RC/NWA Capt. Van F. Heywood

 

Belated, but not forgotten …………..

~ IN MEMORY ~

USAF veteran, RC/NWA Capt. Van Farrell Heywood

December 3, 1936 ~ November 8, 2021

 

Van began his commercial flying with Hughs AirWest ( 1-29-1968 )  based Phoenix, and retired with Northwest Airlines in 1996.  Van is survived by his wife Corinne, and by his children and their families.  Corinne currently resides in Scottsdale AZ.

 

https://supersabresociety.org/biography/heywood-van-f/

Van Farrell Heywood

Preferred Name: Van

Nickname/Call Sign: Spruce 2

Highest Military Grade: 0-4 – Major

 

“”A hero in our midst” Arcadia News, by Mallory Gleich, Nov 1, 2021

 

A perfect day for Van Heywood would be to spend time hiking and hanging out with friends and family. But in 1958, when he joined the United States Air Force, his days were, well, a little different.

 

Heywood was born in an old farmhouse on Extension and Broadway Road in Mesa in 1936. He’s lived in the Grand Canyon state since, attending area schools and eventually getting a college degree in education and music from ASU.

 

While there, Heywood and some friends decided to join the Reserved Officer Training Corps (ROTC). After graduation, he was tested and chosen for flight school, and was awarded an officer’s rank right out of college.

 

“I’m thankful to be alive,” Heywood said. “I did 100 missions over North Vietnam (the bad area) and 24 missions over Laos (the other bad area). Only the 100 missions over North Vietnam counted for your tour, and you didn’t get to go home until you had 100 missions over North Vietnam.”

 

While in the military, Heywood was a jet pilot. He flew an F-105 Thunderchief and a F-100 Super Saber, the first fighter bomber series, allowing the soldiers to play different combat roles.

 

“In addition, I was a Wild Weasel. The Wild Weasels were a top-secret program designed to take out Surface to Air Missile sites (SAM sites) that would shoot our airplanes down. We were the first Wild Weasel flight to take out a SAM site successfully,” he said.

 

Heywood shared one particular mission that he will never forget: His first SAM strike, right before Christmas in 1965.

 

“To start, I flew about 12 Iron Hand (joint USAF-USN) missions. The technique we used was what we described as trolling (like the technique used in fishing). We acted as the bait, and the SAM site was the fish,” he said.

 

“In the designated area, we would fly in a loose and flexible formation. Many times a missile site would come up and start tracking us. We would start a turn toward the site to try and set up an attack. It seemed that the missile guys got the word about what we were up to, and when we turned toward the site, it would go off the air. We didn’t seem to be getting anywhere with the tactics we were using.”

 

“I could hear another flight in our area trying to join up after attacking a target. One of their flight had been hit, and they were trying to get him out of the target area along the Red River.”

 

“We were coming into the flat, open area bordering the Red River in SE Asia. We were fairly low, and the Weasel was making as many knots as I think he could get out of the F-100F. In not more than what seemed like two minutes, the Weasel called the SAM site swinging off our left. We all started a turn, and a voice transmitted excitedly, ‘I’ve got him.’

 

“As we continued turning, I saw two long, slender tubes on what appeared to be a transporter. They were pointed up at about 60 degrees and stuck out just barely beyond the tree line. ‘Missiles,’ I said to myself.”

 

“We had four LAU-3 rocket pods with 19 rockets in each pod, and I had armed up all four pods to fire at once. If I got only one shot, I wanted it to be a memorable one. Even though we were getting flak from the river, I concentrated on my run and wasn’t about to let the flak deter me. I steadied just long enough to get my sight picture for the rockets and fired. What an impressive sight! Seventy-six rockets were spewing out in front of my aircraft, and I was sure that the guys on the ground were impressed.”

 

“I elevated the gunsight piper on my second attack, held the trigger down, and gently walked the rudders until the gun fired out. The target was by now a roiling, boiling mass of dust and debris in which nothing could be seen except a few of the taller trees. I felt a little disturbed when the Weasel started calling out, ‘Everybody get down; he’s on us.’ After a couple of calls like that, I started thinking, ‘How is that possible?’ It wasn’t until later I found out another SAM site over by the river came up and was trying to get a shot at us.”

 

Heywood ended his tour as a Major in 1987 after earning various medals of honor, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, which is awarded to those who committed acts of heroism or achievement while participating in aerial flight.

