AMES B. GALVIN, 87, BARNSTORMER, PIONEER IN NORTHWEST AVIATION
Seattle Times, The (WA) - Tuesday, September 3, 1991
Flying was James B. Galvin's life. "That's all he cared about, and all he knew about," says his wife, Marian.
Mr. Galvin, one of the Northwest's aviation pioneers, died Saturday, Aug. 31. He was 87. He began his career barnstorming through Eastern Washington, and later founded Galvin Flying Service, the first flight service at Seattle's Boeing Field.
The company still is in business, headed by Mr. Galvin's nephew.
Mr. Galvin once owned the site of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and had plans in the early 1940s to build his own, private airport there. But arrangements fell through, Marian Galvin says.
Mr. Galvin was honored at a reception in 1980 for 50 years in aviation, receiving congratulations from Gov. Dixy Lee Ray and King County Executive John Spellman, among others. He said then that he hadn't experienced a serious scare in more than 12,000 hours of flying.
"I must have had an angel on my shoulder," he said.
Oh, there was the time the crankshaft broke in the single-engine plane he was flying, Mr. Galvin said - but that happened right over the airport, and he managed to glide to a safe landing.
Born in California, Mr. Galvin moved to Seattle as a child. He developed an interest in flying while serving in the Coast Guard on the East Coast in the 1920s, Mrs. Galvin said. Charles Lindbergh's historic flight across the Atlantic had electrified the nation.
"He would watch the planes fly over, and he decided he wanted to do that," Mrs. Galvin remembers. He learned to fly in Los Angeles after leaving the Coast Guard.
The start of the Depression interfered with his efforts to buy a plane, but he succeeded in 1930. "He and a ticket seller would travel all over Eastern Washington, landing in farmers' fields and taking up passengers," Mrs. Galvin said.
After working two summers taking aerial photographs for the Department of Agriculture in Montana, he returned to Seattle and established Galvin Flying Service in the late 1930s. A 1941 Times article said the company was the local dealer for Piper Cub aircraft, and offered charter passenger service, aerial photography and flight instruction.
The firm also worked for the U.S. Forest Service, spotting forest fires and delivering supplies to fire-fighting crews.
Mr. Galvin served as a Navy pilot during World War II, then returned to his business. A 1980 article said he had "fueled, repaired and flown aircraft ranging from biplanes to Lear jets."
Mr. Galvin married in 1937. The couple built a home on Beacon Hill overlooking Boeing Field and the business in 1940, and lived there until last year. Mr. Galvin stopped flying in the mid-1970s, but retained a lively interest in the firm.
"We still get a call sometimes from Jim in the evening, telling us that something around the place needs to be done or hasn't been done right," an employee said 11 years ago.
"I do most of my traveling in a recreational vehicle now," Mr.
Galvin told a reporter, "but these big jet airliners - I love to ride in 'em."
Survivors, in addition to Mrs. Galvin, include a brother, Charles; a son, Paul; one granddaughter; and a nephew.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Beacon Hill Presbyterian Church
Seattle Times, The (WA) - Tuesday, September 3, 1991
Seattle Times, The (WA) - Tuesday, September 3, 1991
Flying was James B. Galvin's life. "That's all he cared about, and all he knew about," says his wife, Marian.
Mr. Galvin, one of the Northwest's aviation pioneers, died Saturday, Aug. 31. He was 87. He began his career barnstorming through Eastern Washington, and later founded Galvin Flying Service, the first flight service at Seattle's Boeing Field.
The company still is in business, headed by Mr. Galvin's nephew.
Mr. Galvin once owned the site of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and had plans in the early 1940s to build his own, private airport there. But arrangements fell through, Marian Galvin says.
Mr. Galvin was honored at a reception in 1980 for 50 years in aviation, receiving congratulations from Gov. Dixy Lee Ray and King County Executive John Spellman, among others. He said then that he hadn't experienced a serious scare in more than 12,000 hours of flying.
"I must have had an angel on my shoulder," he said.
