 Geoffrey,
Nice work on your recent edition and Bill’s
writings. Amazon
is certainly a case history for the logistics business.
I don’t know if you knew Dick Wiebe
passed away a couple of months ago. He was 94. I think he and Dick Malkin
must have had a pact - see who could go the longest - Malkin won! They
were 2 incredible human beings!
Dick and Pearl Wiebe and his family will
always be mine as well. I was fortunate to have worked with Dick - he
was unselfish, bright, innovative, caring and always had a birthday card
for everyone in headquarters and was the truest of gentlemen. Many personal
stories are indelibly etched in my mind with fond memories!
 Hope all is well with you and your entire
family. I send my best.
Jeff
Jeff Lehman
President & CEO
Greeley Pond Technologies LLC
703-282-7737
Hi Jeff,
Jeff, thanks for your kind and lovely note
to the memory of the life and times of a truly wonderful human being.
For the record, I still remember the first
time we met in Oakland where you were humping cargo for old Ed Daley at
World Airways.
I remember, at the time Ed was reportedly
packing heat with a brace pearl-handled revolver in a desk drawer, and
you advised with a smile:
“Watch what you write!”
And I did!
And I still do!
Every good wish,
Geoffrey
Richard William
'Dick' Wiebe was educated in elementary schools in Newark, NJ and graduated
from Lyndhurst High School, Lyndhurst, NJ in 1942. In 1943, he joined
the U.S. Army and became a B-17 pilot in November 1944 and trained navigators
for B-29 Pacific Missions. In 1945, he joined the Air Traffic Command
as a Traffic Officer serving in Salzburg, Austria and Rome, Italy and
was honorably discharged in 1946.
Air Cargo Man 79 Years Ago
On March 29, 1947 in Lyndhurst, NJ, Dick married
the love of his life, Pearl.
Dick then joined Eastern Airlines in 1947
and worked in New York City until moving to the air cargo section at Newark,
NJ.
In 1950, he joined Emery Air Freight Corp
as a supervisor for the three New York Airports, Idlewild (now JFK), LaGuardia,
and Newark. Dick then went on to become Manager for Emery Air Freight
in Albany, NY and next became Assistant to John C. Emery, Jr. in the Emery
home office in New York City.
In 1961, Emery moved their home office to
Wilton, CT where Dick became Assistant to the Vice President in charge
of advertising, public relations, sales promotions and direct mail.
Great Life After Air Cargo
After 30 years with Emery Air Freight, he
retired and became a consultant for Emery and other companies to handle
their meetings and conventions.
Dick and Pearl (they were married for 70
years) operated their own consulting company PR Ltd., (Pearl and Richard
Limited). Pearl was Vice President of the company and together they worked
on meetings and conventions all over the U.S. and in several international
locations.
Dick oversaw all visual aids and logistics
while Pearl handled all dining functions and floral arrangements.
A Forward Thinking Man
Thinking about Dick in September 2019, I
must say he has shone bright in memory, though out of sight for some years
now.
But his decent kindness will remain with
me forever.
Many people thought it odd that a book to
save Building One at Newark International Airport titled “Great
Airports Newark” and, another a year later to save The Marine Air
Terminal titled “Great Airports LaGuardia” would carry the
logo and also the patronage of Emery Air Freight.
One day at a meeting I mentioned to Dick
that we should stand for something else in air cargo—and saving
our airport history would be a good thing.
Dick, as top corporate communications man
for John Emery Jr., picked up the sword and said to me:
“Go ahead and do those books and
send us 5,000 copies each.”
So I did, and he did, and way ahead the
TWA Building at JFK International being saved in 2019, we did our books,
and managed to save both the Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia in 1980
and Building One at Newark in 1990 (now the manager’s office), with
help from Bob Aaronson.
Both are national landmarks.
Today as LaGuardia gets a total overhaul,
amongst the last buildings from the original 1939 airport, the Marine
Air Terminal, protected by landmark status, remains.
The simple truth is—our books, which
Dick Wiebe helped bring into being, worked to fasten attention to the
vital importance of understanding the future, by remembering the past—the
history of our precious aviation industry.
In 1982, when we put a program called Air
Cargo News on New York City Public television, once again Dick backed
our effort to bring the air cargo story out to the public at large, by
sponsoring our show.
Richard
William “Dick” Wiebe was such a straight shooter and a wonderful
human being.
He shall live in our hearts forever!
Geoffrey
|
100%
Green