Captain Maurice Keating died on Nov. 13, 2008, at the age of 91. Inspired by the famed aviator, Charles Lindberg, “Maury’s” interest in aviation began at an early age. He spent his youth in Salt Lake City, Utah, where his father, Maurice Keating Sr., often took his two young sons, Bill and Maury, to the airfield to watch airplanes land and take off. After graduating from East High in Salt Lake City, Mr. Keating enrolled at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, majoring in business. There he was hired by United Airlines (UAL) as a passenger agent and was sent to Salt Lake City, where he was able to complete his degree at the University of Utah and work for UAL. It was on a ski date that he fell in love with Margaret Gillette, a registered nurse and one of the first stewardesses for Western Airlines. The couple married in 1941. When World War II began, he was hired as a B-24 test pilot for Consolidated Vultee Aircraft and later delivered personnel and supplies to the Pacific Theater throughout the war. After World War II, Mr. Keating and Margaret began their family and soon moved with their two small sons to Anchorage, Ak., where Mr. Keating was a captain and chief pilot for Pacific Northern Airlines. Two daughters were born there, and then the family moved to Mercer Island, where their third son was born. Mr. Keating concluded his commercial career with Western Airlines, flying the DC 10 between Seattle and Honolulu. Mr. Keating completed three marathons in his early 60s. After reluctantly retiring from Western at the mandatory age of 60, Mr. Keating enjoyed flying as a corporate pilot for the construction firm Howard S. Wright, then flew for the air ambulance service, Airlift Northwest, from which he retired at age 75. The couple’s biggest life challenge was losing their oldest son, Dennis, at the age of 46. In spite of this sadness, Mr. Keating enjoyed life to the fullest. He was a volunteer driver for senior services, a charter member of the Museum of Flight, played tennis with a group at the Seattle Tennis Center until the age of 85, and played golf until he was 89.

Mr. Keating was preceded in death by his mother, Grace; father, Maurice; sister, Barbara; and eldest son, Dennis. He is survived by his loving wife, Margaret; brothers, William (Billie) and Jack (Libby); children, Don (Lori), Janet Campbell (Duncan), Margie Ose (Greg) and Michael; 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Memorial services have been held. Remembrances are suggested to The Museum of Flight, 9404 E. Marginal Way, Seattle, WA 98108 or Unity of Bellevue.