Oh, there was the time the crankshaft broke in the single-engine plane he was flying, Mr. Galvin said - but that happened right over the airport, and he managed to glide to a safe landing.
Born in California, Mr. Galvin moved to Seattle as a child. He developed an interest in flying while serving in the Coast Guard on the East Coast in the 1920s, Mrs. Galvin said. Charles Lindbergh's historic flight across the Atlantic had electrified the nation.
"He would watch the planes fly over, and he decided he wanted to do that," Mrs. Galvin remembers. He learned to fly in Los Angeles after leaving the Coast Guard.
The start of the Depression interfered with his efforts to buy a plane, but he succeeded in 1930. "He and a ticket seller would travel all over Eastern Washington, landing in farmers' fields and taking up passengers," Mrs. Galvin said.
After working two summers taking aerial photographs for the Department of Agriculture in Montana, he returned to Seattle and established Galvin Flying Service in the late 1930s. A 1941 Times article said the company was the local dealer for Piper Cub aircraft, and offered charter passenger service, aerial photography and flight instruction.
The firm also worked for the U.S. Forest Service, spotting forest fires and delivering supplies to fire-fighting crews.
Mr. Galvin served as a Navy pilot during World War II, then returned to his business. A 1980 article said he had "fueled, repaired and flown aircraft ranging from biplanes to Lear jets."
Mr. Galvin married in 1937. The couple built a home on Beacon Hill overlooking Boeing Field and the business in 1940, and lived there until last year. Mr. Galvin stopped flying in the mid-1970s, but retained a lively interest in the firm.
"We still get a call sometimes from Jim in the evening, telling us that something around the place needs to be done or hasn't been done right," an employee said 11 years ago.
"I do most of my traveling in a recreational vehicle now," Mr.
Galvin told a reporter, "but these big jet airliners - I love to ride in 'em."
Survivors, in addition to Mrs. Galvin, include a brother, Charles; a son, Paul; one granddaughter; and a nephew.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Beacon Hill Presbyterian Church
Seattle Times, The (WA) - Tuesday, September 3, 1991
AMES B. GALVIN, 87, BARNSTORMER, PIONEER IN NORTHWEST AVIATION
Seattle Times, The (WA) - Tuesday, September 3, 1991
Flying was James B. Galvin's life. "That's all he cared about, and all he knew about," says his wife, Marian.
Mr. Galvin, one of the Northwest's aviation pioneers, died Saturday, Aug. 31. He was 87. He began his career barnstorming through Eastern Washington, and later founded Galvin Flying Service, the first flight service at Seattle's Boeing Field.
The company still is in business, headed by Mr. Galvin's nephew.
Mr. Galvin once owned the site of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and had plans in the early 1940s to build his own, private airport there. But arrangements fell through, Marian Galvin says.
Mr. Galvin was honored at a reception in 1980 for 50 years in aviation, receiving congratulations from Gov. Dixy Lee Ray and King County Executive John Spellman, among others. He said then that he hadn't experienced a serious scare in more than 12,000 hours of flying.
"I must have had an angel on my shoulder," he said.
Oh, there was the time the crankshaft broke in the single-engine plane he was flying, Mr. Galvin said - but that happened right over the airport, and he managed to glide to a safe landing.
Born in California, Mr. Galvin moved to Seattle as a child. He developed an interest in flying while serving in the Coast Guard on the East Coast in the 1920s, Mrs. Galvin said. Charles Lindbergh's historic flight across the Atlantic had electrified the nation.
"He would watch the planes fly over, and he decided he wanted to do that," Mrs. Galvin remembers. He learned to fly in Los Angeles after leaving the Coast Guard.
The start of the Depression interfered with his efforts to buy a plane, but he succeeded in 1930. "He and a ticket seller would travel all over Eastern Washington, landing in farmers' fields and taking up passengers," Mrs. Galvin said.
After working two summers taking aerial photographs for the Department of Agriculture in Montana, he returned to Seattle and established Galvin Flying Service in the late 1930s. A 1941 Times article said the company was the local dealer for Piper Cub aircraft, and offered charter passenger service, aerial photography and flight instruction.
