~ IN MEMORY ~
NWA/DL Capt. James Lee Maroney
November 24, 1954 ~ March 23, 2014
Notification with the passing of Marine Corps veteran NWA/DL Captain James L. ‘Jim’ ‘Fang’ Maroney, age 59. Captain
Maroney joined Northwest Airlines 09-20-1985 and was currently with Delta Air
Lines at the time of his mishap. Captain Maroney was enroute to Florida
for an air show event when his plane crashed in Cherokee National Forest last
Sunday evening.
To view/sign the online guestbook please visit the funeral
home website at http://www.boulgerfuneralhome.com/
or
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?n=Jim-Maroney&pid=170395098
Much more detailed information of Captain Maroney’s aviation career may be found
at website http://www.superchipmunkairshows.com/about-1/
Captain Maroney is survived by his wife Susan Antone Maroney.
To the best of my knowledge, their mailing address for personal
condolences would be
PO Box 528 , Brookfield WI 53008-0528 Funeral services with
military honors will be held at the Fargo Air Museum on Monday, March 31, 2014
at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Jim to the
Fargo Air Museum.
~ Carol Faulkner, PCN death notice communicatordeath@pilotcommunication.net
http://pcnflightwest.blogspot.com/
Obituary:
Jim "Fang" Maroney, 59, Milwaukee, WI, left this earth on March 23, 2014 in
Madisonville, TN on route to an event in New Smyrna, FL. Jim was born November
24, 1954, a native of Casselton, ND to Maury and Myrtle Maroney.
Jim received his degree in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering from the
University of California- Fresno prior to enlisting in the United States Marine
Corp. Jim met Susan Antone in California during his tour of duty at El Toro
Marine Corp Air Station, they married in 1993 and made their home(s) first in
Fargo, ND and Washington State and then in Wisconsin.
After college he joined the Marine Corp and graduated first out of 1500
pilots from Naval Flight Training and was rated first at Naval Training Weapons
School - Top Gun. He has flown various types of aircraft. Jim joined the North
Dakota Air National Guard in 1985, where he became a Squadron Group Commander,
retiring in 2002 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Employed by Delta
Airlines, Jim's aviation career continued to advance from line pilot, to Lead
Check Airman overseeing 757/767 aircraft fleets to his most recent position as
the Seattle-based Chief Pilot overseeing 600 pilots. In addition to his 'career'
flying, Jim was a well-respected, professional airshow pilot.
Jim is survived by the love of his life, Susan; his sister Kathy (Jerry)
Rohrig; and numerous nieces and nephews. Jim was preceded in death by his father
and hero (Maury).
A funeral service and military tribute will be held at the Fargo Air Museum
on Monday March 31, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made
in honor of Jim to the Fargo Air Museum.
Arrangements entrusted to the care of Boulger Funeral Home. Online
guestbook at: www.boulgerfuneralhome.com
.Published in The Seattle Times from Mar. 27 to Mar. 28, 2014
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?n=Jim-Maroney&pid=170395098#sthash.BrFxeS14.dpuf
Gathering:1-2:00 P.M. at the Fargo Air Museum, 1609 19th Ave
N., Fargo.
Funeral Service:2:00 P.M. at the Fargo Air Museum, 1609 19th
Ave N., Fargo.
Arrangements:Boulger Funeral Home, Fargo
====================================================================================================
Jim “Fang” Maroney was a top fighter pilot and renowned air show performed
who was slated to perform in the New Smyrna Beach and Balloon Fest this Saturday
and Sunday.
Veteran airshow pilot Jim 'Fang' Maroney dead after crashing 'Chipmunk'
aircraft in Cherokee National Forest
Posted: Monday, March 24, 2014 4:57 pm | Updated: 7:59 am, Tue Mar 25,
2014.
VONORE — The pilot of a de Havilland DHC-1 that crashed Sunday in Cherokee
National Forest has been identified as a veteran airshow performer, Jim "Fang"
Maroney, 59, of Brookfield, Fla.
Maroney, whose Super Chipmunk Airshows was scheduled to perform this
weekend in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., was found dead Monday morning after searchers
located the aircraft, which had been reported missing Sunday night. The de
Havilland DHC-1 is also known as the Chipmunk.
Jim “Fang” Maroney, 59, Milwaukee, WI, left this earth on March 23, 2014 in
Madisonville, TN on route to an event in New Smyrna, FL. Jim was born November
24, 1954, a native of Casselton, ND to Maury and Myrtle Maroney. As a toddler,
growing up in Casselton, Jim was seen always with an airplane in his hands and
grew proficient at flying RC aircraft. Later in life, Jim and his dad won top
honors at the RC Top Gun “invitation only” competition. Jim went to Casselton
High School and was a graduate of West Fargo High School. He was never at loss
for a good laugh or a clever practical joke.
