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Alaska 261 - @ 15 Years

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Alaska 261 - @ 15 Years

Old 02-05-2015, 11:58 AM
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Default Alaska 261 - @ 15 Years

Jan 31 2000.

Two aviators. Had a bad day. But GD they went out flying it til the end -
the very last moment trying to fly that machine out of the fix they were in.
Respect. Admiration. And peace.
To them and all aboard.

In remembrance (and please forgive my missing the date to post but on it thoughts were there.)
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Old 02-07-2015, 05:50 PM
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Yes indeed. Prayers for those who passed that day.

That ATC recording, of the crew in their last moments attempting to fly that broken airplane to a safe landing, is one of the most chilling and inspiring I have ever heard. Chilling, because you know what's going to happen. But also inspiring, because those were the voices of two highly-trained professionals who did it right. It is just so horribly sad that nothing could have brought them home safely that day, given the condition of their aircraft.
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Old 02-08-2015, 07:42 AM
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Profiles of Alaska Flight 261 victims

Capt. Ted Thompson, 53, Redlands, Calif.—The pilot of Flight 261, Capt. Thompson was an Air Force veteran who had flown for Alaska Airlines for more than 17 years. He was a favored friend in the neighborhood where he lived with his wife, Marilyn. He is also survived by a grown son, Fred.

First Officer William Tansky, 57, Alameda, Calif.—The co-pilot on Flight 261, he was two years from retirement. He had flown for four decades and worked for Alaska Airlines since 1985. He had planned to spend his retirement trading stocks on the Internet and taking leisurely afternoon walks with his wife of 30 years, Bonnie.

Kristin Mills, 26, Las Vegas—She lived in Las Vegas with her husband of three years, Dave, but kept a home in Seattle so she could work at her dream job as a flight attendant with Alaska Airlines. She was part of the Flight 261 crew.

Allison Shanks, 33, Seattle—The opportunity to travel lured Ms. Shanks to her job as a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines 12 years ago. The single mother of a daughter, Hailey, and an avid fitness buff, she was an attendant with the crew of Flight 261.

Craig Pulanco, 30, Seattle—Formerly Craig Gruhl, Mr. Pulanco changed his name to that of his long-time partner, Paul Pulanco. Craig Pulanco was working as a flight attendant aboard Flight 261. Hard-working, compassionate and caring, the Pulancos shared their Beacon Hill home with two dogs and a cat.

Paul Pulanco, 40, Seattle—Like his partner, Craig Pulanco, Paul Pulanco was an animal lover and avid gardener. A case worker at the Northwest AIDS Foundation, he joined with his partner in a commitment ceremony two years ago at First Baptist Church in Seattle with one of their dogs as the ring-bearer.

Avinesh Amit Deo, 23, Burien—The Highline High School alumnus had just graduated from ITT Technical Institute and was to have started his career at the time of the crash. He had gone to Mexico with his cousins, Anjesh Prasad and Avinesh Prasad, to celebrate. Mr. Deo immigrated from Fiji with his family when he was young.

Anjesh Prasad, 19, Burien—A 1998 Highline High School graduate and dedicated sports fan, he worked as a ground service agent for Horizon Air. He had treated his cousins, Avinesh Prasad and Avinesh Amit Deo, to a trip to Mexico. He came to America from Fiji when he was 17 months old.

Avinesh Prasad, 19, Burien—A beloved employee of HomeGrocer.com and a star on the company soccer team, he moved from Fiji with his family when he was 18. He was traveling with his cousins, Anjesh Prasad and Avinesh Amit Deo.

Stanford Poll, 59, Mercer Island—He was a colorful and visionary entrepreneur with many business and property interests. He once owned the reknowned Blue Moon Tavern in the University District and the J & M Cafe in Pioneer Square. He was survived by his wife, Gabriel, two daughters and two sons.

Monte Donaldson, 31, Seattle—A freelance landscaper, his passion was music and filmmaking. Traveling with Colleen Whorley in Mexico, he e-mailed a friend poetic descriptions of their time together. Said the friend: "Monte will always be an inspiration to stop myself from jumping in the rat race, to take the moment, to take it all in."

Colleen Whorley, 34, Seattle—An art director at Microsoft, Ms. Whorley honed her skills in photography. She and Monte Donaldson had just bought a home and planned to be married, then honeymoon in Ireland and Bali.

Joe Knight, 54, Monroe—Pastor and missionary Joe Knight, with his wife, co-pastor and co-missionary, Linda Knight, worked to help starving children and families in Mexico. The Knights, who had recently celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary at the time of the crash, began their ministry with Bible readings in their home in 1978.

