~ IN MEMORY ~
WWII veteran, NWA Flt. Eng/pilot Capt. Douglas Lewis McAninch
May 18, 1920 - December 2, 2014
Notification with the passing of RNPA member retired NWA
pilot Douglas Lewis McAninch, age 94. After serving in the military, Doug
joined Northwest Airlines 08-15-1946 and retired with Northwest 06-30-1986.
Records indicate he was a Master Mechanic, Crew Chief, and Flight
Engineer. Doug was widowed in November 2011 with the passing of his wife
Adelphia ‘Dell’. He had most recently resided at
5300 Oak Grove Pkwy N. Apt. 209 , Minneapolis MN
55443-4049
Arrangements have been entrusted to Gearhart Funeral Home of
Coon Rapids MN.
Doug’s obituary notes: “There will be a celebration of his
life Saturday, Dec. 13 at 11:00 in the chapel at St Therese Oxbow Lake at 5300
Oak Grove Parkway, Brooklyn Park MN. Visitation with the family will be after
the service”.
Should we hear more we will be sure to update our memorial
blogspot at http://pcnflightwest.blogspot.com/
Thank you,
~ Carol for the PCN
~ Carol for the PCN
Obituary....................
Doug was born in Seattle and spent his early years there until
the family moved to Spokane. His favorite childhood memories revolved around
frequent visits to his Hightower/Daugherty grandparents' farm in Montana's
Bitterroot Valley. He enlisted in WWII the day after Pearl Harbor. He was proud
to have served in England in the Army Air Corp. Immediately after the war he
married the former Adelphia "Dell" Feldt. They were married for 66 years until
she passed away in November 2011. They had three children who were waves I, II
and III of the baby-boom generation. Doug worked for Northwest Airlines as a
mechanic, then a flight engineer and then a pilot. He raised his family in
Seattle until 1962 when he brought them to Minnesota when Northwest moved its
headquarters to Bloomington. He worked hard and provided well for his family.
His talents and interests included woodworking, building, mechanics, politics,
sports (go Huskies!), fishing and music. When he retired, they moved up to Round
Lake near Aitkin where he was active in the Lions and in their Methodist
Church.
Doug was generous. He was especially fond of the organization
Boys Town. He was poor as a kid and his heart ached knowing that to this day
deep need still exists for kids. When a community swimming pool was built in our
neighborhood, it required a modest membership fee. Doug knew one neighboring
family would not be able to afford it, so he and Dell anonymously covered the
fee for them. Doug and Dell were allied in their values and they taught and
modeled hard work, generosity, responsibility, open-mindedness, and a large
worldview. Doug loved music – the full range – classical to the Son's of the
Pioneers. He woke the kids up one night to hear a new, silly song – "Purple
People Eater." He bought them their first Beatles album. Recently his daughter
Susan put on a 1940s swing CD and they (and his walker) be-bopped around the
living room.
In addition to their three children, Susan, Ginny and Doug
(Marie), they were blessed with five grandchildren: Krisie, Heather, Beth, Rick
and Annie; and 10 great grandchildren: Hanna, Lily, Alex, Logan, Jack, Sasha,
Marissa, Sofia, Sasha, and Kaitlynn.
He was a smart, funny, strong, dependable, caring soul. He had
a full and interesting life. He passed away suddenly after a short battle with
pneumonia. It was a peaceful passing with Ginny holding his hand. He was deeply
loved and will be missed by friends and family. There will be a celebration of
his life Saturday, Dec. 13 at 11:00 in the chapel at St Therese Oxbow Lake at
5300 Oak Grove Parkway, Brooklyn Park. Visitation with the family will be after
the service.
In lieu of flowers, please support your local food shelf or
your local nonprofit serving families.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ IN MEMORY ~
Adelphia ‘Dell’ McAninch, wife of NWA Douglas L.
McAninch
July 19, 1922 - Nov. 12, 2011
Born Adelphia Justine Feldt in Des Plaines, IL, Dell grew up
poor but remembered more happy memories than sad. Her compassionate nature led
her to comment that it was easier to be poor then because "everyone was poor."
She had an independent childhood with her 2 sisters, biking everywhere,
including the Chicago World's Fair. She met a young serviceman, Douglas McAninch
of Spokane, WA, in Grant Park in 1942. They dated for a few weeks while he was
in training but most of their courtship was by mail while he served in the Army
Air Corps in England. When he was discharged in 1945, he hurried back to Des
Plaines and married Dell. They drove to Spokane in their 1937 Ford over the
Rockies in the winter snows. Doug remembers thinking, "if we make it through
this trip, we will make it in our marriage." They were blessed with 3 children,
Susan, Ginny and Doug (Marie); 5 grandchildren, Kristine, Heather, Beth, Rick
and Annie; and 10 great-grandchildren, Hanna, Lily, Alex, Logan, Jack, Sasha,
Marissa, Sofia, Sasha and Katie. Dell was a stay-at-home mom of the 1950's -
home perms, Brownies and Girl Scouts, coffee klatches, bowling and bridge club,
room mother and chauffeur. She was a loving daughter to her mother, opening
their home to her and lovingly tending to her there and then in a nursing home.
The family lived in Seattle and then moved to Bloomington, MN in 1962. Dell was
always happiest when family was around. The grandchildren have many happy
memories of their overnight stays with their Grandma and Grandpa. In 1985, she
and Doug moved to Round Lake in Aitkin where she was active as a Lioness and in
1991 she was voted Lioness of the Year. They moved back to the Twin Cities in
2002 and settled into St. Therese of Oxbow Lake in 2005. Dell is survived by her
loving husband, Douglas; and 3 generations of family who love her deeply and
grieve her passing. There will be a celebration of life Friday, Nov. 18 at 11:00
AM, with visitation at 10:00 AM at Brooklyn Methodist Church, 7200 Brooklyn
Blvd., Brooklyn Park, MN. Private interment Fort Snelling National Cemetery.
Memorials preferred to Allina Home Hospice, 1055 Westgate Dr., Ste. 100, St.
Paul, MN 55114. www.gearhartfuneralhome.com
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