LEE'S SUMMIT, MO., Aug. 23, 2013 -- The aviation industry lost a legend with the passing of Paul Poberezny, the founder of the Experimental Aircraft Association. Poberezny, 91, passed away Thursday, Aug. 22.
"Paul always said he felt like a millionaire because he made a million friends in the aviation industry," said Paula Derks, AEA president. "Actually, the general aviation industry should think of ourselves as millionaires amongst Paul, because he gave us a million reasons to be passionate about aviation. He leaves a great mission for all of us to carry on in the future."
Born in Kansas in 1921, Poberezny served as a pilot in the U.S. military for 30 years. He retired from the Wisconsin Air National Guard in 1970. Along with his wife, Audrey, Poberezny founded the EAA in 1953. The association currently has more than 170,000 members in countries across the globe, and it hosts EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., one of aviation's largest events each year.
The EAA announced that memorials in honor of Poberezny's life and legacy may be made to any of the following:
EAA Aviation Foundation: PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Evergreen Foundation Inc.: 1130 North Westfield St., Oshkosh, WI 54902
American Cancer Society, Northeast Wisconsin: 790 Marvelle Lane, Green Bay, WI 54304
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Founded in 1957, the Aircraft Electronics Association represents nearly 1,300 member companies in more than 40 countries, including approved maintenance organizations specializing in maintenance, repair and installation of aircraft electronics systems in general aviation aircraft. The AEA membership also includes manufacturers of aircraft electronics equipment, instrument repair facilities, instrument manufacturers, airframe manufacturers, test equipment manufacturers, major distributors, engineers and educational institutions.