A brave and gallant warrior has taken his last flight west. Jack Bering Schade, our father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle and beloved friend passed away June 25, 2014 at his home.
He came from hardscrabble beginnings yet he achieved greatness in everything he did. Moreover he was loved and cherished by those he met. We all came away from encounters with this gentle, authentic, caring man so much the richer. He embodied traits we all aspire to: authenticity, unselfishness, genuine love and deep interest in others and he was a delightful and prolific storyteller always with a twinkle in his eye and a wry expression on his face.
He met his sweetheart, Mary Alene Rosenkrantz at age 14 and he married her on November 23, 1944. Thus their incredible love story began. For 68 years they celebrated life together and complimented each other in every way. She was a glittering diamond and he was her solid rock. Parkview Drive, their home of 57 years, was always the sanctuary and a welcome place for family, friends and relatives. It and they were the one thing you could always count on.
From a young age he had a dream and abiding desire to become a pilot. It was fostered by his grandfather who took him to the aerodrome to watch the planes take off and land near the beginning of the aviation industry.
His dream came true when he left home at age 18 to join the Army Air Corps. His first stop was Albrook Field in Panama. Shortly after he arrived, World War II began. That part of the war he didn't talk about much because his more profound experiences came later.
In 1944 he trained to fly the Boeing B-29 the giant aircraft of the time. It played a vital role in ending World War II on the Pacific front. Based out of Guam he flew 25 combat missions - long grueling 15 hour flights as bombing runs over Japan. Twice his plane was damaged to the point where he had to make emergency landings on Iwo Jima.
He also participated in the huge show- of-force over Tokyo during the signing of the treaty for Japan's surrender. These experiences had a lasting impact on his life. His respect and love for anything military was born. He taught everyone around him to appreciate the freedoms we enjoy in this country because of the brave men like him.
After returning home, he began his commercial airline career. The majority of his flying time was spent with Frontier Airlines where he flew for 35 years. There he gained lifelong friends and developed a camaraderie that lasted to his last days.
After his forced retirement at age 60, he became a Colonel with the Conference Air Force, a group designed to preserve World War II planes. He loved participating in every way and even took a trip to Midland, Texas in a PT-17 Stearman after his retirement.
He also cherished his friendships with his fellow pilots both from WWII and Frontier. Nothing pleased him more than to visit and share old stories. The visits would last for hours and everyone, including his children and grandchildren loved the stories. His stories will be missed by one and all ‚ even though we've heard them many times over.
He is survived by his daughters Anne, Jill (Doug) Dredge, granddaughters Jennifer Dredge and Julio Amarillo, Jamie (Wyatt) West and two great grandchildren Colin and Lydia. Also surviving are his nephews Shurl (Kathy) Scott, and Kevin (Kitty) Rosenkrantz.
Funeral Services will be Tuesday, July 1, 2014. The viewing will be held at noon at Larkin Mortuary, 260 East South Temple, SLC. The funeral will follow at 1:00 p.m. Interment: Salt Lake City Cemetery.
