SAM CALES 1952 - 1986 STATION AGENT, ASSISTANT STATION MANAGER, STATION MANAGER ADH TUL DEN DAL PHX Re the RNO bunch; Jimmy Johnson went to work at the Reno Post Office, sorting mail at night last I heard. I haven't heard from him in years, though. He may still be working at the Post Office. I kind of lost track of everyone else. I saw Jim Trabert's ex-wife a couple of times (she worked at Macy's), but not in years. Bill Goodyear just flat out retired, I think. Vince Davis went to work for the City of Reno as a business license inspector. Larry Zentz moved to Las Vegas, and (I think) went to work for some airline. John Pappas (the manager) went to work for America West, in the tour department and moved to Phoenix (I think). John Keith moved out to Fernley (30 miles) and had triple bypass heart surgery. Last I saw him was 5 or 6 years ago. He was doing part-time handyman at a truck stop/cafe. Pete Randall went to work as a city fireman in Sparks (next to Reno). Jim Booth had already died (of cancer) before the bankruptcy. Alan Smith (fairly new employee) went to work for AA. Last I heard from him he was back in Reno again, still working ticket counter for AA. That was about a year ago. I think that's about it. Sam Cales tells me he may go to work part-time at the Reno airport as "Ambassador", which is kind of an information booth/travelers aid service. -Joe Max Johnson (2/28/02) I am saddened to inform that I was just made aware this AM that Sam Cales, former FAL MGR of PHX passed away (respiratory infection) with services in RNO @ 1600 this Sunday. -Frank Schubert (6/21/02) I'm stunned! When did it happen? I checked the RNO paper's website but nothing there. -Jake Lamkins (6/22/02) I saw this in today's paper (Sam's obituary). Came as a surprise to me, but I had not seen Sam in several months. The ranks are getting thinner! -Joe Max Johnson (6/22/02) Thanks very much, Joe. Frank Schubert had sent me a short notice last night. I appreciate the obituary. Yes, sadly, we are thinning out far too rapidly. -Jake Lamkins (6/22/02) Worked for Sakm and shot archery with him. He will be missed by me and my Family. -Errol & Gini Klein, Denver, CO (6/23/02) Sure was surprised this a.m. to read about Sam Cales. A very nice man. -Sandy Glau (6/24/02) Just getting caught up on business mail and noted your e-mails - thanks for the obituary. -Frank Schubert (6/24/02) I will always feel that I was privileged to know Sam Cales. Back at Central, he always took the time to answer question of a customer service value. He also always cautioned me to step back and look twice at passenger problems, (a caution I never really heeded). After FAL was "killed" and Sam was RNO manager, I always took the time to introduce my crew to a "class act" person. That was Sam. We always had lunch together whenever I had a noon turn in RNO, regardless of the lack of great menu's in the RNO "greasy spoon". Another we'll meet again in the heavenly hangar. I hope the coffee will be as good as the Central hangar at GSW!!! Another good guy gone west!!!!! -Clyde Hart (6/24/02) I worked for Sam Cales as a station agent when he was Assistant Station Mgr for CN in Tulsa, OK. He was truly a joy to be around and taught me much about the airline business. A real gentleman. After I went on the line as a pilot, he always had time to visit and share some of his time when I would "fly" through his station. Sam will be missed by all who knew him. -Phil Stallings (6/24/02) Sam was a wonderful person. I admired the loving relationship that he had with his wife, almost as if they were newlyweds. Sam worked for us at Reno Air in Reno as a station agent or something. I tried to get him to be a supervisor or Asst. Mgr. but he was not interested. He was the station customer soother and problem solver in Reno. If I were to look for the definition of a good Christian, it would be Sam. -G. Dan McCauley (6/25/02) There was never a finer man than Sam Cales. His wife Emily is equally unique. Sam had to get through the Pearly Gates with no questions asked. -Dick Rohrmann (6/25/02) Sam was the Man Sam Hired me in PHX as a temp to backfill for those PHX Station agents that went to JAC & WYS for the summer. Looking back now, I was grateful for the chances he gave me as a temp. I remember flying to DEN for my typing test and processing, and he actually sought me out on return and congratulated my passing. Yes indeed he was a great Manager! -Dennis Casadoro (6/25/02) To: Joe Max Johnson: Wasn't Sam also RNOFL station manager? I'm getting some things together for the next newsletter. Could you give me a biographical sketch of Sam? You knew him clear back to CN, didn't you? Also, I'm looking for