherrie passed away peacefully and without pain in Scottsdale, Arizona, after a brief but heroic battle with bone cancer. For 58 wonderful years, she was my co-pilot, my strength, and my best friend.

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Sherrie attended Drake University before following her adventurous spirit into aviation at age 20. She began as a stewardess for Braniff Airways in Dallas and later moved to Seattle to fly the Lockheed Constellation for Pacific Northern Airlines to Alaska, a land and people she grew to love deeply. That was where our story truly began—on my very first flight with PNA to Kodiak, Alaska. I fell in love with her grace and love for life. We were married in Hawaii in July 1968, embarking on a life rich in family, service, and extraordinary adventure. Sherrie remained in the airline industry until retiring from Western Airlines in 1975.

Sherrie’s heart belonged entirely to her family. Together, we adopted our two beautiful daughters from Thailand and a son from Iowa. She immersed herself in every moment of their lives—cheering at soccer games, sitting through cheerleading practices, helping with homework, and walking the fairways during Jr. PGA tournaments. When our family grew, she poured that same fierce, tender love into being a grandmother to Victoria, John, Peyton, Cameron, Karson, Paris, and Blake.

In 1975, we moved to Scottsdale, living along a green golf course before settling in Cave Creek in 1987 so Sherrie could have her horses. She had a wonderful gift for thoughtful gestures. For our second wedding anniversary, she bought me a Stearman aircraft project—a labor of love we worked on and flew together for 44 years, later a gold placer claim in Arizona.

Sherrie had a deep, protective love for animals and children. She spent 17 years with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Search and Rescue, frequently riding her Mustang, Cheyenne, through the trails of the National Forest north of Phoenix. Her courage saved lives: she provided emergency medical aid to a woman crushed under a horse and heroically located a young boy lost in northern Arizona during the dead of winter.

Even with a full heart at home, she never stopped learning or giving back. Sherrie earned a degree in Archaeology, volunteered with the Phoenix Art Museum, Kiwanis of Carefree, and the BLM Mustang program, and shared the world with us on family journeys across America, Thailand, Korea, Europe, Russia, and England.

Sherrie had an extraordinary knack for making lifelong friends wherever she stepped. She is survived by her husband, Michael; daughters Kimberly Emminger and Tanya (Jack) Maixner; and her seven grandchildren. She lived fully, loved deeply, and left a legacy of courage, warmth, and joy that will stay with us forever.