The following obituary comes from The Chandler Arizonian Tribune, Wednesday, 16 May 1990.
VETERAN STUNT PILOT SOARED THROUGH LIFE Friends Pay Tribute to ex-Chandler Man When former Chandler resident Frank Sanders Jr. died May 4, his two sons were not the only ones to lose a father figure. The 52-year-old veteran pilot of Tustin, Calif., known as "Dad" to his peers, was killed along with a journalist when his stunt plane crashed the day before the opening of a Roswell, N.M., air show. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. "He had more energy than an 18-year-old," said Rick Brickert an airline pilot who flew with Sanders in air shows during the past four years. "His personality was such that he always stuck out. He never said 'no' to anyone. He always gave help." "Whenever I was working on something, he'd call me up and say, 'This is wrong. Let's work on it. I'll help you make it right.'" Brickert, a Delta Airlines pilot from Salt Lake City, said he knew Sanders and his family for 12 years. He said he had performed with Sanders in three shows that featured Sanders' Red Knight T-33, originally out of Williams Air Force Base. More than 300 people packed into a hangar in Chino, Calif., last Wednesday for what Sanders' son, Brian, called a "celebration of life." During a "missing man" formation at the memorial, the Dreadnought, Sanders' racing plane, veered off upward. "His granddaughter said, 'Look, there goes grandpa's plane to heaven,'" said Sanders' sister Evelyn Manley of Yuma. Manley said the memorial's turnout was representative of his popularity. "Dad meant love to them," she said. "It was out of love and respect. They all said that having known Frank they gained something." Sanders, who was born in Mesa and lived for 30 years in Chandler, learned to fly from his father, Frank Sr., a Chandler High School graduate and World War II pilot. The Sanders family, who still owns the Sanders farm in Higley, are credited with helping bring aviation to Chandler. Sanders racked up a long list of aviation accomplishments, even through a childhood accident left him blind in one eye. Colleagues said he is best known for inventing and manufacturing smoke generators used for skywriting, trailing planes and measuring turbulence. Sanders was chairman of several aviation safety committees including the Organizational Society of Experimental Aircraft Pilots, which recognized him for his study of the human factor in airplane accidents. Brickert said Sanders was often called upon by federal officials and crash site crews for his expertise. Sanders, who owned Sanders Aircraft Corp. in Chino, turned out to be a success story despite a mischievous childhood, family members said. Described as an individualist but a mediocre student, Sanders excelled in his favorite endeavors including winning a drag racing championship. Sanders' mother, Ada of Chandler, said, "He had often said to me and others that his childhood was very special and that his life had so much success and happiness that if he was to die tomorrow he'd be happy." Grave side services will be 11 a.m. today at the Mesa Cemetery, 1212 N. Center St. Sanders is also survived by his wife, Ruth; another son, Dennis; and a brother, George.
VETERAN STUNT PILOT SOARED THROUGH LIFE Friends Pay Tribute to ex-Chandler Man When former Chandler resident Frank Sanders Jr. died May 4, his two sons were not the only ones to lose a father figure. The 52-year-old veteran pilot of Tustin, Calif., known as "Dad" to his peers, was killed along with a journalist when his stunt plane crashed the day before the opening of a Roswell, N.M., air show. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. "He had more energy than an 18-year-old," said Rick Brickert an airline pilot who flew with Sanders in air shows during the past four years. "His personality was such that he always stuck out. He never said 'no' to anyone. He always gave help." "Whenever I was working on something, he'd call me up and say, 'This is wrong. Let's work on it. I'll help you make it right.'" Brickert, a Delta Airlines pilot from Salt Lake City, said he knew Sanders and his family for 12 years. He said he had performed with Sanders in three shows that featured Sanders' Red Knight T-33, originally out of Williams Air Force Base. More than 300 people packed into a hangar in Chino, Calif., last Wednesday for what Sanders' son, Brian, called a "celebration of life." During a "missing man" formation at the memorial, the Dreadnought, Sanders' racing plane, veered off upward. "His granddaughter said, 'Look, there goes grandpa's plane to heaven,'" said Sanders' sister Evelyn Manley of Yuma. Manley said the memorial's turnout was representative of his popularity. "Dad meant love to them," she said. "It was out of love and respect. They all said that having known Frank they gained something." Sanders, who was born in Mesa and lived for 30 years in Chandler, learned to fly from his father, Frank Sr., a Chandler High School graduate and World War II pilot. The Sanders family, who still owns the Sanders farm in Higley, are credited with helping bring aviation to Chandler. Sanders racked up a long list of aviation accomplishments, even through a childhood accident left him blind in one eye. Colleagues said he is best known for inventing and manufacturing smoke generators used for skywriting, trailing planes and measuring turbulence. Sanders was chairman of several aviation safety committees including the Organizational Society of Experimental Aircraft Pilots, which recognized him for his study of the human factor in airplane accidents. Brickert said Sanders was often called upon by federal officials and crash site crews for his expertise. Sanders, who owned Sanders Aircraft Corp. in Chino, turned out to be a success story despite a mischievous childhood, family members said. Described as an individualist but a mediocre student, Sanders excelled in his favorite endeavors including winning a drag racing championship. Sanders' mother, Ada of Chandler, said, "He had often said to me and others that his childhood was very special and that his life had so much success and happiness that if he was to die tomorrow he'd be happy." Grave side services will be 11 a.m. today at the Mesa Cemetery, 1212 N. Center St. Sanders is also survived by his wife, Ruth; another son, Dennis; and a brother, George.
