Even though the Museum was closed for much of 2020, the year ended with many new members joining us.
A warm welcome to new members Sally Mulcahy, Richard Tolley, Claudia and Steven Talmadge, Mary I. Ruiz, David P. Ruiz, Daniel Theriault, Susan and Mike Waller, T. Tveil, and John A. Rooke from Oak Harbor, and Cherie Willie Smith and John Thompson from Coupeville. Dolores Meisch has been gifting all her children with Life memberships and she concluded with memberships for Roberta and Craig Phillips and for Jill-ann and Geoff Painter.
Thank you to all of these and to the many who renewed their memberships and who sent in donations. We hope to be able to see you at the Museum and at Museum sponsored events in 2021.
-Onee Hedeen
As the last days of 2020 ended, we added the names of two beloved Museum members to our Final Flight plaque.
Bill Deller passed away at the age of 98 years old. As a Navy pilot during WWII, Bill flew dangerous advanced photo missions in the Pacific. While an educator at Everett Community College and with disabled Vietnam veterans returning to school, Bill rented a wheelchair and rolled across the campus to find out where access needed to be improved. As a veteran, Bill always had a heart for other veterans and for organizations preserving their stories.
Fred Owen passed away, a victim of COVID-19. He was the premier PBY pilot in the United States and one of only a few qualified to certify PBY pilots for the FAA. As the pilot of the PBY N-85, Fred thrilled Whidbey Islanders when he flew on to the Seaplane Base for an exhibition in 2009. He spent hours on the tarmac talking to those who came to see his airplane and its pilot. Fred later helped us with the purchase of our own PBY.
Our heartfelt condolences to the families of these longtime friends and supporters of our Foundation.
-Richard Rezabek