 

Times were different then: even with the honor and bravery he showed, when Heywood returned from Vietnam, he had to make sure to not wear his uniform off base or he would get heckled by civilians.

 

Eventually, Heywood returned home to his wife, Corinne. The pair met through Corinne’s brother and although they had connected early on, it wasn’t until she was a freshman and he was a senior at ASU that the two started dating. After college, the pair were married and then transferred to different bases around the U.S.

 

Their love stood the test of time, as the pair have been together for 63 years – 40 of those in Arcadia. They have 12 children, 15 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

 

Heywood retired from the military after 29 years and 124 missions. Afterward, he received devastating news: because of the chemical Agent Orange that was sprayed over the foliage where he and his squadron were stationed, Heywood developed an aggressive form of cancer.

                                                                     

At publication time, he was being hospitalized and waiting to start chemo treatments, but told doctors that he has no regrets, has done everything he wanted to do in life, and isn’t afraid to die.

 

“I have stared down the barrels of weapons trying to kill me. I can face this!” Heywood said. “

 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/234158366/van-farrell-heywood

Van Farrell Heywood

Birth  :  3 Dec 1936

Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona

Death  :  8 Nov 2021 (aged 84)

Scottsdale, Maricopa County, Arizona

Burial  :  National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona

Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona

DL Capt. Richard Inman Fonde

 

~ IN MEMORY ~

USAF veteran, DL Capt. Richard Inman Fonde

December 17, 1937 ~ September 10, 2026

 

Richard joined Delta Air Lines 10-18-1965 and was based Atlanta.  Widowed in 2019, Richard is survived by his daughters and their families.

PCN memorial site

 

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/richard-fonde-obituary?id=62406484 

Richard Fonde Obituary

 Gentry Griffey Funeral Chapel – Knoxville

 

Richard Inman Fonde, age 88, departed this life Thursday, September 10, 2026. Born on December 17, 1937, in Knoxville, Tennessee, he was the son of Stuart and Ruth Million Fonde. He graduated from Baylor School in Chattanooga and the University of Tennessee. In 1959, he married Nancy Lowman, with whom he shared 60 years of happy marriage.

Richard's career in aviation began in the United States Air Force, where he flew KC-97 and KC-135 aircraft. After completing his active-duty service, he joined Delta Air Lines and spent 31 years flying domestic and international routes. Following his career as a Delta pilot, he continued with the airline as a flight-simulator instructor. He also served in the Tennessee Air National Guard and attained the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Richard and Nancy made Atlanta their home for more than 50 years. After Nancy's passing, Richard returned to Tennessee where he continued to enjoy life and the company of friends and family.

Richard was a Christian and was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Nashville.

In addition to his wife, he is preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, David S. Fonde and Douglas H. Fonde. He is survived by daughters, Lisa Fonde Letsinger (James) and Michelle Fonde Franklin (Lee); six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and nephew, Christopher D. Fonde.

A private graveside service will be held at Greenwood Cemetery.

Gentry Griffey Funeral Chapel is honored to serve the Fonde family and invites you to view and sign the online registry.

 

https://www.gentrygriffey.com/obituaries/Nancy-Ann-Fonde?obId=38048541

Nancy Ann Fonde

October 12, 1937  -  October 21, 2019

 

DL Mary Felini, wife of DL Capt. William “Bill” Felini

 

~ IN MEMORY ~

Mary Felini, wife of DL Capt. William “Bill” Felini

September 28, 1937 ~ September 13, 2025

 

 

https://www.brownmem.com/obituaries/Mary-Virginia-Felini?obId=45391441

Mary Virginia Felini Obituary

Mary Virginia Austin Felini September 28, 1937 – September 13, 2025

Mary Felini passed away peacefully in her sleep at home on September 13, 2025, surrounded by the love and prayers of her family after a courageous battle with cancer. In her final weeks, her children gathered closely, holding her hand and saying their goodbyes—a reflection of the deep love she poured into her family throughout her life.

Mary was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on September 28, 1937. She often reflected fondly on her childhood there, recalling with delight that she “walked where George Washington walked.” Her family later moved to Havelock, North Carolina, where she graduated from New Bern High School, and eventually settled in Pensacola, Florida. It was on Pensacola Beach, more than sixty years ago, that Mary met her beloved husband, William “Bill” Felini, a Marine aviator stationed at the Naval Air Station. Their meeting sparked a love story that grew into six decades of marriage, a family of five children, and a life built on faith, devotion, and strength.

