Joseph ‘Ned’ Best
1940 ~ 2019
Captain Ned Best, age 78, passed away the morning of July 24, 2019 surrounded by his loving wife of 39 years and their three grown children. Ned was born an identical twin to Samuel and Helen Best on October 28, 1940 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Ned earned both a Bachelor or Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tulsa in 1962. Between the academic school years he found summer work fighting wildfires in Idaho, where he fell in love with the Pacific Northwest, vowing to someday make it his home. In addition to his academic studies at the University of Tulsa, Ned completed four years of Air Force ROTC and upon completing his degree was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force Resesrve.
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William David Isaacson
1943 ~ 2019
Captain Bill Isaacson, age 76, passed away May 24, 2019 at home peacefully and comfortably in Ft. Meyers Beach, FL after a long illness. Bill born in Virginia, Minnesota to parents Eleanor and Bernard Isaacson. He was widowed in December 2013 with the passing of his wife Chrysmarie.
Bill’s childhood and teen years were spent on the Iron Range of Minnesota. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in Virginia, MN and went on to earn a certificate in architecture from the Mesabi Range Junior College. According to family members Bill’s education goal was to acquire two years of college required for admission to the Marine Corps Aviation Cadet (MarCad) program.
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Samuel D. McGlone
1940 ~ 2019
Captain Samuel D. McGlone, age 79, went to heaven while holding the hands of his children Michael and Molly in Venice, Florida on April 28, 2019. He was born in Chicago, IL on April 15, 1940, the only child born of Elizabeth Peirick and Samuel Duff McGlone.
Sam graduated from Loyola Academy and attended Xavier University. He served in the U.S. Army from 1963 to 1967, completing Army flight training in Ft. Rucker, AL in June 1964. The Army eventually placed Sam at Bien Hoa, VN as a UH-1 (slick) Huey pilot. While in Vietnam he engaged in multiple armed battles and conflicts. For service during the battle of Dong Xoai he was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action. Sam put his life in danger to save others. In his own words, “It was the biggest and toughest battle in Vietnam at the time.” Sam was also awarded many Air Medals, the National Defense Medal, The Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with palm and many more. After Vietnam Sam instructed fixed wing in the Army version of the Beechcraft Barron.
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Robert Michael Matta
1932 ~ 2019
Captain Robert ‘Bob’ Matta, age 86, of Northfield, MN passed away on July 18, 2019. Bob was born on the family truck farm in what is now Brooklyn Center, Minnesota on August 4, 1932. He was the sixth and youngest child of Slovak immigrants, Mike and Anna (Humenik) Matta, and the baby brother of five doting, older sisters who ranged in age between 8 and 18 years his senior. According to oft-told family lore, when Bob was born his father was so excited to finally have a son that he literally skipped across the fields to the neighbors yelling “It’s a boy! It’s a boy!” in his native Slovak. Yes, Bob was spoiled!
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Wayne M. Segulia
1930 ~ 2019
Captain Wayne Segulia, age 90, was born and raised in Butte, Montana. He graduated high school in 1948 then attended Montana School of Mines to study Metallurgy. At the end of his third year (1951) he enlisted in the Air Force.
Wayne completed basic training and Aviation Cadet preflight at Lackland AFB, followed by flight training at Webb, Spence and Luke AFB. Then he completed pilot and special weapons training (MK-7) at Langley AFB. In 1953 he was sent to Korea and arrived the day the armistice agreement was signed. After a brief time in Korea, he was then stationed at Itazuke AFB, Japan from 1953 to 1955. He only said that his squadron flew air security because much of his duty while stationed at Itazuke was top secret.
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Ronald Lee Wilhelmson
1949 ~ 2019
Captain Ronald Wilhelmson, age 70, of Gig Harbor Washington passed away March 29th of natural causes at Tacoma General Hospital. Ron was born January 24, 1949 to Lucille & Floyd Wilhelmson at Fort Morgan, Colorado. In his teen age years he was a good student and was very athletic. He excelled at both football and the arts at Fort Morgan High School in Colorado. In 1972 Ron received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of North Colorado and thereafter taught Art classes until he entered the Air Force in July of 1974.
Ron flew the C-141 with Military Airlift Command for seven years on active duty. He was thereafter an active reservist on flight status, flying the C-141 at McChord AFB. Ron was hired by Northwest Airlines on June 03, 1985. His initial checkout at NWA was as a Boeing 727 Second Officer. He thereafter rotated through the seats on the 727. In his later years of employment at NWA Ron flew the 747/200 based at Anchorage. He retired from NWA after thirty-seven years of flying on January 24, of 2009.
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