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On June 10, 2001 the Nanaimo Flying Club lost one of its members and the world lost a great man. Mike Warren will be missed by everyone who knew him.

 

We lost Mike Warren June 10th, 2001.  Mike lived on Apex airport in Washington State. His early career in the US Navy had him learning about electronics on nuclear submarines. He was a heavy equipment and crane operator. He worked with the state of Washington for many years, then retired, and worked as a union man and was trying to retire from that job also.

 

His true love was aviation, and people who loved aviation.

 

Mike had flown to Russia cultivating friends and business associates while searching for aviation opportunities to bring back to this part of the world. He loved the Yak aircraft.

 

I became closer to Mike after I purchased my Yak-52 in 1993. My daughter, Deb, decided on flying as a career after being exposed to this great airplane. Mike became her instructor, and took her through her private and commercial licenses. When the Yak wasn’t suitable for instrument training, Mike had his trusty C-150 handy. Mike wouldn’t accept any money for any of this.  

 

Mike was always ready to fly to an airshow. He ferried my Yak-55 around Canada for a month last year. What a blast it was to be around him on this trip. His enthusiasm and enjoyment of every minute was infectious

 

Mike and I were involved in a wing walker’s rescue at an airshow. He and his buddy, Bill Ammirato, knew that the performers needed help. They came to get me to help them, and we were able to drive a truck under the low flying airplane to bring the wing walker into the back. They were heroic in the back of the truck, basically holding the airplane down as it accelerated away before the line was cut.

 

Mike was ready to help anyone who needed help. He will leave a huge hole in my life, as he had become such a big part of helping me operate my planes. He’ll leave a big hole when we get together as friends and he is not there.

 

Mike leaves behind his son, Jason. He spent a great deal of time with Jason at the airport and airshows. Mike’s brother, Don traveled to this area several times a year from Virginia to join Mike and his friends at air-events like Arlington and Concrete. Mike’s mother lives back in Virginia. She is pretty and obviously was the reason for Mike’s love of life.

 

Bud Granley

 

 

 

There is very little I can add to what Bud has said already. Mike was always a joy to be around – no matter how badly things were going he would always find the bright side of the situation and make you laugh. I don’t know how many times I have heard him say “Hell, that don’t matter – we’ll make it work” and proceed to do just that.

 

Mike had a heart of gold and was a gentle soul – he truly cared about every one of us who were lucky enough to be one of his friends. 

 

He had the most remarkable approach to everything he did, and really gave a face to the phrase “attitude is everything”. I loved him and I miss him, as do so many others, and I believe my life was made better by knowing him.

 

April Zalesky

 

Click on the following links to view pictures of mike and some of his friends doing what they all enjoyed.
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