Jim received his degree in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering from the
University of California- Fresno prior to enlisting in the United States Marine
Corp. He is survived by his wife, Susan. After meeting in California during his
tour of duty at El Toro Marine Corp Air Station, they married in 1993 and made
their home(s) first in Fargo, ND and Washington State and then in
Wisconsin.
Jim began his flying career at the age of four, taking his first flight in
a modified J3 Cub. His mentor, Jim’s dad, flew the P-51 Mustang based on Iwo
Jima, during WW II. Jim has been flying solo aerobatics since the 1970’s. After
college he joined the Marine Corp and graduated first out of 1500 pilots from
Naval Flight Training and was rated first at Naval Training Weapons School – Top
Gun. He has flown various types of aircraft ranging from the military T2C,
FA-18 Hornet, F-4 Phantom and F-16 Viper, to the commercial Boeing 747.
Everywhere Jim got behind a control stick, he succeeded. Jim joined the North
Dakota Air National Guard in 1985, where he became a Squadron Group Commander.
With his military retirement postponed, after 9/11, Jim patrolled the skies
above Washington D.C. and New York, retiring in 2002 with the rank of Lieutenant
Colonel. Employed by Delta Airlines, Jim’s aviation career continued to advance
from line pilot, to Lead Check Airman overseeing 757/767 aircraft fleets to his
most recent position as the Seattle-based Chief Pilot overseeing 600 pilots
conducting international/global operations 24 hours a day/7 days a week. In
addition to his ‘career’ flying, Jim was a well -respected, professional airshow
pilot and mentor, performing in the DeHavilland Super Chipmunk. Jim also owned
and operated an MX-S, Comanche and ‘Lil Toot’.
Jim was a member of numerous aviation based organizations to include EAA
and AOPA, as well as serving as an A.C.E (Aerobatic Competency Evaluator) for
I.C.A.S (International Council of Airshows).
Jim is survived by the love of his life, Susan; his sister Kathy (Jerry)
Rohrig; and numerous nieces and nephews. Jim was preceded in death by his
father and hero (Maury).
-----------------------------------
According to his website, in 1981 Maroney graduated No. 1 out of 1,500
pilots from Naval Flight Training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. In 1983,
he was rated No. 1 in his class at the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School, “Top
Gun,” at Naval Air Station Miramar.
He flew F/A-18 Hornets for the Marine Corps until 1985, when he transferred
to the North Dakota Air National Guard, according to his press kit. While in the
Guard, Maroney flew the F-4 Phantom and F-16 Fighting Falcon, becoming squadron
and group commander during his time. In 2002, he retired from the
military.
Distress signal Sunday night
The plane was reported missing Sunday night after distress signals were
picked up by Civil Air Patrol, Tennessee Highway Patrol and Lifestar
helicopters.
The aircraft — a single-engine World War II-era de Havilland DHC-1 — was
reported missing Sunday evening after it didn’t arrive at its destination. The
flight originated in French Lick, Ind., was en route to Franklin County Airport
in Canon, GA.
Officials with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office told media
the wreckage was found in the Cherokee National Forest in Goat Creek on the
north side of a mountain and the south side of a ridge, but crews were able to
access the area by air. The pilot was the only person on board the antique
aircraft.
If the weather holds, personnel will attempt to extricate the
Maroney's body.
The aircraft went off radar at around 1:30 p.m. Sunday in the
Blount County area and the Blount County Sheriff’s Office received a report
later that night that a plane out of French Lick was missing in the area. Crews
began searching for the downed DHC-1 aircraft at 9:30 p.m, and the last Blount
County searcher left at 5 a.m. The distress signal was located in the Indian
Boundary area of Cherokee National Forest and Blount County turned the search
over to Monroe County, according to Blount Public Information Officer Marian
O’Briant.
A command center was set up at Topoca.
Also involved in the search were the Tennessee Wildlife
Resources Agency, National Park Service, Blount County Fire Department, Blount
County Rescue Squad, Rural/Metro Ambulance the Civil Air Patrol, and the Blount
Special Operations Response Team began searching for the aircraft at around 9:30
p.m.
A Tennessee Highway Patrol helicopter pinpointed the plane’s
emergency locator transmitter in Monroe County and THP located the wreackage at
sunrise today.
An investigation into the crash continues.
