~ IN MEMORY ~
WWII veteran, NWA/DL F/A Bob
Reardon
May 7, 1924 ~ June 3, 2016
Word has been received with the passing
of NWA/DL oldest F/A Bob Reardon. Bob joined Northwest Airlines 10-01-1951 and
retired with Delta Air Lines having served the airlines for 62+ years, based
MSP.
To view/sign the online guestbook please
visit the funeral home website at http://itenfuneralservices.com/obituaries_post/robert-reardon/
Here’s another article you might find interesting http://blog.ladyskywriter.com/2012/09/robert-reardon-makes-guinness-world.html
acknowledging Bob's category as the oldest active flight attendant as noted
in the Guinness World Book of Records.
Services with military honors were held today in Minnesota, St. Mary's
Parish Center in Waverly.
Thank you,
~ Carol for the PCN
Robert
Reardon
June 3, 2016
June 3, 2016
Robert
Kenneth Reardon, “Bob” age 92 of St. Paul, formerly of Waverly, passed away on
Friday, June 3, 2016. He was born May 7, 1924 to Charles and Adelaide
(Claessens) Reardon in Waverly, Minnesota.
Bob
served 62 years with Northwest Airlines/Delta as a flight attendant. He also
served in the Army during WWII from 1943 to 1946 being honorably discharged at
the rank of Sergeant. He was an avid reader and an accomplished artist. He
attended and graduated from Waverly High School and the University of St. Thomas
with a major in languages.
Bob
was preceded in death by his parents Charles and Adelaide Reardon; siblings
Teresa Zeleny, Anita Ostman and Dennis Reardon; sisters-in-law Mary Ellen
Reardon, Rita Reardon, Patricia Reardon and Rosie Reardon; brothers-in-law
Herman Painschab and Joseph Zeleny. He is survived by his siblings Jeanne
Painschab, Joseph Reardon, Harold Reardon, Mary (Don) Klingelhoets, Berni
Reardon. Bob was loved by friends and passengers around the world.
Mass
of Christian Burial was held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at the Church of St. Mary,
606 Elm Ave in Waverly, Minnesota. Visitation took place from 4 to 8 p.m. on
Tuesday and continued 9 to 10:45 a.m. Wednesday at St. Mary’s Parish Center in
Waverly. Interment with military honors was in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Robert
K. 'Bob' Reardon
·
Reardon,
Robert K. "Bob" age 92 of St. Paul, formerly of Waverly. Served 62 years with
Northwest Airlines/Delta as a flight attendant. Served in the Army during WWII
from 1943 to 1946 being honorably discharged at the rank of Sergeant. Preceded
in death by parents Charles and Adelaide; siblings Teresa Zeleny, Anita Ostman,
Dennis. Survived by siblings Jeanne Painschab, Joseph, Harold, Mary (Don)
Klingelhoets, Berni Reardon. Loved by friends and passengers around the world.
Mass of Christian Burial 11 a.m. Wednesday, Church of St. Mary, 606 Elm Ave,
Waverly, MN. Visitation 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and continues 9 to 10:45 a.m.
Wednesday at St. Mary's Parish Center in Waverly. Interment with military honors
in St. Mary's Cemetery.itenfuneralservices.com (763)972-2891
Published
on June 5, 2016
Obituary:
Robert Reardon gave new meaning to the golden age of
flying
JUNE
8, 2016 — 8:51AM
Robert
Reardon was beloved by fellow flight attendants and passengers
alike.
Long
after the glory days of air travel disappeared, Robert Reardon exemplified just
how glamorous flying could be.
Passengers
stopped wearing suits and fine dresses, but Reardon continued carrying his
polished James Bond-style briefcase. He changed his shirts midflight — sometimes
more than once — so that he always would be seen in a crisp, clean
button-up.
“Before
every trip, he got his hair cut and his suit cleaned and pressed,” said Bruce
Retrum, a fellow flight attendant and friend. “He was just an elegant guy — a
consummate professional.”
Reardon’s
devotion to the airways earned him a record-setting career and two spots in the
Guinness World Records 2013 edition — oldest active flight attendant and the
longest career as a flight attendant. He worked at Northwest Airlines and then
Delta Air Lines for 62 years and 8 months, before finally retiring at
90.
On
June 3, Reardon responded to his final boarding call. He died 27 days after
celebrating his 92nd birthday.
After
graduating from high school, Reardon was drafted by the Army and served in World
War II from 1943 to 1946. Honorably discharged at the rank of sergeant, he
enrolled in classes at what was then the College of St. Thomas and studied
French.
========================================
Robert
Reardon, 2011
“The
thing that always impressed me was his courage,” said Reardon’s youngest sister,
Bernadette Reardon. “He was just a farm kid from Waverly, and he saw there was
more out there in the world.”
In
1949, Reardon took what was supposed to be a temporary job at Northwest Orient
as a ticket agent. Then, in 1951, he began working as a purser (head flight
attendant).
Reardon’s
favorite plane to work in was the Boeing 747-400, known as the “Queen of the
Skies.” This is the biggest plane in Delta’s fleet with an upper deck that has
24 business class seats.
Up
until the end of his career, Reardon maintained a full flying schedule, working
flights to Tokyo several times a month. Many of his co-workers maintained it was
an honor to serve alongside him.
“He
went about his duties as if [it] were back in the ’50s, the glory days,” said
Retrum, who added that few flight attendants work past age
70.
Reardon
often joined in on the jokes about his age, saying he’d die on an
airplane.
On
a Facebook page set up to honor him, Terry Luoma recalled his last time running
into Reardon at Narita International Airport in Tokyo.
Luoma
wrote: “Way to show ’em Bob. You told me once that your goal was to outlive all
your emergency contacts.”
Passengers
adored Reardon, too, especially in his final years. They’d ask him to pose for
photos and video, and he’d happily oblige.
Jane
McNulty, a flight attendant for Delta Air Lines, said: “When he would have his
picture taken with you he would say, ‘Look expensive!’ ”
Mass
of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Church of St. Mary,
606 Elm Av., Waverly, Minn. Visitation continues from 9 to 10:45 a.m. at St.
Mary’s Parish Center in Waverly. Interment with military honors will be in St.
Mary’s Cemetery.
=================================
Sent: Friday, August 22, 2014 3:26 PM
Subject: Bob Reardon has been flying for 63 years
...
Oldest
Active Flight Attendant Celebrates 90th Birthday, 63 Years in
Sky
By Matthew
Klint
In the USA there is no
regulation setting a maximum age for flight attendants. With this lack of
regulation and strong FA unions, we are seeing an aging FA base among the legacy
carriers of American, Delta, and United. And then there are some super
veterans.
Bob Reardon has
been flying for 63 years with Northwest Airlines-Delta Air
lines and celebrated his 90th birthday today. I wish Bob a
very happy birthday and wish even more I could fly with him--I love flying with
walking historians. He's based in Detroit and typically does the Tokyo Narita
flight a few times a month, which means he keeps nearly a full
schedule.
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