DENNY FINKE 1966 - 1986 PILOT DEN Frontier Airlines' Alumni Group Denny Finke has joined the Club. Denny was a pilot at FL and is member #230. Welcome aboard, Denny. He sent a great photo! Thanks, Denny. -Jake Lamkins (9/17/00) Denny helped with Bob Grisanti obit info. -Jake Lamkins (7/13/09) I have greatly enjoyed looking at this group of pictures. Many I had never seen. Sure glad you have done all this work to keep the memory alive. I've been tracking my son coming from HNL to SNA this afternoon. Kinda neat to be able to do that. But the best days were flying the CV-580. I still dream about it. -Denny Finke (8/13/10) I am 70 years old. I am retired from being a pilot for Continental airline. I worked for them about 10 years. Before that I worked for Frontier Airlines. It was a small regional airline based in Denver, Colorado. We covered cities from St. Louis west to Salt Lake City. Frontier was bought by Continental in middle 1986. As a pilot I have traveled to every US state except Alaska. After 1996 I worked for Discover Card for about three years and other odd jobs. My wife is now the bread winner and works at ACS. She talks to customers and uses a computer to look them up and record what they want. I stay at home mostly. I have a flower garden in a rock wall back of our house that keeps me pretty busy. I spend a lot of time on the computer too and do some house work. -Denny Finke (5/14/12) I was given the Stearns book and read it fully. I didn't pay any attention to the author until a few days later when we went to the FAL SLC picnic. There was Gus and his wife. We talked to them quite a bit as we had not seen them for many years. Gus was a good friend at Frontier. Later I found out it was their son who wrote the book. It is really a great book for those of us who lived through it. Thanks for your work of indexing all the pictures. -Denny Finke (6/30/12) D D FINKE Pilot seniority date of 5/3/66 per the 9/1/86 FL/ALPA Seniority List. -Jake Lamkins (6/30/12) Frontier History Book I read every bit of it in about a week. It brought back so many memories and a lot of stuff, at the presidential level, I did not know. I got it from my son, Kevin, for Father's Day. I read every page in about a week. It is a great keepsake for me. One of my grandchildren, Alec, was interested so I got to tell and show him about the good old days. At the SLC picnic (three days after I finished it), someone bought it from the auction, and then we all signed it as a gift to Jack Shade. Get this, the author is the son of Gus Stearns. I had not seen Gus for about 20 years. At the FAL picnic Gus, his wife, and Gregory showed up. The first page shows a good picture of Gus and his wife. I got to meet Gregory. -Denny Finke (8/5/12) I literally cried in the parking lot most evenings after flying for Continental. When the hangar came down it was the worst. I will always wonder what my life would have been if I had done something other than CO. Some were better off. Many were not. -Denny Finke (8/5/12) FLacebook posting of father/son photo: Kevin Finke is with Denny Finke. Denny and Kevin Finke flying the line together! Frontier Airlines MD-80 in 1986. Larry Denton Denny, it's been a long time since we worked together at Kelsey Ellis. Denny Finke You are right about that! Come back with what you have been doing! What a great time we had. Just think, I started flight training Kevin when he was 12 years old. He was unable to fly alone until he was 16. He soloed that day. When he was 17, he got his private, which meant he could carry passengers. He got his commercial at 18. Also his instrument rating. Another instructor got him his multi-engine rating. All other instructions were done by me. He went to MD-80 ground school. We worked together in the simulator, in Long Beach. We were there for 14 days. My parents came out too! It was a really fun time. When that was done, he needed 25 hours with an instructor flying the line. Guess who? Me. ?? WOW! He had graduated to a commercial airline First Officer! On one of our later trip, his grand parents - my parents - went along. We had several legs together and a layover! Dad picked up the dinner tab. The picture above was on one of our trips! Love that picture! The MD-80 is my favorite plane! It was sooo quiet up front, you could not hear the engines running! (5/18/19) FLacebook on Sep 1, 2019 For those of you who knew my Dad, Denny Finke. Captain Finke passed away on August 31st, 2019. He was 78 years old. If you'd like to attend the service it will be at: GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 1815 East 9800 South Sandy UT 84092 at 6pm I loved flying the MD-80 with Dad and I take his gentlemanly character along with me every flight I fly to this day. Denny was an excellent simulator instructor and superior employee and loved Frontier so much! Kim McCaleb Austin I'm sorry for ur loss! May God bless u and ur family. I remember ur dad. He was a safe pilot! Janice Gassett I am so sorry. He was the greatest Captain. Patty Hughes Smith My deepest sympathy. I flew with your dad often and he and your mom were at my wedding Celebration at the Phipps. Prayers Diane Wright Smith So very sorry for your loss..Denny was in my husbands class in 1966. Denny was a kind and gentle man. Always a good trip with