Don I. Hensley |
| Posted 2018-01-05 by mhenderson |
| Today's News-Herald, Lake Havasu City, AZ >>> Published on Friday, October 23, 2015 <<< Don I. and Bessie O. Loy (Tookie) Hensley of Mohave Valley passed away in a small plane accident Oct. 8, at 84 and 80 years of age near Hope, Idaho. Don was born on Dec. 13, 1930 in Santa Ana, Calif., the first child of Merle M. and Beatrice I. Hensley. Tookie was born Jan. 8, 1935 in Brawley, Calif., the second child of Wayne D. and Irene Loy. Both of their families moved to Riverside, Calif. when they were infants. After graduating from Poly High School in 1949, Don served one year in the Navy. He soon fell in love with his sister’s best friend, Tookie. She graduated from Poly High School in 1952. They were married in January 1953. Their first child, Pamela, was born in October. Their second child, Daniel, was born in September 1955. While raising their family, Don and Tookie enjoyed boating, waterskiing and teaching others to ski, motorcycle riding and off- roading in their Baja Bug with family and many friends. They truly loved the outdoors and spent most weekends enjoying all of these activities. In later years, between family events and races, they traveled, flying and visiting friends and relatives in every state and later in their motorhome. They resided in Riverside until a few years after Don and his partner, Bill Forbes, sold their RV business, Fiesta Kampers and Trailers. Soon after, they moved to Mohave Valley, with the intention of retiring. That soon changed. They had received their pilot’s licenses in 1974 at Riverside Municipal Airport while Tookie was working at Parflite. Tookie received her certified flight instructor CFI and CFII in 1985 and they opened Tookie’s Flying Service. She taught thousands of students to fly, while Don offered charter flights, tours and maintained the planes. Tookie raced in the women’s air races, while Don raced in any race where men were allowed. Tookie raced in the Powder Puff Derby with Gloria Huffman of Riverside and won the Air Race Classic in 2002 with Anne Honer. Tookie was a 40-plus year member of Ninety-Nines while Don was considered a 49 and a half. Family and friends could never wear out their welcome at the Hensley home in Willow Valley. |
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