Fairchild Industries

AUG. 25, 1916-SEPT. 8, 2010 Dorothy Louise Logsdon, 94, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010, in Savannah, Ga. She was born Aug. 25, 1916, in Hagerstown, Md. She was the daughter of the late Howard and Nora Belle Howe McCauley. She was preceded in death by her parents; twin sister, Florence; and brothers, Earl, Donald, Harold and Charles McCauley. She was married to Herbert Logsdon, who passed in 1994. She was employed for many years at Fairchild Industries.

-APRIL 29, 2011 Helen Frances Knode, 89, of 33 Mill St. in Hagerstown, died Friday, April 29, 2011, at Julia Manor Health Care Center. She was born in Gainesboro, Va., and was preceded in death by her natural and adopted parents. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Emmanuel L. Knode, on June 10, 1975. Mrs. Knode retired from Interwoven Stocking Co. and was formerly employed by Fairchild Industries. She was a member of United Brethren Church in Cedar Grove, Va. Surviving is a half sister, Frances Ross of San Antonio, Texas; and nieces, Elva A. and Mary E. Dreos, both of Phoenix, Ariz.

Mr. Donald Keith Merchant, 90, of Dallas, Ga., died Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012. Born in Uvilla, W.Va., Mr. Merchant was the chief of restoration for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. During a long work career, he worked at Fairchild Industries and for Airpax, where he held several patents. He was the owner of Data Merchant in Cambridge, Md., and was a computer instructor at Dorchester Community College, and owner and publisher of the Antique Aircraft Gazette special interest newspaper.

The son of Daniel and Bertha Wolfinger Boward, Lawrence Mark Boward was born Sept. 6, 1923 in Reid, Md., and grew up in Hagerstown, Md. A lifetime member of First Christian Church, Mark graduated from Hagerstown High School in 1941. Mark worked for Fairchild Industries until he joined the U.S. Army Air Force. He then attended George Washington University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in foreign affairs, and met his future wife, Jean Brandt (Boward). They were married in 1949 and moved to Bethesda, Md., where he worked for Dynaelectron Corp.

Harry Franklin Cunningham Sr., 83, of 33 N. Main St., Keedysville, died Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 at his home. Born May 14, 1928, in Hopewell, Md., he was the son of the late Edward and Myrtle Murray Cunningham. He was employed by Fairchild Industries and Rohr Manufacturing. He was of the Protestant faith. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Esther P. Mowen Cunningham; two daughters, Carolyn Castle and Brenda Creamer, both of West Virginia; five sons, Harry Cunningham Jr., Ronald Cunningham, and Mark Cunningham, all of Hagerstown, Lewis Cunningham of Frederick, Md., and Larry Cunningham of Boonsboro; one sister, Goldie Shifflett of Pennsylvania; 18 grandchildren; one step-granddaughter, 25 great-grandchildren; one step-great-granddaughter, and two great-great- grandchildren.

DEC. 7, 1919-OCT. 22, 2009 Isidore Horowitz, 89, passed away Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, at Washington County Hospital. Born Dec. 7, 1919, in Manhattan, N.Y., he was the son of the late Samuel and Sadie Horowitz. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He retired after 43 years as a flight mechanic at Fairchild Industries. He was a member of the AMVETS, Moose Club and Morris Frock American Legion Post 42. He was preceded in death by his wife, Alberta (Wilson)

Wilbur Brumback, 89, of Hancock, Md., died Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011, at Morgan County War Memorial Hospital in Berkeley Springs, W.Va. Born Sept. 13, 1922, in Hancock, he was the son of the late Lewis and Ella Smith Brumback and the husband of Aquilla S. Brumback, who died Nov. 8, 2004. He was a veteran of World War II, serving with the U.S. Army. He retired from Fairchild Industries in Hagerstown, Md. He is survived by five daughters, Linda Green of Hagerstown, Carol Brumback, Joyce B. Younker and Mary Brumback, all of Hancock, and Brenda Mitzel of Dover, Pa.; five sons, Lavon Brumback, Nelson Brumback of Hagerstown, Philip Brumback of Hancock, Rodney Brumback of Berwin Heights, Md., and Terry Brumback of Mechanicsburg, Pa.; 17 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

