R.I.P. Highflyer

[Stella Starr[_4_]]

Tragic news this week. One of the first friends I met when I joined this group as a student pilot has died in the crash of his "second" plane.

Friends who knew John Johnson of southern Illinois will agree, because The Red Lady, his Stinson, was first in his heart...but she was nearly destroyed in a hangar fire a couple of years ago. An Apache he'd been restoring suffered less damage, and he was on the way to the Antique Airplane Association fly-in at Blakesburg, Iowa, when he and another man in the plane were killed in a crash in Missouri, near the Mississippi River.

The newspaper in Quincy, Illinois has the first story and as I write this, others are only running the same story they broke this morning.

I met my husband at a fly-in at Highflyer's hangar in Pinckneyville, and we camped at the annual event for three years running before he proposed to me under the stars at the end of the runway. Our host was thrilled at the news, though we were far from the only people who met good friends through his companionship.

And John's not the only person we've met there who has died in an airplane crash in recent years, but his loss pretty near breaks my heart.

-- Stella

[Dylan Smith[_2_]]

On 2012-08-31, Stella Starr > wrote:
> Tragic news this week. One of the first friends I met when I
>joined this group as a student pilot has died in the crash of
> his "second" plane.

He was the first person I met "in real life" from this group at the PJY
fly-in in 1999. Although I've had a night to sleep on the news I'm still
at a loss what to say - we were still in touch from time to time
although I now live a continent away. This is just too bad.

[Dudley Henriques[_3_]]

On Thursday, August 30, 2012 11:51:14 PM UTC-4, Stella Starr wrote:
> Tragic news this week. One of the first friends I met when I joined this group as a student pilot has died in the crash of his "second" plane.
>
>
>
> Friends who knew John Johnson of southern Illinois will agree, because The Red Lady, his Stinson, was first in his heart...but she was nearly destroyed in a hangar fire a couple of years ago. An Apache he'd been restoring suffered less damage, and he was on the way to the Antique Airplane Association fly-in at Blakesburg, Iowa, when he and another man in the plane were killed in a crash in Missouri, near the Mississippi River.
>
>
>
> The newspaper in Quincy, Illinois has the first story and as I write this, others are only running the same story they broke this morning.
>
>
>
> I met my husband at a fly-in at Highflyer's hangar in Pinckneyville, and we camped at the annual event for three years running before he proposed to me under the stars at the end of the runway. Our host was thrilled at the news, though we were far from the only people who met good friends through his companionship.
>
>
>
> And John's not the only person we've met there who has died in an airplane crash in recent years, but his loss pretty near breaks my heart.
>
>
>
> -- Stella

Hi Stella;
I'm so sorry to learn of this. John and I became friends through our postings and enjoyed our relationship over many years. He was one of the true general aviation people who love the vintage planes.
John was one of the most knowledgeable people on flying basics I've ever known. I'll miss our exchanges and I'll miss him as well.
Dudley Henriques

[Morgans[_2_]]

"Stella Starr"> wrote

> Tragic news this week. One of the first friends I met when I joined this
> group as a student pilot has died in the crash of his "second" plane.
>
> Friends who knew John Johnson of southern Illinois will agree, because The
> Red Lady, his Stinson, was first in his heart...but she was nearly
> destroyed in a hangar fire a couple of years ago. An Apache he'd been
> restoring suffered less damage, and he was on the way to the Antique
> Airplane Association fly-in at Blakesburg, Iowa, when he and another man
> in the plane were killed in a crash in Missouri, near the Mississippi
> River.
>
> -- Stella

Sorry to hear about this, even though I never made it up there to the big
event.
Highflyer's wife still doing OK, as circumstances allow? My condolences go
out to her in this though time.

Jim in NC

[Stella Starr[_4_]]

Mary's daughter were going to drive her to the crash site.
Here's an article about the fly-in he was headed to. I met him there, 11 years ago, and attended a couple more times. He was typical of the pilots who flew the grand warbirds and other old planes,j skilled and good-natured and always the center of a conversation.
http://ottumwacourier.com/local/x1636934480/Nearly-300-airplanes-make-trip-to-annual-Blakesburg-fly-in

[Stella Starr[_4_]]

Here's the update: anyone in the area is welcome to attend a memorial service. Mary's daughter Sabrina was thoughtful enough to post it on Facebook:

John R. Johnson, 74, of Carbondale, and his co-pilot Carl S. Maiden, 47, of DuQuoin, passed away at approximately 6:30 pm Wednesday, August 29, 2012, near Canton, Missouri, while enroute to the annual antique airplane fly-in in Blakesburg, Iowa. Many of you have already expressed condolences. But we invite you to a memorial of their lives. A reception will follow.
Huffman-Harker Funeral Home 210 W Oak St, Carbondale, Illinois 62901-1456
3 PM this Saturday 9/8.


On Thursday, August 30, 2012 8:51:14 PM UTC-7, Stella Starr wrote:
> Tragic news this week. One of the first friends I met when I joined this group as a student pilot has died in the crash of his "second" plane.
>
>

[Dylan Smith[_2_]]

On 2012-09-05, Stella Starr > wrote:
> Here's the update: anyone in the area is welcome to attend a memorial
> service. Mary's daughter Sabrina was thoughtful enough to post it on Facebook:

I won't be there, what with being a continent away. But I will have
a beer in his memory.

[Don P]

On Aug 30, 11:51*pm, Stella Starr > wrote:
> Tragic news this week. *One of the first friends I met when I joined this group as a student pilot has died in the crash of his "second" plane.
>
> Friends who knew John Johnson of southern Illinois will agree, because The Red Lady, his Stinson, was first in his heart...but she was nearly destroyed in a hangar fire a couple of years ago. *An Apache he'd been restoring suffered less damage, and he was on the way to the Antique Airplane Association fly-in at Blakesburg, Iowa, when he and another man in the plane were killed in a crash in Missouri, near the Mississippi River.
>
> The newspaper in Quincy, Illinois has the first story and as I write this, others are only running the same story they broke this morning.
>
> I met my husband at a fly-in at Highflyer's hangar in Pinckneyville, and we camped at the annual event for three years running before he proposed to me under the stars at the end of the runway. *Our host was thrilled at the news, though we were far from the only people who met good friends through his companionship.
>
> And John's not the only person we've met there who has died in an airplane crash in recent years, but his loss pretty near breaks my heart.
>
> -- Stella


OMG !!!!!!!!!

This is just so, so sad........ I remember his posts and willingness
to contribute to everyine else's success like it was yesterday.
Granted, I haven't been ont eh board over the las tten years, but
there are just some people out there that you just don't forget. I
always meant to get out to Picneyville, but never made it. RIP my
friend.......

On the positive side, it is so nice seeing the manes that I have
recognized for so long... I hope all is well otherwise.

Don