More detail on this person: Mr Gary Owens Claiborne, 50 OBITUARIES Anchorage Daily News (AK) - Thursday, July 25, 1996 Gary Owens Claiborne, 50, died July 20, 1996, as a result of an aircraft accident at Russian Mission, while trying to make an emergency landing. A potluck celebration of life and gathering of family and friends will be held on Saturday, at 3 p.m. at the Seacliff Plaza Condominiums, 5400 W. Dimond Blvd., #C-10. Friends are asked to bring a favorite photograph of Mr. Claiborne for a memory board. Mr. Claiborne was born July 5, 1946, in Greenwood, Miss. After spending his early years in Greenwood and Bellaire, Texas, he attended junior high school and graduated from Kailua High School in 1964 on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. He earned his associate of arts degree at the University of Hawaii, Windward campus. Mr. Claiborne's lifelong passion with flying began during his teen years when he flew gliders as a member of the civil air patrol at Bellows Air Force Base on Oahu. After his tour of duty flying helicopters in Vietnam, he became a pioneer hang-glider pilot. In the early 1970s he was renowned for building the first bamboo and plastic delta wing, which was flown successfully from the cliffs above Haunama Bay and Makapuu, Hawaii. After moving to Anchorage in January 1978, he continued his hang-gliding activities by flying ultralight aircraft at Lake Lucille. During the early '80s, Mr. Claiborne transported survey teams by helicopter throughout Alaska. He began his work at Northern Air Cargo in 1988 as an airframe and power plant mechanic, advanced to flight engineer, and then first officer. His primary hobby was building and flying radio-controlled gliders. He also enjoyed body-surfing, motorcycle riding, and sailing his 21-foot Tanzer at Big Lake. Mr. Claiborne was preceded in death by his parents, Virginia A. and Lewis E. Claiborne, of Honolulu. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen; son, Travis; daughter, Roseanne; and sister, Beth of Anchorage, Alaska; brother, Lewis E. of Houston; nephew Ian C. Wilson of Anchorage; two brother-in-laws, Donald E. Harman and Calvin L. Wilson of Anchorage; adopted brother Steve Leder of Kailua, Hawaii; and many treasured friends in Alaska and Hawaii. Cremation arrangements are being handled by Kehl's Forest Lawn Mortuary & Crematory.
Burial information: Fort Richardson National Cemetery, Fort Richardson, AK
This information was last updated 02/23/2018
Please send additions or corrections to: HQ@vhpa.org VHPA Headquarters
Return to the Helicopter Pilot DAT name list
Return to VHPA web site
Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association