NOV. 3, 1929-DEC. 11, 2010 Alfred Eugene Swain, 81, of Maugansville, Md., died Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010, at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, Md. Born Nov. 3, 1929, he was the son of the late Clifford Charles Swain and Mary Delauney Swain. Gene was a 1947 graduate of Hagerstown High School. He served in the United States Air Force from 1948 to 1952. After his return from active duty, he worked at Fairchild Industries wiring C-119 aircraft. Gene later became an electrician and worked as a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 307 located in Cumberland, Md., until his retirement in 1992.

By KAREN MASTERSON Staff Writer Several A-10 Thunderbolt anti-tank planes, built at the now-closed Fairchild Industries plant just north of Hagerstown, are flying here for The Great Hagerstown Air Show next weekend At least four of the A-10s, known as the Warthog, will be on the ground and in the air during the show Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 6 and 7. Built as a result of fear of a Soviet tank invasion of Western Europe, the A-10 was produced at Fairchild's Hagerstown plant from 1973 through 1984.

JAN. 31, 1927-OCT. 9, 2009 Jerry Moore Paxson, 82, of Hagerstown, passed away Friday, Oct. 9, 2009, at Washington County Hospital. Born Jan. 31, 1927, in Purcellville, Va., he was the son of the late William Carroll and Nell (Humphrey) Paxson. He was a member of John Wesley United Methodist Church in Hagerstown. He attended Duquesne University and Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where he was in the Army Specialized Training Program. He went on to serve in the U.S. Army Air Force.

Col. James Arthur "Jim" Kesselring, 76, of Williamsport, Md., passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, at his home. Born July 27, 1936, in Hagerstown, Md., to the late James Webster and Pauline Estelle Brown Kesselring. He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Ellen Imogene Armstrong Kesselring. He was a graduate of North Hagerstown High School. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps, the Army National Guard and retired as a Colonel from the U.S. Army in 1996. Jim was employed by Fairchild Industries, Rohr Industries, both of Hagerstown, and Garrett Container Systems in Deep Creek, Md., retiring in 2010.

Ward Leo Clark, 91, of Falling Waters, W.Va., went to be with the Lord on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, at City Hospital. Born March 23, 1921, in Morgan County, he was the son of the late Ernest Willard Clark and Virgie (Michael) Clark. He was employed as a mechanic for Fairchild Industries, was a veteran of World War II serving with the U.S. Army and attended the Full Gospel Church.  He is survived by his four sons, Edward Leo Clark, Chambersburg, Pa., Terry K. Clark of Maryland, Timothy S. Clark of Hedgesville, W.Va., and Alan W. Clark of Martinsburg, W.Va.; five daughters, Rita E. Kitchen of Boonsboro, Iva L. Kyne of Falling Waters, Belinda Bryan of Hagerstown, Cynthia Burcker of Bunker Hill, W.Va., and Deanna Belz of Clear Spring, Md.; 25 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and one brother, Ernest W. Clark Jr. of Berkeley Springs, W.Va.

Margaret Katherine (Jones) Schildtknecht, 91, of Hagerstown, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 at NMS Healthcare. Born Jan. 30, 1921, in Hagerstown, she was the daughter of the late George W. and Iva Myrtle (Black) Jones. Margaret was a former member of First Baptist Church in Hagerstown, and a former member of Antrim Assembly of God in Greencastle, Pa. She worked as a welder for 12 years at Fairchild Industries before becoming a homemaker. She was preceded in death by her husband, Freeman D. Schildtknecht, who died in 2001; a son, Richard Garrett; a daughter, Beverly J. Schildtknecht; seven brothers, Chester, Dewey, Keneith, Paul, Charles, George, and David F. Jones; and three sisters, Mary Schildtknecht, Vicky Babington, and Annie Young.

