Timothy Russell "Tim" Benway
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 8 - February 24, 2005
The Benway family wishes to extend its heartfelt thanks for all the incredible support provided to us after the tragic loss of our son, brother and uncle - Timothy Russell Benway.
Within hours of the accident we were constantly surrounded by family and friends. They assisted us in the preparation of Tim's services, provided the emotional and logistical support we so needed, cooked us breakfast and had us over for numerous meals.
We should all be thankful that we live in such a unique, eclectic, thoughtful and caring place. We are rich in terms that many others would dismiss. Our community has assets, values, and unity that few others have. It is impossible to quantify. The Vail community responded in manner and deeds that amazed us and still does.
Some examples:
Father Brooks arranging for the use of the Vail Interfaith Chapel and helping us plan the church service. The donation of the Donovan Pavilion and its staff by the town of Vail. The Vail Police Department for assisting with the parking challenge. Carl Jordan of Heartwood Custom Woodworks Inc. for sculpting and donating the urn. Charmayne Bernhardt's artistic painting of the Urn and her role as a master organizer. Mike Crabtree of Crabtree Galleries for his talented digital transformation of old photographs into attractive pictures. Peter J. Obernesser and Dr. Phil Freedman, our eulogist. Bill Cotton of Mountain Shades and Sarah Fisher of the Episcopal Church, for their work in helping to create the power point slide show. Katie Floyd and CME for drivers and vans of the shuttle service. Thomas Newsted and Doug Klacik, Game Creek Club, for providing a feast. Chris and Pollyanna of Eat! and Drink! at Edwards.
We are forever thankful for our close friends and their families, and for all those people, young and old, who were touched by Tim, his colorful past, zest for life, and engaging personality. From many places near and far you called, e-mailed, sent a card or attended the services. He had a long reach. We would like to mention everyone. However, you number over 500. Instead we will write a note to each one of you. It will take time, but we look forward to the task. We are blessed to have raised a family among so many good people.
Lastly, we wish to thank those responsible for the donation of the land, the planning and effort it required to create the Vail Memorial Garden. Now we have a place for Tim where people can visit, reflect, and remember that special human being; son, brother, and friend to so many, who died in his effort to help someone in need.
Timothy Russell Benway - Rest in peace
With thanks to all.
P.S.: We apologize if we have failed to mention a commercial donor. Please inform us and we can acknowledge.
The Benways
Vail Daily - January 14, 2005
AGLE COUNTY - Former Eagle County resident Tim Benway, 35, died in a crash of an air ambulance outside of Rawlings, Wyo. Tuesday night. The crash killed two other crew members from the Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat Springs.
Benway, who lived in the Steamboat Springs area, was the middle of three sons of Larry and Willie Benway of Edwards.
"This kid was just the glue for the whole family," his father said Thursday.
"I know he always wanted to fly. It was his dream," added friend Eric Erickson, who attended Ft. Lewis College in Durango with Benway in 1989. "I can't believe it. He was a great guy."
Erickson also worked with Benway in the family landscaping business for a couple of summers.
Benway was piloting a 1978 Beech E-90 King Air Turboprop, carrying three members of the Yampa Valley Medical Center from Steamboat Springs to pick up a car accident victim at the Rawlings Hospital and deliver him to a Casper hospital.
The plane went down shortly before 10 p.m., about 3 1/2 miles short of the runway, on a path that published reports indicate was consistent with an instrument approach to the airport.
A fourth passenger, emergency medical technician Tim Baldwin, survived the crash and, although critically injured, summoned help using his cell phone. The cause of the crash has not been determined.
"He was a kid that was passionate about life and a real outdoor enthusiast," said Benway family friend Jane Obernesser. "He just had a joy for living and for being with the people he loved."
Obernesser said Benway was an excellent pilot and "very mechanical."
"He was really in touch with every aspect of flying," she said.
Tim Benway was a 1987 graduate of Vail Mountain School.
"He loved motion. This was a kid of time, space and motion," said Peter Abuisi mountain school headmaster. "I remember him as an avid volunteer with the blind skier program. He used to work at the soup kitchens in Denver. He was always willing to go and he worked hard."
Abuisi said he believes that Benway's desire to fly was so strong that he "no sooner unpacked his bags in Durango the started taking flying lessons."
"He was outgoing and had self assurance. He was a reflection of both of his parents," Abuisi said.
Published reports indicate that Benway had been flying with the air charter organization making air ambulance runs for two years and that he had extensive flying experience.
Erickson said he remembers learning how to shoot skeet with Benway and how they didn't have ear plugs so they ended up using cigarette butts to protect their ears.
