Goodbye to Denise and Barry Knotts.  I guess Barry is pretty much retired now and is heading for warmer climates.  He tells me they have a place in an exclusive flyin community down in Florida called, “Spruce Creek.”

    They will be rubbing elbows with like minded aviators from all over the world that come to nest there.  I have been lucky enough to know a couple of folks over the years that lived there and visited them a time or two. I got to fly one of those big Sukoi stunt planes a few years ago down there.  They are going to be in hog heaven.

    I would like to take some time to say a few words about Denise and Barry.  They were great Chapter members.  One of the first times I every flew with Barry was in a twin Cessna to pick up the then editor of sport aviation, David Hipschman, to speak at our awards ceremony.           Barry flew all the way up to Waupaca, Wisconsin and back to pick him up and then drop him off the next day.  No charge to the Chapter.

    Denise helped the Chapter in an official capacity on a number of occasions.  She did a lot of volunteering for Young Eagles too.  Barry would fly Young Eagles all day long in his gas guzzling, fire breathing four place pressurized airplane, and paid for his own gas.  I cannot think of a time when he didn’t do this.

    I heard he is a good doctor too.  I always thought it was funny when passengers I flew on a charter would say to someone, “this is Bill, he is a really good pilot.”   How would they know if they weren’t pilots themselves?  It turns out I taught a fellow how to fly that was learning to be a general surgeon under the tutelage of Dr. Knotts.  He told me that all of the residents thought Barry could walk on water.  Nice compliment.

    Denise and Barry would come and help out at Plane Fun.  Since I have been around they have always been a positive force for the chapter, supporting everything we did.  You would see them a HATH too.  I think the Knotts are a joy to be around and I will miss them both.  I know they will always stay connected to us but I will miss running into them from time to time. The chapter can use more folks like them, the world could too.

    So thank you to them for their selfless support for our cause, and good luck from all of us on their new journey.