MAUGANS RUSSELL L

WO1 Russell L. Maugans was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 03/04/2019 at the age of 71.3
Greensboro, NC
Flight Classes 68-521 and 68-39
Date of Birth 11/03/1947
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with 173 AHC in 67-68, 7 AVN in 69-70
Call signs in Vietnam ROBINHOOD, SNOW WHITE
This information was provided by Bob Witt

More detail on this person: Captain Russell Maugans has flown West On March 4, Russell Louis "Bear" Maugans, 71, died at his home in Charlottesville. Bear grew up in Atlanta, Ga. He went to Middle Georgia College before joining the U.S. Army Infantry, and saw combat in Vietnam. The Army trained him as a helicopter pilot and he returned (as a Robin Hood) to Vietnam, where he served with distinction, and earned the rank of Captain. After his service, he flew helicopters in the Alaskan bush for 3 years and then began training in fixed-wing aircraft. He was a pilot for Piedmont Airlines, and remained a proud member of The Piedmont Silver Eagles until his death. He also flew for U.S. Airways and American Airlines. He relocated to Charlottesville in 2012 after his high school sweet-heart, Jan tracked him down on Facebook. It was love at second sight. They married in 2015, and felt like the two luckiest people ever. Wanting to give back to his new community, he became an Auxiliary Officer in the Albemarle County Police Department. Bear was outgoing, kind, generous, fearless, and a hilariously funny southern gentleman. He was a joy to all who knew him, and will be dearly missed. His parents were Lena Brown Maugans and Russell Morton Maugans. His sisters, Miriam (Chick) Copeland and Mary Jo Henson survive him as well as several nieces and nephews. His stepchildren, Lucy, Patrick and Lucas Knaus, and Aarin McMasters, all have many loving memories of him, as do his friends from all over the globe. Bear's wife, Jan Maugans is still around and will keep his memory alive by retelling the many stories and corny jokes that made Bear so special. His other two loves also miss him, his sweet cat, Pinto misses his gentle hands. His 2003 Porsche Carrera 911 (The Blue Bullet) was his pride and joy, and his cremains will get a ride in it to the Send-Off planned for May 4, 2019, at Grace Estate Winery, in Crozet, Virginia. It would make him proud to see familiar faces there!

This information was last updated 11/20/2019

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Date posted on this site: 01/11/2025