Albert Richard 'Dick' Hawes, 80

Albert Richard "Dick" Hawes passed away from complications of Parkinson's disease at Brendan House in Kalispell on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008. Dick was born on Aug. 9, 1928, in Detroit, the only child of English immigrants, to Albert Victor and Flora (Robertson) Hawes.

He grew up and attended school in Michigan. He graduated from the Ford Trade School and worked for a short time in tool and die.

Dick served in the United States Air Force from 1948 to 1953. During that time, he completed basic pilot training at Waco Air Force Base and advanced multi-engine pilotage at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Okla., Class 49C. Based in Japan, Dick flew an F86 in and out of Korea. After being honorably discharged in 1953, Dick served in the Michigan Air Force National Guard and the Air Force Reserves until July 1958.

From 1953 to 1955, Dick was in college taking courses in pre-dentistry. That plan took a different direction when he was offered a flying job by several different airlines. In 1955, Dick began flying for Trans World Airlines, or TWA, and thus began a 32-year career that Dick absolutely loved. He flew both domestic and international flights and earned the status of captain very early in his flying career.

He had the privilege of flying some incredible aircraft: the Constellation, the L1011 and his most favorite, Boeing's 747. When he spoke of those years of flying, Dick often reminisced, "Going to work was an absolute pleasure. I would have done it without pay!" And, he proudly noted, "In all those years of flying, I never scratched an airplane."

Those years were not without incident, however. While in the military, Dick was in a plane crash that he was not piloting. One of the propeller blades cut into the fuselage and cut up his seat just inches from his body.

In 1971, as a 16-year veteran with TWA, Captain Hawes found himself with a hijacker on board. Only 20 minutes into Flight 335 from LaGuardia to Chicago, a 27-year-old male took a flight attendant hostage. He entered the cockpit with a gun and ordered Dick to take him to Italy. Calmly, Dick convinced the hijacker that the plane was not equipped to fly to Italy and told the hijacker they needed to return to LaGuardia to get a larger plane. The man agreed and was ultimately shot by an FBI sharpshooter after deplaning with the flight attendant. The flight attendant, the remainder of the crew and all 55 passengers were unharmed. In Dick's mementos are three letters of deep appreciation and praise for his professional leadership in such a precarious situation. One letter is from the president of TWA, one from the vice president of flight operations and one from the TWA general manager of flying.

In 1959, Dick married Karen York. Daughters Tracy and Susan and son Jeffery were born in the following years. Dick and Karen were married 26 years before divorcing.

In the mid-1980s, Dick and two of his children took a road trip to the West. He fell in love with Montana. The awesome beauty of Glacier National Park, the wonderful clean air and the delicious Flathead cherries were just a few of the reasons Dick promised himself he would return to Montana after retiring.

Dick retired from TWA in 1987. His son Jeffery was still in high school, so he remained there in New Jersey for the next few years, enjoying sailing on Lake Hopatcong and touring on his Goldwing motorcycle.

In 1991, Dick kept that promise he had made to himself and returned to Montana. He found property and a contractor and began building his home. It was during that building project that Dick met Carol Fitzpatrick. They spent the next 17 years together working on the property, planting trees, motorcycling, cross-country skiing, hosting visits from family and friends, hiking, taking several great road trips and enjoying two of the world's greatest grandchildren. Dick came to Montana as a racquetball player and motorcycle enthusiast; he switched from racquetball to squash and gave up the motorcycle for a tractor. An accident and five broken ribs might have had something to do with that!

Dick and Carol were married July 13, 2002, at their home between Kalispell and Bigfork.

Dick loved many kinds of music, literature, American history and talking politics. He never ceased to amaze with his knowledge of so many subjects. Some of his most enjoyable days were spent cutting trees on his property and cleaning up the forest. Dick on his tractor was a familiar sight for his neighbors. He loved watching elk, deer, wild turkeys and the occasional bear from his living room window. He loved his family and his dog, Ruby.

Dick was a kind man, generous and very thoughtful. He was such a dignified man. He was a complex man who loved the simple things of life. Dick will be so missed by his family and the many friends he made reaching over his 80 years.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Flora Hawes.

He is survived by his wife, Carol; his daughters, Tracy Hawes of Boca Raton, Fla., and Susan Hawes of Washington, N.J.; his son, Jeffery Hawes, of Sparta, N.J.; and his stepdaughters, Quinn Fitzpatrick and husband, Brad Lamson, of Whitefish, and Shannon Kimball and husband, John, and his grandchildren, Carolyn and Noah Kimball, all of Kalispell.

A memorial celebration of Dick's life will be held at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 3, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Bigfork.

The family has selected the United Veterans of the Flathead Valley, 620 Eighth St. E., Whitefish, MT 59937 as a donor recipient in Dick Hawes' memory, for those who are interested. This group of volunteer veterans provides military honors for the community at no cost to the families.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Dick's family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer a condolence and to sign Dick's guest book.

This paid obituary is being run again at the request of the family.