a photo for his webpage. -Jake Lamkins (6/25/02) No, Sam Cales never worked for FL in Reno. He was manager for CO for a while in RNO, and later a supervisor for RenoAir in Reno. He started with Central in Ada, Oklahoma. I was manager in Ada for a while, and he and I were the only 2 Central people there. He was Central manager in Denver, and then in Phoenix. When the CN-FL merger took place, he then was FL manager there. He was still in PHX for the FL bankruptcy, then went to work for Continental Airlines. I don't have a photo, but his widow has several nice photos and I am sure she would be pleased to provide one. -Joe Max Johnson (6/25/02) I worked for Sam as a Senior Agent in PHX. I agree, he was/is the best Manager I have ever worked for. I learned lots from him. Unfortunately, I have lost contact with him through the years. He was a good man. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. -Larry Kramer (6/25/02) Sorry to hear about Sam Cales. He was a year younger than me. -Cliff Brown (6/25/02) Letter from Sam published in the Spring 2002 FRONTIER NEWS: "Please find enclosed my $10 for the FL NEWS. Are you sure this will cover the costs? Pretty cheap for what you are doing for us old dogs.... keeping alive a bunch of fond memories. I was looking over the list of the ones we have lost and it dawned on me that when I went to work for Central in 1952, all the pilots were World War II boys who had given so much and now were to be part of history in building the great industry called "Aviation". My favorite old DC-3 story was when I was in ADH (Ada, OK) and the flights made one engine stops with 3 minutes ground time. I was working one evening in 1953 and had completed my three minutes of ground time. I was ready to start the left engine when to our surprise the engine would not turn over. This was normally caused by a bad "mag" that would not accept the power that was being transferred over from the right engine. Next thing I knew, the captain got off the airplane, left the right engine running, asked me if I had my car at the airport and did I have a length of rope. I said yes to both questions and he told me to drive my car out to the ramp and back it to the left engine parallel to the wing of the aircraft. When I got out of the car, he stood on my back bumper and wrapped one end of the rope around the engine "hub" and the other end to my back bumper. He got back on the plane and had his co-pilot stand on my back bumper to add weight and give more traction. I pushed the gas pedal to the floor of that 1946 Ford and put down rubber that is probably still there. About the second full turn of the engine it kicked and started. The co-pilot jumped back on the plane and the captain gave me a salute and thumbs up!! It took me awhile to recover but what a thrill! What would the FAA have said? Take care and thanks again for what you are doing for all of us. Sam L. Cales" Dear Mrs. Cales, I was stunned to hear about Sam. Please accept my sincerest condolences for your loss. He had written me awhile back with one of his Central stories from his days at Ada, OK. I published it in the last FRONTIER NEWS. Many, many folks from the Frontier family have been e-mailing me about how saddened they are and what a fine man Sam was. I would like very much to do an article honoring him in the next issue (July). Do you have a photo you could e-mail me? If not, one I could send back after you mail it. We have a Frontier obituary website where I could put the photo too. If you like, I can forward all the notes & e-mails I've been receiving. Perhaps hearing the high esteem his Frontier family held him will lighten the load you carry now. Sincerely, -Jake Lamkins (6/26/02) Dear Jake, Thank you so much for your kind words. Enclosed are the newspaper article, the program from the service, including the letter I wrote, and a picture - I hope this will be what you need. I am not quite up to sending pictures by e-mail, so I hope you receive this in time. Thank you in advance for sharing the notes & e-mails. Sincerely, -Emily Cales (7/1/02) Thanks so much for the letter and the info on Sam. I hope to have a webpage finished for him in a few days. I've posted his photo at the online club. Meanwhile you can see the notes I've gotten at http://FAL-1.tripod.com/Sam_Cales.txt If you'd like to join the Frontier online club, I can send you the info - it's free. -Jake Lamkins (7/1/02) Sam Cales was without question one of the finest people I have ever met and one that I was proud to call my friend for many years - at Frontier and Continental. I had lost touch with him in the mid 90's but thanks to the Frontier alumni site, I made contact with him through