In Memoriam

Keiko Minakata, WG#1339

Keiko passed away Aug. 2 in a helicopter crash in the Cascade Mountains just south of Easton, Wash. She was flying a Robinson R44 on a charter flight, carrying three passengers. The NTSB is investigating and no cause has been named at this time. She was flying for her employer, Classic Helicopter Corporation of Seattle, Wash.

Minakata, 41, joined Classic Helicopter in March 2005 as a flight instructor. During her two years at the company she’d quickly risen through the ranks to become Classic’s chief pilot for its private pilot program and one of the company’s lead charter pilots. Previous to Classic, Minakata worked in Texas as a flight instructor. She trained in California and Arizona.

Originally from Japan, Minakata came to the United States in 2001 to pursue her dream of working as a professional helicopter pilot. While in flight school she met and married her husband, an American.

In addition to living her dream as a helicopter pilot, Minakata was also very involved in volunteer efforts to encourage women to pursue aviation as a career. As a Whirly-Girl she regularly met with ladies interested in learning to fly helicopters and also volunteered her time annually at the American Heroes Air Show, a helicopter-only event held at the Museum of Flight.

Minakata was the 2007 International Whirly-Girls Scholarship winner. She intended to use to gain factory training on the Eurocopter AS350 helicopter to further her experience, skill and safety consciousness. Sadly, she did not have the opportunity to use it. The Whirly-Girls are researching a way to make the scholarship available to another member in honor of Minakata.

The memorial service for Minakata is set for 2 p.m., Friday, Aug. 10, at Boeing Field (BFI) Main Terminal in Seattle, Wash. Park in the main terminal parking lot and enter through the southern double doors.

Bob Vetter

Many Whirly-Girls know both WG #459 Bev and husband Bob Vetter. Bev has served on the Board of Directors first as Secretary, then as a Scholarship Director and is now on the ballot to serve her second term as a Scholarship Director. We are very sad to announce that Bev’s husband, friend, and companion of 60 years passed away suddenly in January, 2007.

Most of us know that Bob was a pilot of both fixed wing and helicopters. He was also a member of the Twirly Birds. He had several airplanes and a helicopter at their “Vetter’s Sky Ranch” in Acampo, California. He was also an Army Veteran from WWII.

Bob never missed a Whirly-Girl function in over 20 years. He was a WG Auxiliary member who provided love and support to his wife and her Whirly-Girl family. We remember the “quiet man” at the Whirly-Girl Scholarship Banquets and always came to him for a hug or kiss. Not many men can say that they had so many “Whirly” girlfriends. He always encouraged Bev to fly and to continue making our Banquet center pieces, which she always gives away after each Banquet.

The Board of Directors expects to dedicate our WG Add-On Flight Training Scholarship to Bob’s memory for 2008. A fund has been set up in his name and will be utilized for this purpose. Send your contributions, noted “for Vetter Scholarship”, to WGSF, WG Treasurer Lisa Pendergrass, P.O. Box 759, Tryon, NC 28782.

We will all miss our much-beloved Bob; personally, I will particularly miss his wonderful stories. We are happy that Bev will continue making our precious Scholarship Banquet center pieces and keeping her airstrip usable in California.

Dee Fulk

Dee Fulk, WG # 227, died on Dec. 4, 2006 after a long and courageous battle with ovarian cancer.

Dee and her husband Bill Fulk M.D. had a helicopter business in Illinois before moving to Sanibel, Florida, in 1993. Dee had also worked as a trauma nurse in rescue helicopters and was an active member of the Whirly Girls during that time. In Southwest Florida, Dee made a huge contribution to the environment through her work with the Sanibel and Captiva turtle conservation program, which she led for many years. She wrote a weekly column on nature for the local newspaper.

Joanna Gollin, WG#914, writes, "Dee will be missed so much by all her many friends and of course her family. Anyone who ever had the good fortune to meet her had their life enriched through the experience. She radiated goodness, caring, kindness and a love of life and wildlife which was an inspiration, and she also had a special quiet dignity that was all her own. In her obituary (Dec. 15) the newspaper the Islander wrote, 'The world and Sanibel have suffered a great loss with Dee's passing.' "

Hilaire DuBourcq

Hilaire DuBourcq, husband of WG #586 Georgina Hunter-Jones, passed away Oct. 6 in London, England of Lou Lou Gehrig's disease.

