~ IN MEMORY ~
USAF veteran, WA/DL Capt. Bob Blanchard
August 22, 1939 ~ May 14, 2025
From family comes word with the passing of retired
Western/Delta pilot Captain Robert “Bob” Brooks Blanchard, age 85. Bob joined Western Airlines 04-03-1969 and
retired with Delta Air Lines in 1999 based LAX.
A memorial service and reception will be held May 30th….please
see details below. Bob is survived by
his wife Lynn, and by his children and their families.
Thank you,
~ Carol for the PCN
PCN memorial site
Robert Brooks “Bob” Blanchard
Pilot, Family Man, Storyteller
Retired Delta 737 captain and Hughes Aircraft
Company engineer, Robert Brooks “Bob” Blanchard Sr., 85, of Manhattan Beach
died at home on May 14.
Bob was born Aug. 22, 1939 in Kenansville, N.C. to
Oscar Charles and Laura Brooks Blanchard. He grew up in Wallace, N.C.,
graduating from Wallace-Rose Hill High School and NC State University, with a
Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering.
He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the
U.S. Air Force through the AFROTC and joined the USAF as a pilot, ultimately
flying the F-102 Deuce in fighter interceptor missions out of Misawa, Japan in
the mid-1960s. He later flew the F-104 Starfighter at Eglin Air Force Base.
Upon leaving active duty, he had two careers—27
years as an engineer at Hughes Aircraft Co. and 30 years as a pilot for Western
Airlines, which eventually became Delta. At Hughes, he worked on a number of
breakthrough airborne systems, including heads-up displays that are now
standard on 737 and 787 aircraft. For the airlines, he served as scheduling
committee chair and helped computerize the pilot schedule bidding process. He
also served as a pilot representative for two contract negotiations.
Bob was a man of many adventures who never lost
his love for flying—traveling often to his beloved Topsail Island, NC, and
throughout the Americas and the world, including Africa, China, and Europe. He
loved sharing good times with family and friends. An enthusiastic storyteller,
he is remembered as someone who never met a stranger. Bob was a loving husband,
father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend.
Bob is survived by his wife, Lynn; children
Sabrina, Judson and Dana; nephew Jarrod, and a large extended family. He was
preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Mary Jo, and son, Brooks.
A memorial service and reception will be held May
30, 2025 at noon at Journey of Faith church, 1243 Artesia Blvd., Manhattan
Beach.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations
to the American Cancer Society or charity of your choice.
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