Mildred Janette "Milly" Holtzman, 90, of Mercersburg, Pa., went to be with the Lord on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012, at her home. Born Jan. 16, 1922, in Clear Spring, Md., she was the daughter of the late Francis Ridenour Snyder and Myrtle Trumpower Snyder. She was a 1941 graduate of Clear Spring High School. In previous years, she was employed with Fairchild Industries for 19 years, and retired from Mack Trucks in Hagerstown after 27 years. Milly was a member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Clear Spring and attended Clayton Memorial Church of God in Mercersburg.

The son of Daniel and Bertha Wolfinger Boward, Lawrence Mark Boward was born Sept. 6, 1923 in Reid, Md., and grew up in Hagerstown, Md. A lifetime member of First Christian Church, Mark graduated from Hagerstown High School in 1941. Mark worked for Fairchild Industries until he joined the U.S. Army Air Force. He then attended George Washington University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in foreign affairs, and met his future wife, Jean Brandt (Boward). They were married in 1949 and moved to Bethesda, Md., where he worked for Dynaelectron Corp.

Mrs. Myrtle L. Hartle, 86, of Hagerstown, died Tuesday afternoon, May 29, 2012, at Meritus Medical Center near Hagerstown. She was the wife of the late Mr. Richard Lee Hartle, who died April 9, 2012. Born Sept. 23, 1925, in Franklin County, Pa., near State Line, she was a daughter of the late Nelson Russell and Lillian Celeste (Byers) Leckron. She was a 1943 graduate of Greencastle High School. Prior to marriage, Mrs. Hartle worked for Fairchild Industries, Hagerstown. As a homemaker in later years, she enjoyed working with flowers and sending cheer notes to shut-in friends.

Mr. Richard Lee "Dick" Hartle, 90, of Hagerstown, died late Monday afternoon, April 9, 2012, at Meritus Medical Center, Hagerstown. He was the husband of Mrs. Myrtle Louise Leckron Hartle, whom he married on July 30, 1948. Born in Aug. 7, 1921, in Middleburg, Washington County, he was the youngest of 11 children of Stanley Wade and Eleanor Elizabeth Nellie Barnhart Hartle. He was a World War II Army Air Force veteran and attended the University of Maryland under the G.I. Bill.

Mr. Donald Keith Merchant, 90, of Dallas, Ga., died Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012. Born in Uvilla, W.Va., Mr. Merchant was the chief of restoration for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. During a long work career, he worked at Fairchild Industries and for Airpax, where he held several patents. He was the owner of Data Merchant in Cambridge, Md., and was a computer instructor at Dorchester Community College, and owner and publisher of the Antique Aircraft Gazette special interest newspaper.

George M. “Buck” Everett Sr., 88, of Hancock, died Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, at the home of his son, George M. Everett Jr., of Hancock. Born Aug. 20, 1923, in Hancock, he was the son of the late John and Hallie Jane Corbett Everett and the widower of Edna May Flowers Everett Divelbiss. He attended Hancock area schools. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army in New Guinea and the South Philippines. He retired from Fairchild Industries in Hagerstown and had been employed by Fleetwood Industries in Hancock.

Donald Draper Frush, 89, of Hagerstown, passed away Friday, Jan. 20, 2012, at Homewood Retirement Center in Williamsport, Md. Born Sept. 21, 1922, in Hagerstown, he was the son of the late Walter H. and Alma Anderson (Draper) Frush. Donald was a 1940 graduate of Hagerstown High School. Mr. Frush was employed as a tooling engineer for more than 40 years with Fairchild Industries in Hagerstown. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army. He was a member of John Wesley United Methodist Church in Hagerstown, and enjoyed traveling and visiting national and state parks and horticultural gardens, and listening to classical music.