Xmas 2013

Last year's Newsletter was the latest ever - actually - a whole year late! I'm releasing it at the same time as this one - also late - mostly for those folks who seem to actually read these things and have been asking about it.

Last year, I began with the Statement - It was The Year of the Airplane. I can make that statement again this year - except instead of Building, our activities turned to Flying!

We are well! - Always a nice report to give - and for a change, too. Dot's annual exams and tests were all good. Six years since she began treatment for her lymphoma, and Five Years is a magic milestone in cancer treatment!

In July, Dot returned to visit family in the Magdalen Islands. It was her sister Marie-Anna's 90th Birthday (Martha is 92), and also her high school's 60th Reunion. She had a fine time. Pictures can be found here.

She continues with her dancing and community activities, and this year, switched from Line Dancing with the Boot Scootin' Grannies, to a new group called Zumba Gold - exercise dancing to Latin music.

And now, for the airplane. On January 23, two guys from the FAA came out an inspected it over a six hour marathon. We (me and my Mentor Tony T.) - were nervous, but in the end, they handed me my C of A - my Certificate of Airworthiness. My airplane was now complete and legal to fly.

Additional work took another two months, followed by taxi tests, and finally - on April 3, my First Flight. Probably the most exciting day in my life! After several weeks of Flight Testing, the airplane was signed off as eligible for carrying passengers and flying outside the designated flight test area.

I have assembled a detailed package of web pages recounting the construction, testing, and finally the in-service use of our new airplane - which is meeting all our expectations. Those pages can be found here:

Dot made me a Birthday present in honor of my commencement of flight activities - Captain's Stripes!

Dot, of course, was my first passenger. Since then, we have flown over 100 hours into about 25 different airports. In December, I acquired a new hangar at the airport in Pt. Townsend and will be moving from Bremerton by the end of January 2014. The new location will be more convenient and has much better flying weather. I made many friends at the Bremerton Airport over the past two years - but - they'll just be 20 minutes away (by plane.)

She's also enjoyed flying with me in "our" airplane. I know that's true, because she rarely lets me fly alone. Initially, she avoided my practice flights, but after getting used to the airplane, invites herself along on those as well. I tell her, "well, I'm just gonna practice steep turns, slow flight, and stalls". She used to say, "I'll skip it." Now, she says : "That's OK."

My Museum activities continued with several important projects competing for time with my own airplane activities.

The Lockheed Model 10 Electra, that I spoke about last year, was formally added to the Museum's collection, arriving in September. This airplane was Lockheed designer Kelly Johnson's first project in 1934. This was also the airplane that Amelia Earhart was flying when she disappeared while trying to circumnavigate the globe. Full details and pictures here: Lockheed Electra

Another major Museum project was working on the Last Flight of our 727 Prototype airplane, from Paine Field in Everett to Boeing Field in Seattle. The goal was for the flight to take place on 9 Feb 2013 - the 50th Anniversary - but that didn't work out. In the Fall, FedEx promised us three airworthy engine for the flight - over-coming a big hurdle. Currently, we are working with Boeing to get their help on the project.

2013 Passings

Jan 24/2013 Jeanne Ann Blue

My Mom Nbr 2, Jeanne Ann was Jim Blue's wife. Although she had been suffering from numerous serious maladies for many years, as is so often the case, she out-lived Jim by quite a bit. The kids had a nice home Memorial for the both of them in March.

At Jim's Retirement

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Norma V. "Miki" Stirling

July 1943 ~ March 2013

Miki was an employee in my Quality Assurance Dept at Boeing. I knew everybody in my Dept, but wouldn't have considered myself especially close to her. Apparently, that was not true in reverse. When Miki was about to move out of her home and into an assisted living facility, she asked her daughter to find me and set up a meeting. We met at a restaurant in Bellevue and had a nice reunion. I hadn't seen her in about 17 years. It was May 30, 2012 - she passed about 9 months later. I was, and am, flattered that she thought enough of her old boss to want to see him again near the end of her life.

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Norma Valeria Stirling
(July 3, 1943 - March 4, 2013)

Norma V. "Miki" Stirling July 1943-March 2013 An amazing woman who always loved, laughed, and lived life to the fullest was taken by dementia & Celiac's disease. Raised on an Iowa farm, she also lived in Galapagos Islands, Oregon, Ohio, & California, calling Western Washington home for most of her life. Retired from Boeing, she also worked in real estate and as a caregiver/CNA. Miki's pets, plants, traveling, meals with loved ones, craft projects with friends, cards and other games brought much joy. Her love survives in her husband Walter Jorgensen; children Heidi Kay & Shawn Walter; Matthew & Rebecca Jorgensen, and Carl August & Danille Jorgensen; siblings Diane Akers, Donald Leon McElwain, & John McElwain; grandchildren Jeffery James, Keaton Gene, Colin August, & Olea Mae; along with countless family and friends. Miki recognized and brought out the beauty in everyone she met. Memorial services to celebrate the life of Norma V. "Miki" Stirling will be held 11:00am Saturday, April 13th 2013 at the Renton Congregation of the Community of Christ Church 701 Monroe Avenue NE Renton, WA 98056-3862 Luncheon to follow.