email earlier this year. He will be sorely missed by his family and everyone who knew him. -Ann Yanulavich (6/26/02) So sorry to hear of the passing of Sam Cales. I was there in PHX when he was Station Manager. A good man! -Ace Avakian (6/26/02) I also would like to take the time to express my very deep admiration for Sam Cales. I first met him in Ada, OK. when I was flying through there in our early years of CEN. He was just a kid, as so many of us were and he was the most eager new hire that I had ever seen, then and now. He was always going out of his way to be nice, and be of service in any way, not to just the people with the Airline, but to everyone he came in contact with. I am currently retired, and am going to Cardiac Rehab, and have a former FAL Mech. that is now with AA here at DFW. I relayed the message of Sam's passing, and he was also shocked and we both started telling others around us about The Sam Cales. Sam Cales had a twin and so did Clyde Clay, and they were very good friends, and were born on the same day, and the same year. So they have had something in common, all these many years. In recent years, Sam has contacted me via E-Mail and kept saying he sure would like to attend one of our DFW-FAL annual Reunion's, and catch up on all of the Ole-Cen-Fal guys. As of late, we have lost many many of them, and now that they have Flown West, they can have that Get-To-Gether, and we too will be looking forward to joining them. Truly a Great Guy, has left us, and God Bless The Souls of The Departed, and God Bless America. -Bill Blackmon (CEN/FAL/CAL) (6/27/02) Just read the news of Sam Cales passing. Bummer! Sam was SM in PHX when I worked there, 1980 till the end. Sam and I had more than a few 'go-arounds', but he was always fair and would listen to your situation. Damn, seems like everytime I check in here, someone I knew or worked with has gone west. Anywho, Sam, have a good flight! See you later. -Bill Fleming (6/28/02) I began my airline career with Central Airlines Nov 64 in Denver. I was so very fortunate to have had Sam as my Station Manager, man I was so green. After short stints in TUL & OKC I went back to DEN just so I could work for Sam. Shortly after I was back in DEN he accepted the SM job in DAL (LOVE FIELD) so I followed him there. The Lord truly blessed me for being able to have Sam as not only a manager, but as a friend. Only a week prior to Sam's passing I had received his email address and had sent him note. He was truly a blessing in my life. My prayers are with Emily and the girls. Until we meet again. -Bill McKee (6/29/02) Sorry to hear about Sam Cales passing away. I remember him and liked him but did not know him very well. -Leon Northrup, MOT Manager (7/7/02) As Airport Manager at PHX during Sam's tenure at Sky Harbor we became close friends and I was greatly saddened to hear of his passing. Sam and I shared many a happy day quail hunting during his years in PHX. Sam was an Icon, a pure professional as well as a Christian gentleman. He will be sorely missed. -Bob Erickson, Deputy Aviation Director, Retired, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (7/11/02) It was with great sadness that I learned of Sam Cales passing in the FL Newsletter. I worked for Sam in PHX in 1974-75. He was the best Manager that I had the opportunity to work for. When I transferred to PHX, my check didn't show up on time (anyone experience that too!), and Sam offered to front me cash out of his own pocket to get me by until the check arrived. He also offered to help me move from one apartment to another in PHX. When our 1st child was born, I had to take the day off. When I asked Sam how to show it on my timecard, he said, "just put 8 hours down..I can't dock you for taking a day off to be with your wife and new son at the hospital"! I always wanted to tell him how much he meant to me but then I moved back to MCI and we never crossed paths again...until a business trip put me in Reno in April, 2001. I called Sam up and spent a great lunch hour with him hashing over old times. It also gave me the opportunity to tell him, after 25 years, how much I appreciated the way he treated me. Sam was truly a great indiviual and friend. I thank God that I got to tell him so. He will be missed by all who knew him. Put in a good word for me Sam...I'll see you again someday!! -Bob Stine (7/29/02) I was shocked to learn of Sam's passing when I received the summer 2002 Frontier News. Sam hired me in June of 1966 when I started with CN in DEN. After the merger with FL and two very cold winters in DEN I transferred to PHX in March of 1968 to once again work with Sam. He was not only my manager, but my mentor and my