RV8Squaz
Well Known Member
Hello. It is with great sadness that I am reporting the sudden and unexpected passing of my father Julio Esquenazi. He was 80 years old. He died peacefully in his sleep.
A little about him and then you'll see why this is posted here. He emigrated from Cuba to New York as a 20 year old in 1957, met my mom (also from Cuba), joined the Army to attain his citizenship, and went to trade school at night to learn the textile industry, and worked in the garment district in Manhattan. Various factories, various moves, lived the American Dream owning his own home, and sent two kids to college.
I don't know where I got the aviation bug, maybe it was our close proximity to the JFK airport, maybe something else. My dad wasn't a pilot. But I have to think my dad played a major part in fostering and nurturing my interest that led to my success. I flew r/c as a teenager, took flying lessons, went to Embry-Riddle and got an Aero Engineering degree, 20 years as an Air Force pilot, built and flying an RV-8, and I've been flying for a major airline the last 9 years. A success... thank you Dad!
Here I am on the left with our first flying model. It is a control-line RingMaster with a Fox .35.
Our first r/c model:
The last r/c model we built together. I built the air frame during my senior year in high school and he finished it while I was in college. We flew it a few times, but we were afraid to crash it so we never flew it again. I have it now, to hang in my house forever!
He was so proud of me while building the RV-8. He showed RV-8 pics to all of his friends.
What a dad! Here he's helping me strip a bad powder coating job done by a "professional."
Three generations of modelers and flyers. I get to do the same stuff with my son that my dad did with me.
Here's one of the last pictures taken of my dad. He liked to have fun and live life to the fullest. Here he's playing an instrument used in latin music, a guiro. He's dancing with my mom and my son in the kitchen while looking at my mom. Note the VAF shirt. He always wore, RV, VAF, Air Force, and Delta t-shirts and hats when he knew I was coming. Proud Pa Pa, proud son. I'm gonna miss you Dad. I love you!
A little about him and then you'll see why this is posted here. He emigrated from Cuba to New York as a 20 year old in 1957, met my mom (also from Cuba), joined the Army to attain his citizenship, and went to trade school at night to learn the textile industry, and worked in the garment district in Manhattan. Various factories, various moves, lived the American Dream owning his own home, and sent two kids to college.
I don't know where I got the aviation bug, maybe it was our close proximity to the JFK airport, maybe something else. My dad wasn't a pilot. But I have to think my dad played a major part in fostering and nurturing my interest that led to my success. I flew r/c as a teenager, took flying lessons, went to Embry-Riddle and got an Aero Engineering degree, 20 years as an Air Force pilot, built and flying an RV-8, and I've been flying for a major airline the last 9 years. A success... thank you Dad!
Here I am on the left with our first flying model. It is a control-line RingMaster with a Fox .35.
Our first r/c model:
The last r/c model we built together. I built the air frame during my senior year in high school and he finished it while I was in college. We flew it a few times, but we were afraid to crash it so we never flew it again. I have it now, to hang in my house forever!
He was so proud of me while building the RV-8. He showed RV-8 pics to all of his friends.
What a dad! Here he's helping me strip a bad powder coating job done by a "professional."
Three generations of modelers and flyers. I get to do the same stuff with my son that my dad did with me.
Here's one of the last pictures taken of my dad. He liked to have fun and live life to the fullest. Here he's playing an instrument used in latin music, a guiro. He's dancing with my mom and my son in the kitchen while looking at my mom. Note the VAF shirt. He always wore, RV, VAF, Air Force, and Delta t-shirts and hats when he knew I was coming. Proud Pa Pa, proud son. I'm gonna miss you Dad. I love you!
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