"He was just a consummate outdoorsman, a good guy and a jokester," Erickson said. "For Halloween one year he dressed up as the Man from Snow River, complete with a big duster and hat. He got along with everyone."
Also killed in Tuesday's crash were air ambulance director and flight nurse Dave Linner, 36, and flight nurse Jennifer Wells, 30.
Staff Writer Cliff Thompson can be reached at 949-0555, ext. 450, or cthompson@vaildaily.com
Vail Colorado
Vail Daily - January 15, 2005
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS - Whether flying airplanes, sailing on open water or hunting with family and friends, Tim Benway lived life at full speed. And the 35-year-old former Vail Valley resident expected others to do the same.
"He kept everybody energized," said Larry Benway, Tim's father, who lives in Edwards. "Even at 35, he had this boundless energy."
An experienced pilot,. Benway moved to Steamboat Springs about two years ago to work for Mountain Flight Service and the Yampa Valley Air Ambulance.
"He was an excellent pilot," said Cindy Maddox, co-owner of Steamboat-based Mountain Flight Service. "He was very demanding of himself and his co-workers."
Benway's attention to detail was often the subject of good-natured criticism from colleagues, friends and other pilots, Larry Benway said.
"He never took anything for granted," his father said. "There was only one way to do it, and that was by the books."
Benway, who had logged 5,000 hours as a pilot, died Tuesday evening when the Yampa Valley Air Ambulance he was flying crashed just outside of Rawlins, Wyo.
An avid hunter, skier, hiker, sailor and all-around outdoorsman, Benway had a special effect on those who knew him. Two such people are John and Jay Hanley, Steamboat residents who met Benway shortly after he moved to the Yampa Valley.
"He'd push you to live and enjoy your life, which is rare," John Hanley said Thursday from The Smokehouse, where a group of local pilots gathered to remember Benway. "Most times people don't have enough energy for themselves. He had enough energy for everyone."
Benway grew up in and around Vail. After graduating from Vail Mountain School in 1987, Benway attended Fort Lewis College in Durango. His desire to fly airplanes took off shortly thereafter. Benway especially loved flying in the mountains.
"It was something he was very good at," his father said. "He understood the mountains."
But his talents extended well beyond the cockpit. "He was the type of person who did everything and did everything well," Jay Hanley said.
Benway was eager to share his knowledge with others, and he always was willing to lend a helping hand. "He wanted to have a purpose in society and this community," John Hanley said.
His sense of humor and ever-present smile made him someone people liked spending time with. "He was the kind of guy you enjoyed being around," Steamboat resident Bo DelValle said. "We're going to miss him dearly."
Vail Daily - January 20, 2005
Tim BENWAY, April 15, 1969 – Jan. 11, 2005, by Tom BOYD.
Vail has lost one of its original sons, Tim Benway.<p>Born April 15 to Larry and Willie Benway, Tim was the middle of three sons and a member of one of Vail's first families. He was the complete outdoorsman – and loved fishing, hunting, ice climbing, backpacking, you name it, he did it. And he loved to share these activities with friends and family.<p>He also loved to fly. On Jan. 11 he was piloting a 1978 Beech E-90 King Air Turboprop, carrying three members of the Yampa Valley Medical Center from Steamboat Springs to pick up a car accident victim at the Rawlings Hospital and deliver him to a Casper hospital. The plane went down about three miles short of the runway. The cause of the crash hasn't been determined.<p>Benway grew up in Vail in a time when the town was much smaller – everybody knew each other and watched out for each other. He was a graduate of the Vail Mountain School, class of 1987, and he went on to study at Ft. Lewis College in Durango, where he also pursued his pilot's license.<p>From the moment news spread of the Benway's loss, locals have shown a great amount of support and love for the family. The phone, Larry told us, has been ringing off the hook.<p>In a time when many of Vail's old guard wonder if we still hold strong common bonds, Larry said he has seen, first-hand, how tightly-knit we still are here in town.<p>"Sometimes it takes a tragedy like this to make you realize what a community is," Larry said.<p>For all those who wish to show support to the Benways, a memorial service will be held Saturday at the Vail Interfaith Chapel at 10:30 a.m. and will continue at the Donovan Pavilion in West Vail at 12:15 p.m.<p>The Benway family asks that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to Meet the Wilderness or the Family Resource Center.<p>-- TB
Vail Daily - January 21, 2005
Timothy Russell Benway, a pilot who grew up in the Vail area, died Jan. 11 on a medical evacuation flight to Rawlins, Wyo. He was 35.