Linda Knight, 51, Monroe—Linda Knight, co-pastor and missionary with her husband, Joe Knight, overcame her fear of public speaking by practicing while standing on a stump in her yard. She and her husband preached at The Rock Church Northwest in Monroe, home base for their Full Gospel non-denominational ministry.

Sheri Christensen, 25, Federal Way—She grew up in Yakima, one of four children of Bob and Pat Stookey, and moved to the Seattle area with her husband, Jeff Christensen. A ground-service agent for Horizon Air, she was outgoing and athletic, an avid volleyball player who hoped to become a personal trainer.

Stacy Schuyler, 20, Federal Way—A ground-service agent for Horizon Air, Ms. Schuyler was a 1997 graduate of Puyallup High School.

Bob Williams, 65, Poulsbo, Kitsap County—He was a builder who served on the Poulsbo city Planning Commission. He was traveling with his wife, Patty Williams and their friends Bob and Lorna Thorgrimson. Mr. Williams wore a ring identifying him as a Mason; the ring was found off the California coast and saved as a gift for his daughter, Tracy Knizek.

Patty Williams, 63, Poulsbo, Kitsap County—Mrs. Williams, traveling with her husband, Bob Williams, would have celebrated her 64th birthday on Feb. 8, 2000.

Robert Thorgrimson, 63, Poulsbo—A special-education teacher for North Kitsap School District, Mr. Thorgrimson was known as a sincere man who helped save the local chapter of DeMolay, the Mason's club for boys. He was the grandson of O.B. Thorgrimson, a founding partner of a prominent Seattle-based law firm.

Lorna Thorgrimson, 52, Poulsbo—Traveling with her husband, Robert Thorgrimson, Mrs. Thorgrimson was also accompanied by her close friends, Patty and Bob Williams.

Terry Ryan, 55, Redmond—Mr. Ryan, who owned a commercial printing business, Copy Cat in Redmond, was an Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam. He was traveling with his wife, Barbara Ryan, and their sons, Bradford Patrick Ryan and James Ryan, and five friends of James Ryan.

Barbara Ryan, 54, Redmond—Born in Alabama, Mrs. Ryan worked in marketing for SmithKline Beecham Cinical Laboratories. She was traveling with her husband, Terry, their two sons, and their son's friends.

Bradford Patrick Ryan, 33, Redmond—The trip to Mexico with his parents, Terry and Barbara Ryan, was meant in part to celebrate his graduation from Washington State University with a civil-engineering degree. A member of Ski Patrol, he was known to friends as Pat.

James Ryan, 30, Portland—A flight attendant for Alaska, James Ryan turned 30 the day the family left for Mexico. An avid outdoorsman and Spanish language graduate of Western Washington University, he was traveling with his parents and with long-time friends, Michael Bernard, Ryan and Abigail Busche, Russel Ing and Deborah Penna.

Michael Bernard, 30, Seattle—A music lover, Mr. Bernard owned four guitars and cut a compact disc of original rock songs for his parents, Paul and Irene Bernard of Kirkland. An accountant with MPL2.com in Bellevue, he was traveling with the Ryan family and several friends.

Ryan Busche, 28, Seattle—Mr. Busche was traveling with his wife, Abigail Busche, whom he met when they were students at Western Washington. He was working in Microsoft's games group as a temporary employee for ArtSource. He grew up in Olympia.

Abigail Busche, 25, Seattle—Recently hired by Microsoft as a permanent employee, she was traveling with her husband, Ryan Busche. Both of them were creative, outgoing people. Mrs. Busche grew up near Bow, Skagit County, near Mount Vernon.

Russel Ing, 28, Seattle—A visual-arts graduate who worked in graphic design for Kinko's in Woodinville, Mr. Ing won awards for his photography. He was traveling with several college friends. Born in Hawaii, Mr. Ing grew up on Mercer Island, graduating from Mercer Island High School in 1990.

Deborah Penna, 27, Seattle—A fourth-year art student at Cornish College of the Arts, Ms. Penna was a multimedia artist known for her abstract paintings. She studied art in Chicago and on the East Coast before coming West. She was traveling with her former college classmates.

Dr. David Clemetson, 40, Seattle—A specialist in infectious diseases, Dr. Clemetson was traveling with his wife, Carolyn Clemetson, and the couple's four blended-family children, Coriander, Blake, Miles and Spencer Clemetson. What he liked best in life was family, said his longtime medical assistant.