William B. Wood, Auxillary Member

William Breckinridge "Breck" Wood, the beloved husband of our Whirly-Girl #1095 Deborah Cox Wood, died Sept. 20, 2006. Breck was a devoted auxilliary member and helicopter pilot who worked in the Whirly Girls booth and supported our organization throughout the years. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Richard's Friends, c/o William E. Wood and Associates, 1805 Kempsville Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23464 or the charitable organization of your choice.

Carol Forest, WG #1391

On Sunday morning, Aug. 13, WG #1391 Carol Forest passed away in a helicopter crash off Astoria, Ore. She was the co-pilot in an R44 that was retracing the steps of Lewis and Clark by air as a part of the Flight of Discovery. The other two onboard, a pilot and cameraman, also perished. Forest, 56, was a resident of San Diego and a principal of GeoSyntec Consultants. According to news reports, the area was very foggy at the time.

Scott Crossfield

On June 12, WG #435 Colleen Nevis wrote "I was honored to be able to renew acquaintances with fellow Navy Test Pilot Scott Crossfield at the NAA Awards ceremony in Arlington VA, Dec 2005. I couldn't help but tease him that he took every opportunity to kiss the young ladies as he distributed awards, and he winked, offering that old age had its privileges! Farewell to a class act, and long-time friend of the Whirly Girls,
Scott Crossfield." Mr. Crossfield died in an airplane crash on April 19, 2006.

James D. Phelan Sr., Auxillary Member

On May 16, 2006, James D. Phelan Sr., the Whirly-Girls' official Den Daddy, passed away. He's pictured here with his beloved wife, Jean Ross Howard-Phalen, the Whirly-Girls' founder.

The following was written by Bev Haug-Schaffter WG#465, a close friend of the Phalens:

Ladies: I spoke to Pam, one of Jim Phelan’s three daughters this evening, Wednesday, 17 May 2006.

First of all, the family will have a memorial service for Jim in Bridgeport, Conn. within the next couple of weeks. They decided against scattering ashes out of a helicopter, but will scatter their ashes from the bridge at Rock Creek. They request that in lieu of cards or flowers, donations be sent in Jim’s name to the Whirly-Girl Scholarship fund. I told Pam that we will change the WG European FTS to include Jim’s name. They will be sorting out the household when they can all get together to do so. Pam will save and let us know what they will donate to the Museum, and any extra articles about Jean or Jim for our Whirly-Girl Archives. We will need to arrange to have them sent somewhere for the museum storage or to the TX Women’s University for the Whirly Girl Archives. (Maybe someone in the area could help with the arrangements when the time comes)?

Our Den Daddy is finally at peace, and is in heaven with Jean.

Jim was laughing and happy and had been visiting with both sons, Jim Jr. and John when he just slipped away. It was yesterday, Tuesday morning, May 16, at 10:07 am. He was in his home (his and Jean’s). Jim had three daughters and two sons, all but Jim Jr. living in Conn. Jim Jr. resides in Florida.

Jim and Jean were so much “in love”. It was so great to see them hold hands, laugh and look so lovingly at each other. It took Jean 70 years to find and marry the “love of her life”. Jim had been so unhappy after Jean left us. Jim had been married for 40 years before he was widowed. He met, fell in love and married Jean the following year. They were married for twenty years. All Jim’s children loved Jean. I know she loved them too. Most of you all know that Jim was a helicopter “Crew Chief/Mechanic” in Burma. He was our “Den Daddy” and we all loved him so much. Not many men can say that they had so many “Whirly” girlfriends. He had so much history, and he and Jean were such great role models for the rest of the Whirly-Girls. We will always remember their hospitality, the red carpet treatment for all guests, and Jeans brownies. I was fortunate enough to fly both Jean and Jim for the first time together in a helicopter in Germany in 1987. We all spent Thanksgiving and Christmas together as a family when I lived in DC.

I know that Jim did not have the desire to continue living without Jean. He missed her so much. He was so happy to receive the JRHP memorial white binder about them that our own Lisa DiGiovanna put together. Jean filled the void when Jim’s first wife passed away, and we were so lucky to have him. Somehow knowing Jim is gone makes Jean’s death more “final” in our minds. Now that the JRHP era has ended, the Whirly Girls are charting new waters without Jean and Jims influence.

We will surely miss him.

Bev Haug-Schaffter WG#465, V-P Scholarships

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(Updated: 1/15/07)