Sister Mary (Sister Mary Alphonus) Sullivan

Second of the two twin Sisters from the Sullivan side of Dot's family - here they all are together in 2003

At Mount St. Mary's on Thursday, April 18, 2013, of Sister Mary Sullivan (Sister Mary Alphonus) of

Charlottetown and d formerly of Greenfield, P.E.I., age 101 years.

Sister Mary - one of the twin Nuns in Dot's family. Mary was the quiet one - her twin, Sister Ann - was the feisty one. She passed in March 2008. We visited them many times and always enjoyed the occasions immensely.

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Sister of Eileen Scully, Zeta MacLeod, Michael Sullivan (Agnes), and especially Anne Fitzsimmons (Bill), and Bill Sullivan (Mary). Sister-in-law of Rita, Teresa and Aurore. Fondly remembered by many nieces and nephewsGrandnieces. and grandnephews.
Predeceased by her parents, Thomas and Catherine (nee Gillis) Sullivan; by her twin sister, Sister Ann;

by her sisters, Lauretta Langteinge (Camile), Catherine Sharkey (Gerald), Bernice Stewart (Thomas),Frances Keeler (Lyle); and by her brothers, Percy, Joseph, John, Leo and James (Lillian), and baby Michael

Resting at Belvedere Funeral Home to be forwarded to Mount St. Mary's for visitation Monday from 5-8 p.m.

Funeral mass will be celebrated Tuesday at Mount St. Mary's 10:30 a.m. Interment later in Mount St. Mary's Cemetery.

Iola Glidden Hemke

Iola was the wife of Hal Hemke, one time boss, Boeing associate, and long-time friend.

Iola was born in Lima, Peru in 1917 to Angelica Noriega and John Glidden of Boston and died July 6, 2013 of natural causes. She lived with extended family in Lima into her 20's until she married Harold Paul Hemke of New York, to whom she was a devoted wife and with whom she shared a life on three continents and many adventures. They lived in several countries in South America as well as New York and California. They eventually settled in the Seattle area. Iola and Harold enjoyed frequent trips abroad and lived for five years in Spain. She enjoyed reading, social gatherings and family. Iola leaves behind her daughters, Helene Dowd (Michael) of Seattle, Carol Gaynor (William) of Portland, her grandchildren, Alexa Gaynor of Spain, Emily Porto (Ben) of Portland, Mark Dowd (Kellian) of Orinda, CA and her great-grandchildren, Liam and Macey Dowd. She will also be remembered by her nephew, John Tripp of Danville, California.

At her request there will be no services. Her resting place is next to her husband and mother at Lakeview Cemetery in Seattle.
Published in The Seattle Times from July 9 to July 10, 2013

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We are well! - Always a nice report to give - and for a change, too. Dot's annual exams and tests were all good. Six years since she began treatment for her lymphoma, and Five Years is a magic milestone in cancer treatment!

She continues with her dancing and community activities, and this year, switched from Line Dancing with the Boot Scootin' Grannies, to a new group called Zumba Gold - exercise dancing to Latin music.

And now, for the airplane. On January 23, two guys from the FAA came out an inspected it over a six hour marathon. We (me and my Mentor Tony T.) - were nervous, but in the end, they handed me my C of A - my Certificate of Airworthiness. My airplane was now complete and legal to fly.

Peace..........

Bob and Dot

We are well! - Always a nice report to give - and for a change, too. Dot's annual exams and tests were all good. Six years since she began treatment for her lymphoma, and Five Years is a magic milestone in cancer treatment!

She continues with her dancing and community activities, and this year, switched from Line Dancing with the Boot Scootin' Grannies, to a new group called Zumba Gold - exercise dancing to Latin music.

And now, for the airplane. On January 23, two guys from the FAA came out an inspected it over a six hour marathon. We (me and my Mentor Tony T.) - were nervous, but in the end, they handed me my C of A - my Certificate of Airworthiness. My airplane was now complete and legal to fly.

Peace.......... Bob and Dot

Peace..........

Bob and Dot