Carolyn Clemetson, 31, Seattle—Mrs. Clemetson was traveling with her husband, Dr. David Clemetson and their family. Former owner of a travel business, she was a "very giving person," friends said, and was working toward a master's degree in art therapy.

Coriander Clemetson, 8, Seattle—She was a quiet, poised student at John Hay Elementary School on Queen Anne Hill. She was traveling with her father, Dr. David Clemetson, her stepmother, Carolyn Clemetson, and their blended family. She is survived by her mother, Dr. Claire Barnett of Seattle, a family-practice doctor.

Blake Clemetson, 7, Seattle—Blake was Coriander's younger sister, the daughter of Dr. David Clemetson and his first wife, Dr. Claire Barnett. She was a first-grader at Hay Elementary. Friends said she was shy but very gentle and loving.

Miles Clemetson, 6, Seattle—The son of Carolyn Clemetson from a previous marriage, Miles attended John Hay Elementary School on Queen Anne Hill with his stepsisters. He was an outgoing, friendly first-grader.

Spencer Clemetson, 6 months, Seattle—A peaceful baby, Spencer blended the new Clemetson family, with older sisters Coriander and Blake on his father's side, and brother Miles on his mother's side.

Sarah Pearson, 36, Seattle—With her husband, Rodney Pearson, and their children, Rachel and Grace, she was vacationing with friends and Queen Anne neighbors, the Clemetsons. Described as the "mother hen" of the block, Mrs. Pearson was the block-party organizer and Christmas-party hostess. She was a flight attendant for Alaska.

Rodney Pearson, 45, Seattle—Mr. Pearson was the first chef at the Jake O'Shaughnessey's and F.X. McRory's restaurants. With Tom Church, he opened Six Degrees, which he hoped to turn into a chain of high-end neighborhood restaurants. When daughter Grace was born two years ago, he started saving Sundays for family.

Rachel Pearson, 6, Seattle—With her parents, Sarah and Rodney Pearson, and little sister, Grace, Rachel was a part of the Queen Anne neighborhood for which her family was a mainstay. Ballet lessons and cooperative day care were part of her life.

Grace Pearson, 23 months, Seattle—Little Grace Pearson was traveling with her parents, Sarah and Rodney Pearson, and her sister, Rachel.

Tom Stockley, 63, Seattle—Respected wine columnist for The Seattle Times, Mr. Stockley was traveling with Peggy Stockley, his wife of 40 years. He retired in 1989, but continued his column, which began in 1973.

Peggy Stockley, 62, Seattle—An animal lover and community activist, Mrs. Stockley was traveling with her husband, Tom Stockley. She edited the Floating Homes Association newsletter.

Rachel Janosik, 20, Bellevue—A graduate of Enumclaw High School, she was traveling with former schoolmates Ryan Sparks and Meghann Hall. She was a food-and-beverage agent for Alaska's sister airline, Horizon Air. She played fast-pitch softball in high school and soccer at Bellevue Community College.

Ryan Sparks, 20, Enumclaw—A graduate of Enumclaw High School, Mr. Sparks was traveling with his girlfriend, Meghann Hall, and her friend Rachel Janosik. Mr. Sparks was a guard on his school's varsity basketball team, and is remembered as a "champion of the underdog" who stood up for less-popular classmates.

Meghann Hall, 19, Enumclaw—A graduate of Enumclaw High School, she had considered a career in sports medicine or coaching. School counselors said she and her friend, Rachel Janosik, were funny, enjoyable, mature young women. Ms. Hall's only brother died four years ago of a motorcycle accident.

Don Shaw, 63, Shelton—Affable tour guide, Mr. Shaw was a fixture in the halls of the Legislature. Before that, he was a principal at two elementary schools in the Snohomish School District. "Salt of the earth," said one who knew him. He is survived by his wife, Earlene Shaw, who works at the state Senate cafeteria.

Harry Stasinos, 54, Brier—Mr. Stasinos was a longtime Seattle insurance agent and an active member of the Seattle-area Greek community. He also served for a time with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He lived in Brier with his partner, Charlene Sipe.

Charlene Sipe, 53, Brier—Traveling with Harry Stasinos, Ms. Sipe was also a longtime insurance agent. The two worked together several years at the Roy Potter Insurance Agency. The couple was considering starting their own insurance agency.

Morris Thompson, 62, Fairbanks, Alaska—An advocate for Alaska natives, he was celebrating his retirement after 12 years as president of Doyon, Ltd., a multimillion dollar Alaska Native regional corporation. An Athabascan Indian, he grew up in Alaska's interior. He was traveling with his wife, Thelma, and daughter Sheryl.

