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Tim Benway, 1969-2005

Daily Staff Writer

Timothy Russell Benway, a pilot who grew up in the Vail area, died Jan. 11 on a medical evacuation flight to Rawlins, Wyo. He was 35. Benway was born April 15, 1969 to Willie and Larry Benway. He grew up in the Vail area and was educated at local public and private schools. His college education included Fort Lewis in Durango and Rangely Community College in Rangely, Colo., where he was enrolled in a flight program and earned his initial flight ratings. He graduated from Metro State College in Denver with a bachelor’s of science in aviation in May, 1997. Friends and family say Benway was the “complete outdoorsman,” enjoying skiing, sailing, windsurfing, hunting, fishing, hiking, rock and ice climbing and camping. They say he shared all these activities with his family and that he was a motivator, teacher and inspiration. Benway was first employed as a commercial pilot by Lake Meade Air in Boulder City, Nev. He next worked for the air freight industry with Key Lime Air. He then moved to the Steamboat Springs area where he joined Mountain Flight Services. He flew a combination of private charters and fix-wing air medical evacuation. “Passionate,” best describes his love of flight and service to others, friends and family members says. His flight log indicates he had close to 5,000 hours of pilot-in-command time, most of that in the mountains. A memorial service is at 10:30 a.m., Saturday at the Vail Interfaith Chapel in Vail Village. A memorial celebration will follow at 12:30 p.m. at the Donovan Pavilion in West Vail. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Resource Center of Eagle County, P.O. Box 2558, Avon, CO, 81620 or Meet the Wilderness, P.O. Box 4359, Edwards, CO 81632. Vail, Colorado


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