friend. He was always there to guide, and to teach me. When I became a supervisor we worked well together. We did not always agree, but I always learned from him. He always addressed any situation, and the people involved with dignity and respect. Our last visit together was on a trip to RNO when he was the manager for CO. He took the time to visit and to talk about some wonderful times from the past. I will miss Sam. I will never work a day at the airport without using the skills that he he blessed me with. I just wish I could have seen him one more time to tell him "Thank You." -Greg Davis, DEN CN PHX, TUS FL (7/30/02) Dear Jake, Thank you so much for the beautiful website you set up for Sam. Thank you, too, for printing from so many of his co-workers. It is most gratifying to hear how he truly made a difference in the lives of those he came in contact with. I thank God for the almost 50 years he was blessing my life. Sincerely, -Emily Cales (8/28/02) I started in the PHX Reservation Department which at that time was located in the Sahara Hotel in downtown Phoenix on 1st Street. I was there till they remoted to Sky Harbor Airport and we were located in Terminal One, behind our ticket counter and next to the Operations Department. Some of the agents at that time were Carl Foster, Ira Kemp Pete Couk, Tom Puckett, John Koehler, Jim Downs, Bob Fish, Vern Crawley, Don Blandford, Max Willis. Some of our Managers were Carl Foster, Cal Reese, Jim Butler, Bert Clark was an Assistant Manager after he retired from flying, and our last Manager that I worked for was Sam Cales. They were great years. -Ginger Ann Treptow, FL emp from 10-6-57 till 1986. S. L. CALES Station agent seniority date of 9/3/52, based at ADH, on the 5/18/53 CN Station Seniority List. Samuel L. Cales held the same seniority date as DEN manager (covered) on the 1/1/62 CN Agent Seniority List. S. L. Cales, emp 01244, held 15 yrs 00 mos 28 days retained station agent seniority on the 1/1/86 FL/ALEA seniority list. -Jake Lamkins (2/27/09) SAMUEL L CALES Born 25 Jul 1934 Died 20 Jun 2002 Age 67 At 89503 (Reno, Washoe, NV) SSN issued in Oklahoma -SSDI (2/27/09) I was saddened to learn that Errol Klein had passed away. I worked with Errol at Central Airlines in Denver. At that time our crew consisted of Errol, Sam Cales, who was the manager, Rudy Skeen, Vern Bennett, and I. Sadly, Rudy and Sam are also deceased. I remember when Errol was hired. At that time Same and Errol belonged to an archery club, and Sam convinced Errol that working with us was the place to be. He will be sorely missed. -Fred Krebs (1/25/10) Our fuel facility had some oleander bushes by the side fence. In the spring they had beautiful flowers on the. So occasionally I would break off some of the branches and fasten them to the CV580 fueling truck. FL was the only one in PHX with a flowery truck. Everybody thought it looked fine, except station manager Sam Cales who would just roll up his eyes. -John Koehler (1/28/10) Just googled my Dad's name and got to reread all the wonderful posts that were put up when he passed away eight years ago. My name is Tammy Kenyon and Sam Cales was my dad. He had so many wonderful years with Frontier and had so much respect for so many people there. Sincerely, -Tammy Cales Kenyon (6/17/10) Posted at FLacebook and the FL Club: PHX station manager Sam Cales' memorial webpage has been up dated. http://FAL-1.tripod.com/Sam_Cales.html 9 items added. -Jake Lamkins (2/23/13) I got to know Sam well, even more so after our shutdown when he was in RNO. He was an excellent manager and more importantly, he was just a fine human being - RIP Sam. -Joe Barker (2/22/13) I worked my way thru flight school as a Station Agent for Central in Tulsa .... Sam was Assistant Station Mgr there... Walt Whitecrow was Mgr... Both good men. -Phil Stallings (2/22/13) Knew Sam Cales for many yrs. at CN, FL & RenoAir (QQ). One of the most respected individuals I ever knew. Here's photo of large CN model I assembled, painted & hand carried to Reno & presented to Sam @ his retirement dinner from RenoAir & the industry. We had developed a special relationship @ QQ. -Jim Mustain (2/23/13) I remember Sam well. When I would fly out of DAL, we would often enjoy a coffee at the Dobbs Coffee Shop. Sam was a fine man and an outstanding manager. I lost track of Sam after I went to work for Dobbs International in 1971. -Ray Marney (2/23/13) I began my airline career with CN/DEN/1964 and was blessed by having Sam as my manager. When he bacame Manager at DAL, I transferred to DAL because of the respect I had for Sam. He was a real friend and I was fortunate to have learned from the best. -Bill McKee (2/23/13)