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A Father's Influence - Aviation and everything else


Lance Keve

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Hello All,

I'm really too gutted to write anything of substance at the moment, but I wanted to share a few pictures of my father, the first one of him sitting in his Mooney Mite sometime between '69 and '71, when he owned the Mite.  We laid him to rest yesterday far ahead of when it should have been.  For the past two years he'd battled a brain injury from a freak accident.

I had been searching for a Mooney when the accident occurred.  He and I had been talking multiple times a week, planning all the trips we'd take, including Oshkosh.  After the accident I could no longer call him and to visit meant a 5 hour drive, which I did many times until I found the Mooney.  That helped shorten that trip to 1.5 hours which meant I could see him more frequently.  He was so thrilled to hear of the plane and tried his best to overcome his challenges so he could go flying.  It just wasn't meant to be.

However, trying to make the most of the situation and give him some good days back, I managed, with the help of some good friends, to take a field trip away from the facility he was in and get him into my E this past November for a flight. He had a great day.  To the staff at the facility, or anyone that visited, he talked about it for weeks and weeks afterwards.  

Throughout his life, he was so humble, quiet and kind.  And so incredible.  He did so much for me, I could never repay.

Although he was a home builder by trade, his love of aviation was immense.  He owned an Aeronca and a Mooney Mite, built a Rotorway Scorpion Too (II) in our garage when I was a kid, and was a Hot Air Balloon pilot flying second balloon for two of his friends businesses (I chased as a new teenage driver).  He earned his Private, Instrument, Multi, Commercial and was hired by Eastern Airlines two seconds before they put a freeze on the incoming hires and it never materialized after that.

He had a host of other incredible hobbies too, but this is an aviation forum and I've gone on long enough.

Thanks Dad for, everything. Everything!

Thanks MS'ers for letting me share this.  

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Sounds like he was a good man and A great father it's so hard when we have to go through this part of life losing a father or mother thank you for sharing a bit about your dad. Very sorry for your loss. Praying for comfort to you and yours.

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Thank you for sharing your story Lance. It's the most difficult thing to bury your hero. It was for me too. I hope you find comfort in that he is alive in you. Also hope you have many long and healthy years to remember and honor your father.

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Lance - what a touching story. I had no idea all of this was going on when I was talking with you during your search for a Mooney. I lost my Dad in 2000 and there isn't a day I don't think about him. Thanks for sharing and my deepest condolences.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

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10 hours ago, bonal said:

Sounds like he was a good man and A great father it's so hard when we have to go through this part of life losing a father or mother thank you for sharing a bit about your dad. Very sorry for your loss. Praying for comfort to you and yours.

 

10 hours ago, MyNameIsNobody said:

What a wonderful tribute to your dad.  I love the last photo.  The resemblance is strong.  Sounds like he had a full life and you know he was a class act...Just look at how his son turned out.

Sorry for your loss.

 

10 hours ago, DonMuncy said:

+1 to both of the above

 

9 hours ago, MooneyMitch said:

Thank you for sharing this wonderful story!

May I suggest, and if you wish, please consider submitting your beautiful story to MAPA.   

Trey is always requesting articles for the LOG and yours is just so lovely.

 Thank you again.

 

8 hours ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

As another second generation Mooney owner and pilot I can especially relate to your story. Thank you for sharing it. My father and my shared passion for flying and for flying and maintaining Mooneys in particular has formed the basis of a lifelong bond that we would not have experienced otherwise. 35 years and counting, in fact.  I am very, very sorry for your loss.  

Jim

 

8 hours ago, carusoam said:

I am so glad you were able to share these photos Lance.

Prayers and best regards,

-a-

 

8 hours ago, Skates97 said:

Thank you for sharing your story and the pictures as well. I pray your family finds comfort. 

 

4 hours ago, kmyfm20s said:

I'm really sorry for your loss! Thank you for sharing your story and photos.

 

2 hours ago, PTK said:

Thank you for sharing your story Lance. It's the most difficult thing to bury your hero. It was for me too. I hope you find comfort in that he is alive in you. Also hope you have many long and healthy years to remember and honor your father.

 

1 hour ago, Yetti said:

Great story

 

18 minutes ago, Marauder said:

Lance - what a touching story. I had no idea all of this was going on when I was talking with you during your search for a Mooney. I lost my Dad in 2000 and there isn't a day I don't think about him. Thanks for sharing and my deepest condolences.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Sincerest thank you for all your comments.  I found one more picture this morning.  Fitting it's the Mooney again.  OK, that's enough before I short out my keyboard.

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Awesome, you were blessed to have a great pop who shared life with you, the memories will last your lifetime, it's uncanny how you look like each other. As time passes you'll cherish your moments even more.

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Lance,

I am very sorry for your loss, and you will be in our thoughts. The pictures are great, and I'm so happy that you were able to share in your Dad's passion for aviation.  He will always be with you in your future aviation adventures.  Thank you for sharing.

Fernando

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Lance, Thanks for sharing with us about your dad. He sounds like the kind of guy I would have liked to get to know and I bet you are much like him. I pray you will find comfort and peace in the coming days, months and years. 

Steve

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I am so very sorry Lance. As a second generation pilot, I understand your loss.

My Dad flew west in December of 2015 at the age of 90. He took me for my first airplane ride when I was three in 1960. I grew up hanging around airports and gliderports with him. Got to fly right seat in his 1964 C model Mooney on a cross country flight from California to Pennsylvania and back. Later in life we shared two airplanes together. Still own the last one. Can't bear to sell it. We made the pilgrimage to Oshkosh in 2002 for the 50th anniversary fly-in and to Dayton in 2003 for the Centennial of Flight. Many other flights since. We last flew together just two months before he died.

I wish I could tell you that the hurt will go away with time. It won't, but you will learn to deal with it better. The memories you have with your Dad will always be with you. I hope they will be a source of comfort for you.

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Lance.  So sorry to hear about your father.  I lost mine in December of 2015 and posted about an emergency landing in lower Michigan on the way to see him on his death bed.   The support this forum provided helped me a lot getting through that loss (tearing up now writing about it).

Keep sharing with us and don't ever let your memories fade!  That's the only way we can keep them in our lives as we move on.  You dad sounded like a pretty awesome father.  

Tom

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Lance I am so sorry to hear.  

I lost my father unexectantly about 13 years ago / and I still think about him often.  I was just talking this evening to my wife about our boys and what a shame it was he isn't here to be proud of them as he would have been.  This just means he is still missed.  Best wishes lance to you and your father.

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