The following obituary comes from The Chandler Arizonian Tribune, Wednesday, 16 May 1990.
VETERAN STUNT PILOT SOARED THROUGH LIFE Friends Pay Tribute to ex-Chandler Man When former Chandler resident Frank Sanders Jr. died May 4, his two sons were not the only ones to lose a father figure. The 52-year-old veteran pilot of Tustin, Calif., known as "Dad" to his peers, was killed along with a journalist when his stunt plane crashed the day before the opening of a Roswell, N.M., air show. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. "He had more energy than an 18-year-old," said Rick Brickert an airline pilot who flew with Sanders in air shows during the past four years. "His personality was such that he always stuck out. He never said 'no' to anyone. He always gave help." "Whenever I was working on something, he'd call me up and say, 'This is wrong. Let's work on it. I'll help you make it right.'" Brickert, a Delta Airlines pilot from Salt Lake City, said he knew Sanders and his family for 12 years. He said he had performed with Sanders in three shows that featured Sanders' Red Knight T-33, originally out of Williams Air Force Base. More than 300 people packed into a hangar in Chino, Calif., last Wednesday for what Sanders' son, Brian, called a "celebration of life." During a "missing man" formation at the memorial, the Dreadnought, Sanders' racing plane, veered off upward. "His granddaughter said, 'Look, there goes grandpa's plane to heaven,'" said Sanders' sister Evelyn Manley of Yuma. Manley said the memorial's turnout was representative of his popularity. "Dad meant love to them," she said. "It was out of love and respect. They all said that having known Frank they gained something." Sanders, who was born in Mesa and lived for 30 years in Chandler, learned to fly from his father, Frank Sr., a Chandler High School graduate and World War II pilot. The Sanders family, who still owns the Sanders farm in Higley, are credited with helping bring aviation to Chandler. Sanders racked up a long list of aviation accomplishments, even through a childhood accident left him blind in one eye. Colleagues said he is best known for inventing and manufacturing smoke generators used for skywriting, trailing planes and measuring turbulence. Sanders was chairman of several aviation safety committees including the Organizational Society of Experimental Aircraft Pilots, which recognized him for his study of the human factor in airplane accidents. Brickert said Sanders was often called upon by federal officials and crash site crews for his expertise. Sanders, who owned Sanders Aircraft Corp. in Chino, turned out to be a success story despite a mischievous childhood, family members said. Described as an individualist but a mediocre student, Sanders excelled in his favorite endeavors including winning a drag racing championship. Sanders' mother, Ada of Chandler, said, "He had often said to me and others that his childhood was very special and that his life had so much success and happiness that if he was to die tomorrow he'd be happy." Grave side services will be 11 a.m. today at the Mesa Cemetery, 1212 N. Center St. Sanders is also survived by his wife, Ruth; another son, Dennis; and a brother, George.
VETERAN STUNT PILOT SOARED THROUGH LIFE Friends Pay Tribute to ex-Chandler Man When former Chandler resident Frank Sanders Jr. died May 4, his two sons were not the only ones to lose a father figure. The 52-year-old veteran pilot of Tustin, Calif., known as "Dad" to his peers, was killed along with a journalist when his stunt plane crashed the day before the opening of a Roswell, N.M., air show. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. "He had more energy than an 18-year-old," said Rick Brickert an airline pilot who flew with Sanders in air shows during the past four years. "His personality was such that he always stuck out. He never said 'no' to anyone. He always gave help." "Whenever I was working on something, he'd call me up and say, 'This is wrong. Let's work on it. I'll help you make it right.'" Brickert, a Delta Airlines pilot from Salt Lake City, said he knew Sanders and his family for 12 years. He said he had performed with Sanders in three shows that featured Sanders' Red Knight T-33, originally out of Williams Air Force Base. More than 300 people packed into a hangar in Chino, Calif., last Wednesday for what Sanders' son, Brian, called a "celebration of life." During a "missing man" formation at the memorial, the Dreadnought, Sanders' racing plane, veered off upward. "His granddaughter said, 'Look, there goes grandpa's plane to heaven,'" said Sanders' sister Evelyn Manley of Yuma. Manley said the memorial's turnout was representative of his popularity. "Dad meant love to them," she said. "It was out of love and respect. They all said that having known Frank they gained something." Sanders, who was born in Mesa and lived for 30 years in Chandler, learned to fly from his father, Frank Sr., a Chandler High School graduate and World War II pilot. The Sanders family, who still owns the Sanders farm in Higley, are credited with helping bring aviation to Chandler. Sanders racked up a long list of aviation accomplishments, even through a childhood accident left him blind in one eye. Colleagues said he is best known for inventing and manufacturing smoke generators used for skywriting, trailing planes and measuring turbulence. Sanders was chairman of several aviation safety committees including the Organizational Society of Experimental Aircraft Pilots, which recognized him for his study of the human factor in airplane accidents. Brickert said Sanders was often called upon by federal officials and crash site crews for his expertise. Sanders, who owned Sanders Aircraft Corp. in Chino, turned out to be a success story despite a mischievous childhood, family members said. Described as an individualist but a mediocre student, Sanders excelled in his favorite endeavors including winning a drag racing championship. Sanders' mother, Ada of Chandler, said, "He had often said to me and others that his childhood was very special and that his life had so much success and happiness that if he was to die tomorrow he'd be happy." Grave side services will be 11 a.m. today at the Mesa Cemetery, 1212 N. Center St. Sanders is also survived by his wife, Ruth; another son, Dennis; and a brother, George.
