My hero Jim Fase

[Huckster79]

Though not a POA member he is the man responsible for me being here.

15 years ago I was working for him, he asked “you’ve always wanted to fly right?” I said absolutely, he dug in his pocket and handed me the key to his c152 and wrote an instructors name down and told me to go get my ticket just fill it up w gas. What a gift!

He was my mentor in flying and life, I chose him as my best man this fall as he was who I wanted to be as a husband, still in love with his high school sweetheart.

we had many great aviation adventures together. He loved Navions and had several. In the last couple years his life panned out to start creating his own little fleet. He bought a Rangemaster, a T craft, a 150/150, a Stearman and his latest buy was a chipmunk.

just before Christmas he suffered a heart attack, walked into the hospital but then things went south. Sunday morning at just 63 years old, he flew west.

I will never again call “clear prop” without thinking of him. His family is in crushed and our “flying family” is devastated.

CAVU my hero…


Him and I at my wedding at his hangar at 6d6

Us on our way to Johnson Creek ID.


Hiking 6 miles one way from Johnson Creek to a mountain lake


Whitewater rafting on our J Creek trip


Him dancing w my 86 yr old mom at my wedding- she later asked me if he was single

coffee drinkin at a fly-in.


CAVU my dear friend you were the best!

 

[Huckster79]

@flyingron you’re a Navioneer aren’t you? Wondering if you knew him maybe as there’s no doubt in my mind he met everyone at the Navion gatherings.

 

[catmandu]

Ya' know Huckster, that really sucks. But what a great story and awesome memories. I would have never known had you not posted. Keep that story telling going, the tongue in the raft tells me he would have wanted that!

 

[Dave Theisen]

So sorry for your loss.

 

[Huckster79]

Ya' know Huckster, that really sucks. But what a great story and awesome memories. I would have never known had you not posted. Keep that story telling going, the tongue in the raft tells me he would have wanted that!

thats about as spot on of a reply as one could have!

oh I will keep telling em, as the man was that “man of wisdom” always teaching everyone around him- usually through goofy antics and overly animated stories.

I’m going to work towards setting up a scholarship in his name to help people get their pilots certificate.

you’re the best! (One of his favorite saying I’ve vowed to start using as it’s just such a simply way to build ppl up)

 

[steingar]

So sorry for your loss. 63, ouch! Carpe diem.

 

[Huckster79]

The Greenville Area Aviation Association created a Scholarship in his name yesterday to help people get their pilot certificate. We rushed it at the families request, so they are asking donations to it in lieu of flowers. A little bit of good out of a tragic week.

 

[catmandu]

Mailing address for the GAAA?

 

[RyanB]

Sorry for your loss, just a young guy!

 

[Huckster79]

Mailing address for the GAAA?

Greenville Area Aviation Association
10593 SW Greenville Rd
Greenville, MI 48838

 

[luvflyin]

The Greenville Area Aviation Association created a Scholarship in his name yesterday to help people get their pilot certificate. We rushed it at the families request, so they are asking donations to it in lieu of flowers. A little bit of good out of a tragic week.

How? Is there an online way?

 

[Huckster79]

How? Is there an online way?

we are working on that today.

 

[Brad W]

wow, that's the kind of story that puts lump in my throat and a tear in my eye.

......
15 years ago I was working for him, he asked “you’ve always wanted to fly right?” I said absolutely, he dug in his pocket and handed me the key to his c152 and wrote an instructors name down and told me to go get my ticket just fill it up w gas. What a gift!......

That is such an amazing way to pay it forward. Wow.

 

[Huckster79]

wow, that's the kind of story that puts lump in my throat and a tear in my eye.



That is such an amazing way to pay it forward. Wow.

it sure was! And by a bit of luck I’ve gotten the wonderful opportunity to pay it forward again. I bought a 150 for my kids to learn in this fall- they all chickened out so was getting ready to sell it, then thought screw it! I can deal with not selling it right now and I called a friend up who was also a friend of Jim’s and made him the same deal Jim did me… so he’s found a cfi this week and they are going to start soon. Just a neat way to pay forward again what was paid forward to me in honor of our Jim.