The firm also worked for the U.S. Forest Service, spotting forest fires and delivering supplies to fire-fighting crews.
Mr. Galvin served as a Navy pilot during World War II, then returned to his business. A 1980 article said he had "fueled, repaired and flown aircraft ranging from biplanes to Lear jets."
Mr. Galvin married in 1937. The couple built a home on Beacon Hill overlooking Boeing Field and the business in 1940, and lived there until last year. Mr. Galvin stopped flying in the mid-1970s, but retained a lively interest in the firm.
"We still get a call sometimes from Jim in the evening, telling us that something around the place needs to be done or hasn't been done right," an employee said 11 years ago.
"I do most of my traveling in a recreational vehicle now," Mr.
Galvin told a reporter, "but these big jet airliners - I love to ride in 'em."
Survivors, in addition to Mrs. Galvin, include a brother, Charles; a son, Paul; one granddaughter; and a nephew.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Beacon Hill Presbyterian Church
Seattle Times, The (WA) - Tuesday, September 3, 1991
Seattle Times, The (WA) - Tuesday, September 3, 1991
Flying was James B. Galvin's life. "That's all he cared about, and all he knew about," says his wife, Marian.
Mr. Galvin, one of the Northwest's aviation pioneers, died Saturday, Aug. 31. He was 87. He began his career barnstorming through Eastern Washington, and later founded Galvin Flying Service, the first flight service at Seattle's Boeing Field.
The company still is in business, headed by Mr. Galvin's nephew.
Mr. Galvin once owned the site of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and had plans in the early 1940s to build his own, private airport there. But arrangements fell through, Marian Galvin says.
Mr. Galvin was honored at a reception in 1980 for 50 years in aviation, receiving congratulations from Gov. Dixy Lee Ray and King County Executive John Spellman, among others. He said then that he hadn't experienced a serious scare in more than 12,000 hours of flying.
"I must have had an angel on my shoulder," he said.
Oh, there was the time the crankshaft broke in the single-engine plane he was flying, Mr. Galvin said - but that happened right over the airport, and he managed to glide to a safe landing.
Born in California, Mr. Galvin moved to Seattle as a child. He developed an interest in flying while serving in the Coast Guard on the East Coast in the 1920s, Mrs. Galvin said. Charles Lindbergh's historic flight across the Atlantic had electrified the nation.
"He would watch the planes fly over, and he decided he wanted to do that," Mrs. Galvin remembers. He learned to fly in Los Angeles after leaving the Coast Guard.
The start of the Depression interfered with his efforts to buy a plane, but he succeeded in 1930. "He and a ticket seller would travel all over Eastern Washington, landing in farmers' fields and taking up passengers," Mrs. Galvin said.
After working two summers taking aerial photographs for the Department of Agriculture in Montana, he returned to Seattle and established Galvin Flying Service in the late 1930s. A 1941 Times article said the company was the local dealer for Piper Cub aircraft, and offered charter passenger service, aerial photography and flight instruction.
The firm also worked for the U.S. Forest Service, spotting forest fires and delivering supplies to fire-fighting crews.
Mr. Galvin served as a Navy pilot during World War II, then returned to his business. A 1980 article said he had "fueled, repaired and flown aircraft ranging from biplanes to Lear jets."
Mr. Galvin married in 1937. The couple built a home on Beacon Hill overlooking Boeing Field and the business in 1940, and lived there until last year. Mr. Galvin stopped flying in the mid-1970s, but retained a lively interest in the firm.
"We still get a call sometimes from Jim in the evening, telling us that something around the place needs to be done or hasn't been done right," an employee said 11 years ago.
"I do most of my traveling in a recreational vehicle now," Mr.
Galvin told a reporter, "but these big jet airliners - I love to ride in 'em."
Survivors, in addition to Mrs. Galvin, include a brother, Charles; a son, Paul; one granddaughter; and a nephew.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Beacon Hill Presbyterian Church
Seattle Times, The (WA) - Tuesday, September 3, 1991
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