Thelma Thompson, 56, Fairbanks, Alaska—Mrs. Thompson was traveling with her husband, Morris Thompson, and daughter, Sheryl Thompson. Friends described her as a "culture bearer" who mastered all she attempted.

Sheryl Thompson, 33, Valdez, Alaska—Traveling with her parents, Morris and Thelma Thompson, Ms. Thompson was an important figure in extreme skiing in Valdez, helping organize annual events. Described by friends as a soft-spoken, caring person, Ms. Thompson is survived by two sisters.

Malcolm Branson, 39, Seward, Alaska—An oiler for the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system, Mr. Branson was vacationing with his fiancee, Janice Stokes. His mother said he was a sweet, handsome man who loved his job and loved people.

Janice Stokes, 48, Ketchikan, Alaska—Ms. Stokes had three college-age children, as well as a brother in Seattle and a sister in Alaska. She was traveling with her fiance, Malcolm Branson.

William Bryant, 45, San Francisco—Mr. Bryant was a travel agent who was excited when he received free tickets for a trip to Mexico. He worked at Travel Trends in San Francisco, and was traveling with a friend, James Luque.

James "Jay" Luque, 40, San Francisco—Mr. Luque had worked at Taste Catering in San Francisco since 1994. One of six children born to Jovanna Luque of Olympia, Mr. Luque is the second child she has lost. He was traveling with William Bryant, his best friend.

Robert Ost, 39, San Bruno, Calif.—A veteran San Francisco firefighter and avid mountain climber, he considered risk part of his job and his life. He was with his wife, Ileana, their 4-month-old daughter, Emily, and his mother and her longtime companion.

Ileana Ost, 30, San Bruno, Calif.—She had just returned to work at the Alaska Airlines ticket counter in San Francisco after four months of maternity leave following the birth of her first child, Emily. She had gone with her family to Mexico to celebrate the birthday of her mother, Jean Permison.

Emily Ost, 4 months, San Bruno, Calif.—She was the infant daughter of Ileana and Robert Ost.

Jean Permison, 73, Scotts Valley, Calif.—The mother of Ileana Ost, she had gone with her family for a long-awaited vacation celebrating her 73rd birthday. She was also accompanied by her longtime companion, Charles Russell.

Charles Russell, 65, Scotts Valley, Calif.—Mr. Russell was traveling with his companion, Jean Permison, and her family. Russell and Permison lived in a retirement community where they were beloved for their lively parties and volunteer work.

Jean Gandesbery, 66, Davis, Calif.—An adjunct instructor of writing at the University of San Francisco's Sacramento campus, Ms. Gandesbery just had her childhood memoirs published by Minerva Press in a novel, "Seven Mile Lake." She was married to Robert Gandesbery.

Robert Gandesbery, 69, Davis, Calif.—The husband of Jean Gandesbery, Mr. Gandesbery was retired from a career with child-welfare services. He was remembered for being a friendly neighbor and loving owner of two golden retrievers, Casey and Emma, and he loved to play the clarinet.

Cynthia Oti, 43, Oakland, Calif.—She was an investment broker who hosted a nightly radio show on investing on KSFO in San Francisco. She had treated herself to a weekend getaway in Puerto Vallarta and was scheduled to go on the air two hours after the flight was expected to land in San Francisco.

Bradley Long, 39, Sacramento—A successful real estate broker, Mr. Long was flying home from visiting the bed-and-breakfast inn he owned in Puerto Vallarta with his partner, William Knudson.

William Knudson, 53, Sacramento—Co-founder of Inland Business Systems in Sacramento, Mr. Knudson was known for his love of boating and restoring old cars with his partner, Bradley Long.

Ellen Masland Salyer, 51, Sebastopol, Calif.—She was an active community volunteer who was dedicated to various organizations, including the Boy Scouts. She is survived by her husband of 13 years, Phil Salyer.

Joyce Lake, 62, Corte Madera, Calif.—She was the top seller at a local real-estate brokerage, an avid community activist and mother of three grown sons.

Ronald Lake, 59, Corte Madera, Calif.—He was the husband of Joyce Lake, father of three adult sons and an avid traveler. Retired from a career at the U.S. Treasury, he collected miniature trains and loved to take his wife on rail trips.

Robert Hovey, 50, San Francisco—He was an athletic, outdoorsy, avid traveler who lived on a sailboat on San Francisco Bay. He worked for a San Francisco wholesale ice-cream manufacturer.

