Clarence L. Holter
1924 ~ 2022
NWA pilot Clarence Louis Holter age 98, passed away peacefully on October25th at The Regent of Burnsville. Clarence was born June 26, 1924, in Minneapolis, MN. He was the only child of Louis Holter of Fetsund, Norway, and Henrikke (Hendrickson) Holter of Tromso, Norway.
When Clarence was about two years old, he moved to a 150-acre farm outside of Delano, MN, with his parents and his Uncle Anton and Aunt Jette Holter. They lived on this farm for about 10 years and moved back to Minneapolis after Clarence's mother died in February of 1936.
Clarence began working at Northwest Airlines in August of 1942 as an Apprentice Mechanic. He joined the Army Air Corp. in May of 1943 and went to basic training at the Lincoln Army Airfield in Lincoln, Nebraska. Following basic training, he went to aircraft mechanics school at the Amarillo Army Airfield, in Amarillo TX. He then trained as a North American P-51 mechanic in Inglewood, CA. After completing his training, he was transferred to an airfield in Meridian, Mississippi, to work on P-51s. He was then transferred to Buckingham Army airfield by Fort Myers for B-24 gunnery school. While stationed at Buckingham, he became sick with pneumonia. The class he was training with was activated and went over to England while he was in the hospital. After recovering from pneumonia, the Army Air Corp was looking for A-26 gunners, so he was transferred to Florence, SC, for that training. Just as he was finishing training, the war ended.
John Richard Erlandson
1930 ~ 2022
Captain John Richard "Dick" Erlandson, age 92, died on September 05, 2022. Dick was born February 4th, 1930, in Gary, Indiana, the second of five children. He was taught by his parents - Arnold and Helen Erlandson to put family first; that included fulfilling his chores at his father’s dairy in Miller, Indiana.
While working in the dairy it is reputed that Dick drank the cream from the top of the milk bottles. After his fulfilling chores, Dick would head east to Miller Beach, near the famed Indiana Dunes on the south shore of Lake Michigan and there tear up the beach in his brother Charlie's custom dune buggy.
As early as high school years Dick worked in the steel mills in Gary, Indiana. After high school he hitchhiked to Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota for his first two years of college. Thereafter he transferred to the University of Colorado Boulder until graduating with a degree in Pharmacy.
James Edward Swanson
1940 ~ 2022
Captain James Edward Swanson, age 81 of Eagan and Edina, MN, passed away peacefully on March 12, 2022, after a valiant battle with acute pulmonary problems...
Jim was born in Iron Mountain, Michigan on March 19 1940, to the late Edward and Vera (Fearing) Swanson. The oldest of five children, Jim grew up in nearby Florence and Wabeno, Wisconsin where his father worked as a baker. As a young lad Jim worked alongside his father in the bakery. He attended Wabeno High School where he was known as a well-rounded student having participated in almost every sport and school activity including basketball, football, band, choir, glee club, and student council.
It was natural for Jim to go on to attend the University of Wisconsin at Madison. As these were the years of mandatory ROTC, he opted for Air Force ROTC. During his senior year Jim received FAA approved training in light aircraft as a prescreening for USAF Pilot Training. The same week he received his BA degree in political science, he was also commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force Reserve.
David W. Hall
1930 ~ 2022
Captain David W. (Dave) Hall passed away peacefully at the age of 91 on Jan. 30, 2022 after a short bout with cancer. He was surrounded by his loving wife Veda and daughter Sherri. Throughout his adventure-filled life, Dave dutifully served his family, country, and airline.
Dave was the child of Dorris Washburn (“DW”) Hall and Ula Bee (Wright) Hall. He was born in Seattle, WA and grew up in LaGrande, Oregon. Dave was proceeded in birth by his brother Bill who passed away just a week before Dave. Seeking adventure at a young age, Dave worked for the Forest Service and Oregon Railroad during his teen years. He attended La Grande High School in Eastern Oregon where he played quarterback for the football team and served as senior class president.
In 1948 Dave entered Eastern Oregon State College (now Eastern Oregon University). Two year later he transferred to the University of Oregon where he earned his bachelor’s degree in business. While at the ‘U of O’ Dave met several life-long friends as a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity including Bob Wilkins, Roesch Fitzgerald and William and Bob Cary.
Arnold R. Pleasant
1938 ~ 2021
Captain Arnie Pleasant, age 83, with a heart full of love, a life full of precious memories and a body ready for mercy after a strongly fought battle with Corticobasal Degeneration, passed away December 01, 2021. Arnie left a legacy of kindness, selflessness, humble sincerity, and true love for his family, fellow aviators, and many friends. He was truly a man who was a friend to all.
Arnie was born to Clyde and Elsie Pleasant in Cowiche, WA June 12, 1938. He was the oldest of three siblings. Cowiche is a small unincorporated community northwest of Yakima, Washington, near the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Maturing in this agricultural region Arnie gained a deep-seated love of family, friends and sports. He was a natural athlete and excelled in basketball, baseball and football. Arnie attended Washington State University (WSU) on a basketball scholarship playing both basketball and baseball for his beloved Cougar team. Arnie still holds the WSU Cougar baseball record for single season RBI in the Wood Bat Era (1892-1973).
Thomas 'Tommy' Tinker
1933 ~ 2021
Tommy Tinker, age 88, of Kapaáu, Hawaii, passed away August 22, 2021, at Kona Community Hospital. He was born in Van Nuys, California and grew up in Edna, Texas, where he became a local football star. At 23, he attended Navy Flight School in Pensacola, Florida and served 21 years in the Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserves, retiring at the rank of Lt. Colonel. Tommy flew commercially for Pacific Airlines, then Republic, and later Northwest until retirement in 1993. In 2018, he published Laddies in Waiting, a collection of remarkable stories from his 37-year flying career. Tommy Tinker was a RNPA member.
Tommy and his wife Cindy have lived on the Big Island for 33 years. He was an avid diver, sailor, and skier. His friends will remember many Sunday afternoons sailing out of Kawaihae Harbor on his beloved sailboat, Kitta. As an active member of the North Kohala community, Tommy served as President of the Merchants Association, also President of the Kohala Hospital Charitable Foundation Board, which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for a new emergency room facility.
There is no service planned due to Covid-19. His ashes will be scattered in the ocean later. If you wish to donate in Tommy's name, his favorite charity was St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
Tommy is survived by his wife, Cynthia G. Smith, a son Heung-Gi (Laura) Tinker of Holmes, NY, three daughters, Kelly (Jim) Gronwald of Prescott Valley, AZ, Dana (Bill) Greenroad of San Jose, CA, and Rebecca (Greg) Coburn of Martinez, CA, twelve grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
(Tinker family)