Benway was born April 15, 1969 to Willie and Larry Benway. He grew up in the Vail area and was educated at local public and private schools.
His college education included Fort Lewis in Durango and Rangely Community College in Rangely, Colo., where he was enrolled in a flight program and earned his initial flight ratings.
He graduated from Metro State College in Denver with a bachelor's of science in aviation in May, 1997.
Friends and family say Benway was the "complete outdoorsman," enjoying skiing, sailing, windsurfing, hunting, fishing, hiking, rock and ice climbing and camping.
They say he shared all these activities with his family and that he was a motivator, teacher and inspiration.
Benway was first employed as a commercial pilot by Lake Meade Air in Boulder City, Nev. He next worked for the air freight industry with Key Lime Air.
He then moved to the Steamboat Springs area where he joined Mountain Flight Services. He flew a combination of private charters and fix-wing air medical evacuation.
"Passionate," best describes his love of flight and service to others, friends and family members says.
His flight log indicates he had close to 5,000 hours of pilot-in-command time, most of that in the mountains.
A memorial service is at 10:30 a.m., Saturday at the Vail Interfaith Chapel in Vail Village. A memorial celebration will follow at 12:30 p.m. at the Donovan Pavilion in West Vail.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Resource Center of Eagle County, P.O. Box 2558, Avon, CO, 81620 or Meet the Wilderness, P.O. Box 4359, Edwards, CO 81632.
Vail Daily - January 22, 2005
VAIL - As one family friend put it, if a man's wealth could be measured by his amount of friends then former Eagle County resident Tim Benway was indeed a rich man.
The pews were overflowing at the Vail Interfaith Chapel Saturday with friends and family coming together to celebrate Benway's life.
Benway, a 35-year-old pilot who lived in the Steamboat Springs area, died in an air ambulance plane crash outside of Rawlins, Wyo. on Jan. 11. Benway, who was flying the plane, was the middle of three sons of Edwards residents Larry and Willie Benway.
He was free-spirited and passionate, ornery and loving, friends said. Family friend and local doctor Phil Freedman recalled Benway's first experience flying a plane. He was 11 and Freedman was with him.
"When I see a kid with an infectious smile and a twinkle in his eye, I'll think of Tim," Freedman said.
Benway's love for flying grew into a successful career. He grew up in and around Vail, and graduated from Vail Mountain School in 1987. He graduated from Metro State College in Denver with a bachelor's of science degree in aviation in May 1997, according to his obituary.
He worked as a commercial pilot before moving to the Steamboat Springs area, where he worked for Mountain Flight Services.
He was a meticulous, "excellent" pilot, said Peter Obernesser, another family friend. He was well-respected for his abilities among his colleagues, he said.
Benway always had a knack for machinery and the confidence to do just about anything to go with it, Obernesser said. Benway once interviewed for a job as a CAT operator. While he had never used the equipment before, Benway told the interviewer he had. He was hired, figured out the machinery quickly, and had a job for the summer, he said.
Family friends joked about Benway's popularity with women, his confidence "bordering on cocky."
"He always had the best lawyer, the best doctor," Obernesser said.
Benway was never too timid to try something new, he said, and he was an avid outdoorsman and a hunter, too.
"He knew the Gore Range like the back of his hand," Obernesser said.
Naturally athletic and likable, Benway was "the kind of kid every parent wants," Freedman said.
He also was a loving son and grandson, friends said.
Just days before he died, Benway was returning from a trip. Rather than driving straight home to Steamboat Springs, he made a detour to visit his grandmother, Obernesser said.
Benway was piloting a 1978 Beech E-90 King Air Turboprop, carrying three members of the Yampa Valley Medical Center from Steamboat Springs. They were heading to Rawlins to pick up a car accident victim and deliver him to a hospital in Casper, Wyo.
The plane went down shortly before 10 p.m. a few miles short of the runway. Benway was familiar with the flight pattern and published reports indicate the path he was taking was consistent with an instrument approach to the airport.
The cause of the crash has not been determined.
Also killed were air ambulance director and flight nurse Dave Linner, 36, and flight nurse Jennifer Wells, 30. A fourth passenger, Emergency Medical Technician Tim Baldwin, 35, survived the crash, but was seriously injured.
While he grew up serving as an altar boy, the adult Benway never spent much time in church, said Rev. Stuart Brooks Keith III, who was presided over Saturday's Episcopalian service.
Nevertheless, he was a spiritual person, Keith said.
"I believe Tim knew more about God than we think," he said.
Staff Writer Tamara Miller can be reached at 949-0555, ext. 607, or tmiller@vaildaily.com.
Vail, Colorado