Denny. Prayers to your family Trish Swanson-Hawk Prayers for your family and many friends Lance Lau My condolences to you and your family. I always enjoyed flying with your dad. Denise Hurd My deepest sympathies, your dad was a great pilot and a very special man. I loved flying with him. Sending prayers for you and your family. Rick Broome God Bless. Our heartfelt condolences. You and your friends fond memories are blessings and exponentially special. Thank you. Marcie Lubin I am so sorry about the loss of your Father. He was such a nice guy and a wonderful pilot. Prayers to you and your family. Jake Lamkins I'm really sorry to hear about this. Denny and I had been in touch often since email got invented. My condolences to you, Kevin,, and your family. I'll build him a memorial webpage. Here's a pic of him at the 2010 SLC Reunion. 5 of those in it have flown west. (9/1/19) Kevin Finke Thanks so much! Maybe I'll get to next years reunion in Dad's stead. Sharon Trumble Kevin, your Dad was the tops in dignity. I'm glad I flew with him so often and felt so safe. My condolences to you and your family. Linda Hatzky Hartzell So sorry for your loss. Darlene Mortenson Tieskotter Sympathy to the family! He was a wonderful man!! Roberta Brashears You were mentored by the very best. Sending heartfelt sympathy to you and your family - a good pilot/man has flown west, way too early. Frank Malone So sorry for your loss. Denny & I go way back to my initial interview in '78. After the sim ride he told me to go back & tell Capt Wyche to hire me. He & I talked a few times during this last year. He will be sorely missed. RIP my friend. Irene Fairweather Your father was a prince of a man. Always enjoyed flying with him. So sorry for his passing. Rest in peace Capt. Finke. George Fay My deepest sympathy to you and your family. Your dad was an absolute prince of a guy. Flew with him and checked him many times. One of the real gentlemen in this profession. R.I.P. Lorrie Craven Tarr I am certain my father, Gary Craven, knew of your dad. I lost him August 1 of last year. My heart hurts for your loss. Blessings to you and your family. Kevin Finke Lorrie, I loved flying with Gary in the 727! His response on the radio to ATC was always "Good-ol Continental Airlines 327." Gary Getman Sorry for yr loss Gretchen Densley What a role model..lots of respect for your father. Condolences to your family Phillip R Stallings Another good man flown West. A good pilot... a good friend. Marcia Wolff Your Dad was a gentle man and a great pilot. I always enjoyed flying with him. Prayers for you all. Coy Preece I did know your dad I'm so sorry for your loss he was an amazing man and pilot Kim Phelps Bradshaw God bless his journey! I was able to share a few reunions with my Dad and grateful to hear the stories from these wonderful folks. Larry Denton I knew Denny when he worked at Kelsey Ellis air service at Salt Lake City airport in the 60s. He was always in good spirits and fun to talk with. I will remember those days forever Ed Woodson It was always a pleasure to fly with your Dad !! Henry Rankin A real gentleman for sure. Enjoyed flying with him. Tom Robertson My condolences, Kevin. I flew with your Dad many times between 1974-1986. Good guy. RIP (9/2/19) FLacebook - FL Club FLight West: Denny Finke DEN pilot Denny Finke's memorial webpage is posted at http://FAL-1.tripod.com/Denny_Finke.html Post your remembrances of him. -Jake Lamkins (9/14/19) Sherry — Cheryl & I just learned of Denny’s having Gone West! Gosh, weren’t we just together at the FAL SLC Reunion? We are in shock. We remember your’s & Denny’s great hospitality when we stayed with you at an earlier reunion. Hard to imagine he has left us but we know eventually we will see him again... Our heartfelt condolences to you and the family. Love, -Billy & Cheryl Walker (9/15/19) Today my Dad would have been 80 years old. This man was instrumental in who I am today. Loving, cheerful, full of knowledge, energy, and a love for nature. He worked hard with me in mathematics, science, meteorology, and of course aviation. I started my first flying lesson at 8 years old and by 12 was already working on advanced instrument landings. My dad signed me off for my solo flight on my 16th birthday in 1979. I operated my very first flight as a First Officer with Dad in command of the flight at Frontier Airlines. His investment in me continues today as I enter the cockpit. Especially in his flying skills, the love of flight, and his gentle character with the crew and passengers. He is greatly missed. -Kevin Finke 7/31/21) Mary Avers Albeck I loved flying with your dad, such a wonderful person. Just saw your post on the Frontier and wanted to tell you. Lance Lau Kevin, my Condolences to you and your family. Your dad was a good man and an excellent aviator. May he always have blue skies and tailwinds. (8/29/21) Kevin Finke @ FLacebook Responding to a thread about how United killed Frontier. ...This is exactly how it happened. I went through it ALL! I merged into Continental then United, now a 37 year veteran pilot. SO miss Frontier! The entire thing killed my Father, Denny Finke, who loved flying for Frontier. He passed early at 78 years old because of the stress and depression of the way United handled Frontier. (8/29/21)