 

Mary’s greatest joy was found in her role as wife, mother, and grandmother. While Bill’s career as a Delta Airlines pilot often carried him far from home, she anchored their household with prayer, encouragement, and an unshakable love for God. She instilled in her children the values of faith, perseverance, and compassion, lessons that continue to echo through her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

 

Alongside her devotion to family, Mary built a remarkable 43-year career in real estate. She served as President of the Irving Board of Realtors and the Irving Chapter of the Women’s Council of Realtors, where she was honored as “Woman of the Year” in 1985. Her leadership extended to the state and national levels, where she served as Chairman of the Texas State Chapter of the Women’s Council of Realtors and as Governor of its National Chapter. At one time, she was the only certified instructor in Texas qualified to teach Real Estate Ethics, a role she carried out with integrity and dedication. These accomplishments were a reflection of her character—diligent, principled, and committed to serving others.

 

Yet, for all her honors and accolades, Mary’s proudest achievements were never measured in titles. They were found in the strength of her marriage, the faith of her children, and the countless lives she touched with kindness, wisdom, and prayer. She carried herself with humility and grace, always pointing others toward God as the true source of strength and purpose.

 

Though she believed she would one day be the one to care for her husband in their later years, her only sorrow was leaving him behind. Her family takes comfort in knowing she is now free from pain, reunited with her Savior, and watching lovingly over those she cherished so deeply.

 

Mary was deeply loved and will be profoundly missed until the day when all who love the Lord are reunited with her in Heaven.

 

She is survived by her devoted husband, William Robert Felini; her sister, Joyce Austin Keeley of Arkansas; her five children: Linda Felini-Smith (James), Karen Boozer (Kenneth), Lisa Brandon (Bo), Louis Felini (Martha), and Michael Felini (Cynda); 12 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and friends.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, William Russell Austin and Jessie Lillian Berry Austin, and her brothers, William “Billy” Austin, Kenneth Wayne Austin, and Cecil Austin.

 

In lieu of flowers the family would like donations in honor of Mary to be made to First Methodist Church of Irving, Texas https://www.irvingfirst.org/giving

DL Capt. Otis J. “OJ” Greene Jr.

 

~ IN MEMORY ~

DL Capt. Otis J. “OJ” Greene Jr.

August 25, 1940 – July 27, 2026

 

Otis Jarield Greene, Jr., known to all who loved him as O.J., was born on August 25, 1940 in Ellenton, South Carolina……………….

OJ joined Delta Air Lines 06-13-1966 and was based Atlanta.  He is survived by his wife Gina, and by his children and their families. 

 

PCN memorial site

 

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/snellville-ga/otis-greene-12982595

IN THE CARE OF

Eternal Hills Funeral Home, Cremation and Memory Gardens

 

Otis Jarield Greene, Jr., known to all who loved him as O.J., was born on August 25, 1940 in Ellenton, South Carolina. He lived most of his childhood in Charleston, graduating from St. Andrew’s High School.

Inspired as a young boy by a recruiting poster showing an F9 fighter plane launching from an aircraft carrier, he set his sights on becoming a naval aviator and fulfilled that dream by enrolling at Clemson University where he received an Associates Degree in order to meet the Navy requirement to enter flight school.

He entered Navy flight training in Pensacola, FL in 1961, progressing through every stage of the demanding Naval Aviation Cadet program before earning his wings and commission as an officer. On a weekend trip to Mobile, AL, driving his 1959 Chevrolet red convertible, he met Regina (Gina) Odom at Johnny’s Drive-In where he says that he fell in love with her right then and there. Gina and O.J. married on September 25, 1962 and were married for 64 years during which they remained deeply in love and had 3 children, Tiffany, Trey (O.J., III), and Jennifer.

As a naval pilot at his first duty station in Brunswick in 1963, O.J. experienced an in-flight fire and survived an ejection at 20,000 feet over the Atlantic. In 1964, O.J. flew the A-4 Skyhawk in the Blue Tail Squadron from an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War aboard the USS Coral Sea, surviving enemy fire causing aircraft damage several times. He faithfully served his country during an historic eleven-month deployment— the longest naval deployments of its time. After completing his active-duty service, he continued flying as a Naval Reservist before beginning a distinguished civilian aviation career with Delta Air Lines in 1966. After 34 years of an honored and distinguished career as a pilot, he retired from Delta as an International Captain on the L10-11.