Jerri Fosmire, 48, Eugene, Ore.—She was returning home early from a family vacation in Puerto Vallarta after suffering a back injury. Her husband, Lee, 41, and children, 5-year-old Barbara and 11-year-old Daniel, stayed behind in Mexico. She was a treasured volunteer at a Eugene elementary school.

Barbara Hatleberg, 64, Eugene, Ore.—The wife of Glenn Hatleburg, mother of three and grandmother of two, she was retired but used her skills at accounting and finance to volunteer in the office of her church.

Glenn Hatleberg, 65, Eugene, Ore.—The husband of Barbara Hatleberg, retired father of three grown children and grandfather of two small girls, Mr. Hatleberg was beloved at his Lutheran church in Eugene, where he served as an usher during services.

Karl Karlsson, 51, Petaluma, Calif.—The jovial former San Francisco police officer loved fun and parties. The rec room at the Karlsson home featured a jukebox, a pinball machine and a bumper-pool table. He was coming home with his wife, Carol.

Carol Karlsson, 42, Petaluma, Calif.—Wife of Karl Karlsson, she was fun-loving and cheerful. She used to drive a riding lawn mower around their yard, and relax in the family swimming pool.

Toni Choate, 48, San Francisco—He had been a general contractor and cabinet finisher in Visalia, Calif., then bought a bar in Santa Clara, Calif. He moved to San Francisco last year. He was vacationing with his daughter, Jacquelyn Choate.

Jacquelyn Choate, 17, Santa Cruz, Calif.—She was returning from a vacation with her father, Toni Choate. She grew up in Sacramento.

Rodrigo Laigo, 53, Fairfield, Calif.—An engineer for Arco, he was traveling with his wife, Naomi, on one of their many golf vacations. They had just moved to the Bay Area from Los Angeles, where they had raised three sons.

Naomi Laigo, 53, Fairfield, Calif.—A devoted mother of three sons who was a nurse at a clinic in San Leandro, Calif., she grew roses in her spare time. She loved golf as much as her husband, Rodrigo.

Dean Forshee, 47, Benicia, Calif—The professional musician was a skilled pedal steel, acoustic and electric guitar player who taught lessons and devoted his life to music, especially country and rockabilly. He is survived by his wife of five years, Susan da Silva.

Larry Baldridge Jr., 34, Novato, Calif.—A businessman with a knack for the Internet, he was working to set up venture-capital business with Michael Schwab, the son of legendary brokerage leader Charles Schwab. He was a vice president of business development for Creditland, Inc. He was coming home from Mexico with his girlfriend, Nina Voronoff.

Nina Voronoff, 32, San Francisco—A nurse at the pediatric cancer unit at the University of California, San Francisco, she had gone to Mexico for a yoga retreat and was met by her boyfriend, Larry Baldridge Jr.

Renato Bermudez, 39, San Francisco—Mr. Bermudez was a firefighter who helped save the life of a person trapped inside a burning building in 1988. He won commendations from a booster group for the action.

Aloysius Han, 65, Oakland, Calif.—A retired architect for Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Mr. Han often traveled to Mexico, where he owned a condominium and other property. He lived with his mother in Oakland and spent much of his time caring for exotic birds, his koi pond and a garden.

Juan Marquez, 34, San Francisco—An adult-education book salesman, he owned two condos in Puerto Vallarta with his partner, Dale Rettinger, and went there often to relax. Mr. Marquez was flying home alone while Mr. Rettinger stayed behind for a longer vacation.

Joan Smith, 53, Belmont, Calif.—A manager of a San Francisco medical office, she had been called home on business from a monthlong vacation with her son, Jesse, and her daughter, Holly, whom she left behind in Mexico. She is also survived by a son, Richard, in the Bay Area.

Allen Friedmann, 48, Round Lake Beach, Ill.—A marathon runner remembered for being a good neighbor in his Chicago suburb, Mr. Friedmann is survived by his wife, a daughter, 16, and a son, 5.

Gabriela Chavez, 33, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico—A homemaker, wife and mother of one, Ms. Chavez was flying to San Francisco to visit her sister.

John Cuthbertso, 70, Danville, Calif.—A smallish man with a Scottish brogue and gray beard who looked younger than his 70 years, he used to own a heating and air-conditioning company and drove a flashy car. But mostly he loved his wife, his grown son, golf and travel.

Steve Wilkie, 38, San Francisco—The brand manager of the Levi Strauss' Silvertab clothing line, Mr. Wilkie had recently received the company's exalted Koshman Award in recognition for his work on marketing in Europe.

From Seattle Times 2010.
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