Roger Brower: Aviation and railroad enthusiast passes at 65
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Published: August 07, 2009
|
|
Roger Brower
|
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula Times
Roger M. Brower, 65, of Santa Paula, who has a passion for airplanes, railroading and his wife Sally Knight, passed away in his sleep peacefully at home July 23, 2009 from complications of diabetes. He was born in Yankton, South Dakota - the “Home of Lawrence Welk,” Roger liked to note - on October 12, 1943.
Roger’s father and role model was Forrest “Pappy” Brower, a World War II Marine Corps ace and, according to Sally, Roger “loved the story of how his father actually decked out” another Marine Corps ace, the legendary Greg “Pappy” Boyington. The incident occurred in the Pacific Theater “Office Club” over the use of the name “Pappy.” “Roger’s father maintained that he became a ‘Pappy’ first,” and didn’t hesitate to emphasize the point.
Sally said Roger caught the aviation bug early on and started flying in his 20s. “Then he went into the Navy and actually flew the large DC-6 type airplanes they had, unofficially,” noted Sally. “Officers knew he was a mechanic,” but aware of his aviator skills the pilots would “play cards and let Roger land... the mechanics were called ‘blueshirts’ and they let one land the plane in the command seat.”
“He just did so many things” that Roger’s passion for flying led to many adventures, including piloting the Navy Show Band on a South American tour of diplomatic cultural events. Adventure was a taste he acquired early: a Boy Scout who traveled all over the U.S. as a military “brat,” not only did Roger share his father’s passion for aviation, but he also became a train buff.
After Roger graduated from Santa Ana Valley High School he attended the area community college and studied journalism and photography. Sally said there is “documented proof that Roger crashed the World Series in 1962 as a journalism project, and he became familiar with famous journalists and announcer Vin Scully.” Roger was the recipient of an Orange County Press Club award that was presented by writer and famous undressing artist “Gypsy” Rose Lee.
Roger enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1965 and served 24 years as an aviation mechanic and avionics/warfare specialist during the Vietnam era. He also was in the Civil Service supporting the Navy Reserves as an avionics supervisor until his retirement in 1998.
Roger had his pilot’s license and held certificates for Private, Commercial, A&P and FCC. He owned a Beech T-34 Mentor and was a member of the T-34 Association.
Roger was a mechanic crew member, photo-journalist and race radio frequency manager at the Reno Air Races for over 35 years, and crewed on various unlimited class airplanes such as the P-51 Mustang, F4U Corsair, P-38 Lightning and Yak 11. Most recently, Roger crewed with his wife Sally and friend Bob Brown on award winning Formula Bi-plane class airplanes, one of which earned them earned a prestigious “Pulitzer” Award in Aviation.
Roger’s other passion was railroading. “Actually,” said Sally, Roger “became a conductor for all the museums in Northern California,” as well as for the Gilroy Garlic Train, “and as a trainer he restored locomotives and train cars,” including locomotive 2472 and vintage railroad cars. Roger and his wife Sally became involved with the restoration and operation of the 1892 Porter steam locomotive at the Fillmore and Western Railway, the tourist train operator located nine miles east of Santa Paula.
Roger and Sally married in 1996 aboard the vintage United DC-6 airliner where they met when they were restoring it at the Oakland United Maintenance Facility. “We got married when Roger was 53... he said he never thought he would get married,” but Sally said they walked down the DC-6 aisle after a yearlong courtship.
The next year Roger lost his leg to a severe infection that Sally said almost took his life. After his recovery he became “such a mentor for other people who were amputees,” and Sally said he always found time, “even in the grocery store, to talk to them and make sure they had good service for their prosthetics.”
In 1998 Sally’s family moved to Ojai and the couple decided to relocate to Santa Paula. “We moved here because it was such a great airport town,” and the friendly place that Roger, who would talk for hours to McKevett Elementary School children outside Garden Market, appreciated. And became active in: “He really cared about the community” and, said Sally, was a “community activist” involved in various issues that often led to City Council appearances.
Roger and Sally “loved” Santa Paula Airport and manned the Radio Hangar on the First Sundays at the Airport with good friends Skip Dunham and Dale Donaldson. With an insatiable love of aviation and aircraft, Roger and Sally were also involved with the CAF at Camarillo Airport and with the EC-121 Connie, and Martin 404 airliner.
Aside from Sally, Roger is also survived by sisters Beth Brower and Mary Abelow; brother Rick Brower and his wife Ursula; nieces Megan, Katie, Alexis and Camille; great-niece Charlotte; and cousins Thomas Lynde of Lancaster and Meg Land of Camarillo.
A memorial service will be held at the Phoenix Flight hangar at Santa Paula Airport August 8 at 6 p.m. with the scattering of his ashes over South Mountain. A reception and celebration of Roger’s life will follow at the same location. All, noted Sally, are welcome to attend.
|