O.J. had the spiritual gift of service, and he took care of everyone. His Christian faith and Christ was the center of his life, and God used him in mighty ways. His love for family was evident from cooking pancakes for the family on weekends, to maintaining a horse farm for his kids and grandkids, to travelling with family and spending time together at his home away from home in Pensacola. He was warmly nicknamed, Honey Do because of the way he helped everyone with their to-do lists, and he could build or repair anything and everything, a skill he taught to his children and grandchildren. Known affectionately as PaPa to his 10 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren, he spent countless hours travelling for college visits, sporting events, and horse shows.

On July 27, 2026, at the age of 85, O.J. peacefully joined the loving embrace of his Lord surrounded by his wife and three children. He leaves behind a legacy of faith, service, and love with a large family, all because 2 people fell in love.

O.J. is predeceased by his parents, Otis and Mary Green. He is survived by his beloved wife, Gina; his daughter, Tiffany Houston (Shane) of Buford; his son, O.J. Greene, III (Shannon) of Ridge Manor, FL; his daughter Jennifer Greene (Ray Tillery) of Madison; his adoring grandchildren, Kollin Houston (Matthew Tinahui) of Buford, Kolton Houston (Alexis) of Jefferson, Konnor Houston (Kalyn) of Woodstock, Kayleigh Greene of Athens, Peyton Greene, Parker Greene, and Caleb Greene of Ridge Manor, FL, Brittany Naude (Jimmy) of Statesboro; Brayden and Bryce Tillery of Madison; and his great-grandchildren, Harvey Houston, Hayes Houston, Charlotte Naude and Dylan Naude.

A graveside funeral service to celebrate and honor his life will be held in Snellville at Eternal Hills Cemetery in the Veterans Field of Honor on Friday, July 31, 2026 at 10:00 AM.

Eternal Hills Funeral Home (770-972-3155) may be contacted as needed for flowers, or donations are appreciated in O.J.’s honor to his church, Cross Pointe Church (1800 Satellite Boulevard, Duluth, GA 30097).

DL Capt. Ken Vondrak

 

~ IN MEMORY ~

USAF veteran, DL Capt. Kenneth M. Vondrak

May 25, 1939  ~  July 25, 2026

 

Kenneth “Ken” Vandrak joined Delta Air Lines 2-3-1969 and was Chicago based.  Widowed in May of 2023, Ken is survived by his children and their families.

Private services have been held by the family.

PCN memorial site   

 

 

 

https://www.cremation-society.com/obituaries/Kenneth-M-Vondrak?obId=49321527 

 

Kenneth M Vondrak Obituary

Kenneth M. Vondrak, 87, passed away peacefully at his home on July 25, 2026.

 

Born in Chicago on May 25, 1939, at Walther Memorial Hospital, Ken was one of two sons of Frank and Marie Vondrak.

 

Upon graduating from Morton West High School in 1957, he studied Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Illinois before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1959.

 

A veteran of the Vietnam War, he served as a captain in the United States Air Force. His passion for flight continued into civilian life as he joined Delta Air Lines in 1969, and enjoyed a fulfilling career until his retirement in 1994.

 

On February 4, 1961, Kenneth married the love of his life, Patricia Riordan. Together, they shared 62 years of marriage until her passing in May 2023. As longtime residents of Tower Lakes, IL, Ken and Patsy built a home centered on the essence of family.

 

A devoted father to Amanda (Jan), Christopher (Patti) and Kevin, he was generous with his time, love, and support for both his children and his beloved grandchildren: Austen, Eleanore, Corinne, Connor, and James.

 

Ken enjoyed aviation and classic muscle cars, rare books and philosophy, and the music of Frank Sinatra. His intellectual pursuits culminated in writing and publishing his book, ‘Conception’, an endeavor that brought him great personal pride.

Preceded in death by his parents Frank and Marie, his brother Benjamin, and his beloved wife, Patricia, Kenneth will be dearly remembered and missed by his children, grandchildren, and all who knew him.

The family hosted a private interment in lieu of a service.

………………………..

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/dailyherald/name/patricia-vondrak-obituary?id=52051592

PATRICIA VONDRAK Obituary

BARRINGTON - Patricia Joan (Riordan) Vondrak passed away on May 1, 2023, surrounded by close family. Sadly, after a courageous 15-month battle with pancreatic cancer, Pat left this world too soon. Her passing leaves a gaping hole in the lives of everyone who was blessed to know her…………………..