Service pays tribute to MRU flight instructor
University aviation program, family and friends reeling after tragic plane crash
He spent decades of his life soaring high above the clouds, more than 20,000 of those joyful hours spent as the man piloting large commercial aircraft.
For those lucky enough to have known Reynold (Reyn) Johnson, though, he’ll be best remembered as a man with both feet planted on the ground, a down-to-earth soul who cherished his family, was loved and respected by his aviation colleagues and admired by the students he taught at Mount Royal University.
On Friday, the 64-year-old’s family, friends and community members pay a loving farewell at St. Michael’s Catholic Community in the city’s southwest.
The close to 300 mourners include children, seniors, students from MRU’s aviation program and scores of fellow aviators, judging by the plethora of pilot caps seen outside the chapel.
On the evening of Feb. 13, Johnson and fellow flight instructor Jeff Bird were flying one of the school’s Tecnam twinengined planes over the Waiparous recreation area about 100 kilometres northwest of Calgary.
Johnson and Bird — a 35-yearold former captain with the Royal Canadian Air Force who was married with two young chil- dren — were said to be expertly manoeuvring the plane, when something went horribly wrong.
What happened in the 30 seconds between their aircraft being tracked at 900 metres of altitude and it crashing into the trees, killing both men, is still under investigation by Transport Canada.
It is a tragedy that has left their loved ones in shock and sorrow, an entire community reeling. This past Monday, a large crowd at Mount Royal University’s Bella Concert Hall said goodbye to Bird with stories of his love of flying and his greatest loves, his family.
The past 24 hours has been devoted to celebrating the life of Johnson, who began his instructing at MRU last year after retiring from a 35-year career as a commercial pilot with Air Canada and Jazz.
The evening before Friday’s Catholic service presided over by Rev. Cristino Bouvette, those who knew Johnson had gathered for tributes to the much-loved veteran pilot.
Leon Cygman, chair of the aviation program, was one of those who told of Johnson’s great combination of people skills and passion for flying.
“It was clear to me that his signature twinkle sucked them in,” said Cygman of Johnson’s ability to win over students, “and his expertise kept their attention and got their respect ... the man I had hired was a kid at heart.”
While the service Friday does not include more tributes to Johnson, the images of his life projected onto several screens in the church communicates so much about both the man and the wonderful life he lived.
His profession gave him the opportunity to see the world, as shown by numerous photos of him vacationing in Europe and relaxing on sunny beaches. Johnson’s love of adventure extended to skiing, scuba diving and motorcycling.
It also tells the story of a family man, his face beaming with delight as he walks his wife Brenda down the aisle in 1977, dances with his daughter Maryse on her wedding day and holds his three grandchildren — the last being born just days before his death.
Johnson was, says Bouvette, “a man of warmth,” an upbeat person whose “family was everything to him.”
At the service’s end, MRU president David Docherty speaks to reporters about the widespread impact the deaths of Johnson and Bird have had on the school community.
“The loss for Mount Royal has been devastating,” he says. “But nothing compared to the loss for the family … he instilled dreams in our students.”
Taylor Jackson, one of his students who also offered a tribute to her teacher the evening prior, talks about the impact Johnson had on her and other students. “He made you want to improve, not only in the aviation world but also as a person.”
Holding back her tears, Lanice Jones talks about her friend of more than 30 years.
“Reyn had an amazing quality of meticulousness and caring,” she says of the down-to-earth man who spent so much time up in the skies. “He was warm, warm and loving.”