Hello everyone: This was taken from the San Diego Union-Tribune on June 21, 1998: Bearden Bill G. - Aviator, Owner of Bill Bearden Aviation, died June 11, 1998 at his home in national City, California. He was 68. The cause of death was heart failure. Mr. Bearden was born in Southern Illinois on August 19, 1929. He took his first flight in 1945 and continued pursuing a career in aviation while supporting his family in the floor covering business. The Bearden family moved to the San Diego area in 1950. In 1968 he earned his Flight Instructor rating and this developed into a full-time career in the aviation business. In 1978 he was granted authority as a designated examiner by the Federal Aviation Administration to issue pilot certificates and ratings. Over, the years Mr. Bearden issued several hundred certificates and ratings. In 1984 he opened what was to become Bearden Flight Training at San Diego's Brown Field, which became a very successful flight training center. mr. Bearden was also a retired member of the San Diego County Sheriff's Aero Squadron. he had also supported many missions projects through his church. mr. Bearden is survived by his wife of 50 years, Opal, two sons, Dale of Perris, California, Don of Arizona, and Sue Herning of Lemon Grove, California; seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. A Memorial Service and Celebration of Bill Bearden's life was held on June 16 at Bethany Assembly of God Church and was followed with a fly-by. -- Thanks!! Tammie Chada tchada@flash.net Stop by the Logan County Genealogy Society, Inc. web site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~oklcgs/lcgsmain.htm List owner for Bearden, Brumfield and Parks Mailing Lists. Co-host for the Logan County, Oklahoma Mailing List. Click here to see the MANY surnames I am researching http://www.rootsweb.com/~oklcgs/sur.htm PROUD ROOTSWEB SPONSOR!!