Passing of Capt. Reese Gullickson

Notification with the passing of retired Western/Delta pilot Captain Reese Earl Gullickson, age 84.  Captain Gullickson joined Western Airlines 01-20-1964 and retired with Delta Air Lines, based Seattle.  He is survived by his sister, his children and his grandchildren. The obituary article is available online at https://tdn.com/lifestyles/announcements/obituaries/reese-gullickson/article_2356b9d1-88e5-5702-9ae8-c07c8b857c8e.html Other news related articles are noted below.  Obituary information notes no services. Captain Gullickson had most recently resided at Skamokawa, Washington.             Thank you,                 ~ Carol for the PCN  https://pcnflightwest.blogspot.com/2019/07/wadl-capt-reese-earl-gullickson.html   Obituary:  Reese Gullickson   ..  Daily News, The (Longview, WA) – Saturday, July 13, 2019 Reese Earl Gullickson, longtime resident of Skamokawa, WA, died in a motorcycle accident on Sunday, June 30, 2019, at the age of 84.   Born Feb. 11, 1935, in Port Angeles, WA, to Clarence and Emma Genevieve Gullickson, Reese grew up in the Longview Kelso area and attended R.A. Long High School. After a move to California in 1953, he graduated from Fort Bragg High School in Fort Bragg, CA. He joined the Air Force in 1954 and served for a period of 13 years as a jet fighter pilot and a member of the Flying Tigers. He later studied at Portland State University and the Oregon Technical Institute.   Following his time in college, Reese became a pilot for Western Airlines, which later became Delta. He retired at the age of 55 after an exemplary career as a Captain for Delta Airlines.   A true patriot and proud American, Reese loved God and his country. He valued his family and the many friends who will miss his captivating storytelling and engaging humor.   Reese spent his retirement doing all of the things he loved… visiting flea markets and car shows, vegetable gardening, wildlife observation and motorcycle riding.   Survivors include his sister, Darlane Caputo; his daughters, Dianne and Jody; his son, Reese; and four grandchildren.   At his request, there will be no memorial services. Memorial contributions can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project or any non-profit animal shelter. ————————- https://tdn.com/news/local/skamokawa-motorcyclist-dies-in-sunday-afternoon-crash-near-woodland/article_f6f0701f-a01f-55aa-bd21-be0fc05b5c70.html Skamokawa motorcyclist dies in Sunday afternoon crash near Woodland The Daily News  Jul 2, 2019  ……………………… A Skamokawa man died after a motorcycle crash Sunday afternoon while out for a ride near Woodland, according to the Washington State Patrol. Reese Gullickson, 84, was driving in the southbound late of State Route 503 about nine miles east of Woodland when he lost control of his 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle at a curve in the road, according to a state patrol news release. The release says Gullickson hit the guardrail along the highway. His motorcycle slid under the rail, but Gullickson was “ejected over” it, the release said. No other vehicles were involved in the accident. It was unknown Monday whether drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash, and State Patrol is currently investigating the case, according to the release. ————————— https://klognews.blogspot.com/2019/07/motorcycle-death.html Motorcycle Death Reese Gullickson, 84, of Skamakowa is dead after a motorcycle crash that took place yesterday afternoon on the Lewis River Highway east of Woodland.  The State Patrol reports that the crash happened at about 12:35, about nine miles east of Woodland.  They say that Gullickson was riding southbound when he lost control in a curve, and then went into the guard rail.  The bike slid under the guard rail, while Gullickson was ejected over the rail.  Gullickson was taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Washington Medical Center, where he was declared dead.  The cause of the crash is under investigation by the State Patrol.


July Wallybird Luncheon – Last Call!

We are one week away from our last luncheon for 2019! Please get your RSVP in by 0900 on 15 July if you are going to join us.

Our speaker will be Jim Sullivan, a tax attorney who will speak on the new tax laws and strategies for dealing with them. He has worked with a number of Western pilots.

When: Thursday, July 18, 2019

Where: Fairview Metropolitan Banquet Center (same place we’ve been)

Time: 1130-1400

10051 Doolittle Drive, Oakland, CA 94063

Menu:

House Green Salad, Broccoli Salad, Italian Pasta Salad, Penne Pasta Salad

Chicken Marsala, Tri-tip,

Roasted Vegetables, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Dinner Rolls and Butter

Chef’s Choice Dessert- Cookies or Brownies

Coffee, Hot Tea

Other beverages available at the adjacent bar.

Cost: $28.00

Speaker: Jim Sullivan-Tax Attorney

Spouses and friends are welcome to join us.

Please RSVP to BOTH Paul Browne and Curt Taylor at:

Paul: pjbro@sbcglobal.net

Curt: curttaylor@sbcglobal.net


July Wallybird Luncheon

Our July Wallybird Luncheon is only a little more than 2 weeks away! Time to sign up Ladies and Gentlemen. Here’s the skinny:

When: Thursday, July 18, 2019

Where: Fairview Metropolitan Banquet Center (same place we’ve been)

10051 Doolittle Drive, Oakland, CA 94063

Time: 1130-1400

Menu:

House Green Salad, Broccoli Salad, Italian Pasta Salad, Penne Pasta Salad

Chicken Marsala, Tri-tip,

Roasted Vegetables, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Dinner Rolls and Butter

Chef’s Choice Dessert- Cookies or Brownies

Coffee, Hot Tea

Other beverages available at the adjacent bar.

Cost: $28.00

Speaker: TBD

Spouses and friends are welcome to join us.

Please RSVP to BOTH Paul Browne and Curt Taylor at:

Paul: pjbro@sbcglobal.net

Curt: curttaylor@sbcglobal.net


Fred Guenzel’s Memorial Service

There will be a celebration of life gathering for Fred at Rawlingson Hall in Paradise Valley Estates from 2-4PM on July 27th

The address is;

Paradise Valley Estates
2600 Estates Drive
Fairfield CA 94533

Margo requests an RSVP of those attending via e-mail cazzycat@aol.com

Margo’s mailing address is:

Margo Murphy
2605 Military Court
Fairfield Ca 94522-9725

Phone 707 673 4616

Burial will probably be at the National Cemetery in Dixon CA. Time and date to be announced.


Wallybird Luncheon

This is a “Save-the-Date” for the next Wallybird Luncheon which will be on Thursday, July 18, 1130-1400 at the Fairview Metropolitan at Oakland Airport.

This is ALSO a call for speakers for the above event. If you have a topic that would be of interest to our group, or know of someone who would have an interesting topic, please let us know. Free lunch for the speaker!

If we can’t find a speaker, Paul will be forced to talk to you about his misspent youth. Alternatively, I will facilitate a discussion on “My favorite Sky King episode”. Hopefully that will provide you with some incentive!

Please contact Curt Taylor at curttaylor@sbcglobal.net

and Paul Browne at pjbro@sbcglobal.net

More details in our next blast!


Rita Akelis, wife of Captain Tony Akelis

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