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[i]Boeing Jr. did not work at his father's company; he pursued a career in commercial real estate. But he nevertheless witnessed how the airplane maker helped transform Seattle from a backwater frontier town to an aerospace hub in the early part of the 20th century, and he became a champion of the industry and aerospace education.[/i]
[b]Remembering William E. Boeing, Jr.[/b] 1922-2015 The Museum of Flight and, indeed, the entire state of Washington lost a great friend with the passing of William E. Boeing, Jr. on January 7. He was 92. The son of The Boeing Company's founder, Mr. Boeing was an insightful and driving force of The Museum of Flight from its earliest days. True to his family name, aviation always held a special place in his life and as a trustee at the Museum, he led the way in turning the institution from a small, local attraction to one of international importance. Fueled by an unparalleled commitment to furthering education and preserving aerospace history, his guidance and support allowed the institution to pursue its mission of becoming “the foremost educational air and space museum in the world.” Among the most important of his Museum-related achievements was his leadership in saving, moving, and restoring the historic Red Barn – where his father began building floatplanes in 1916. In an operation that was guided and financed by Mr. Boeing, the Red Barn was floated by river barge from its original location on the Duwamish River to sit adjacent to Boeing Field on what would become The Museum of Flight campus. Beloved by the Museum staff, Mr. Boeing and his wife June were regular attendees – and integral players – at Museum functions, most recently the arrival of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and at the 2014 Red Barn Heritage Award, presented to The Boeing Company. As chairman and keynote speaker of the event, Mr. Boeing charmed the audience with stories of his father and the early days of air travel, both funny and poignant. In 2011, Mr. Boeing was the inaugural recipient of the award. It is impossible to overstate what Mr. Boeing meant to The Museum of Flight, its board of trustees, and its staff. A remarkable man of talent, compassion, humor, and wisdom, William E. Boeing, Jr. will be missed enormously.
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