C.G. “Mike” Bender
C.G. “Mike” Bender, 81, of Edgewood, KY, passed away on Saturday, October 13, 2018 at his residence after a courageous struggle with a Glioblastoma brain tumor. Mike is survived by his loving wife of 35 years, his ”Maori Girl” from New Zealand, Arohanui Fon-Lowe Bender. He will be greatly missed by his sons, their hero, Mark (Kayla) Bender of Houston, TX, and Dr. Matthew Bender of Charlottesville, VA; his sister, Cynthia Calder, of Mesa, AZ. and his 4 beautiful granddaughters, Amanda Twitchell, and Faith, Layne and Summer Bender. Mike was in the very first graduating class of the US Air Force Academy’s Long Blue Line in 1959. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force and commercial airline pilot with Continental Airlines prior to retiring in 2007 from UPS Airlines. His military flying career included piloting the B-47 in Minot, ND and the B-52 with Strategic Air Command at Wurtsmith Air Force Base Oscoda, MI. Mike attempted to be reassigned into combat during the Vietnam War in 1964 but to no avail which prompted his decision to leave the Air Force and join Continental Air Services, flying C-130’s ferrying supplies out of Vientiane, Laos in support of the Hmong Hill Tribesmen who were fighting the Communist Pathet Lau.Mike loved the adventures of life and the challenges that it presented. His wife, Arohanui, held on to his coattails as they went from one adventure to another including climbing Mt. Rainier (USA), Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), Mt. Taranaki (NZ) and to the base camp of Mt. Cho Oyu (Tibet). Mike would take his hiking boots and poles on his layovers in Anchorage, Hong Kong and Seoul and hike in the mountains. Their boys accompanied him on numerous hikes and backpacking trips around the U.S., New Zealand and Australia. Over the years he ran many marathons, transitioning his passionafter retirement to cycling. For ten years he rode for a purpose, training and fundraising for JDRF Ride To Cure. His favorite annual JDRF ride was the one-day, 105 mile ride, in Death Valley, CA. At age 77 he biked across the country starting at the Pacific Ocean in Astoria, OR and finishing up at the Atlantic Ocean in Portsmouth, NH. covering 3,700 miles in 50 days.A Celebration of Life service will be held on Sunday, October 28, 2018 at 1.30 P.M. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 7 Court Street, Newport, KY 41071. Following the service will be a reception at Drees Pavilion. 790 Park Lane, Covington, KY 41011 from 3.30 P.M. – 7.30 P.M. In lieu of flowers Memorial Contributions can be made to: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, JDRF Ride To Cure 8050 Hosbrook Rd, Suite 314, Cincinnati, OH 45236 or to the US Air Force Academy Endowment Fund 3116 Academy Drive, USAF Academy, CO 80840. In Memory of C. G. Bender, Class of 1959. Mike will be interred at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. Online condolences can be made at www.linnemannfuneralhomes.com.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 7 Court Place
Newport, KY 41071
C.G. “Mike” Bender
Address: ,Drees Pavilion 790 Park Ln.
Covington, KY 41011
To the Family of my Classmate
Arohanui, Our thoughts and prayers go out to you and the rest of Mike’s gang. He was a special guy and you are his special gal and will be forever. You fought hard for him every step of the way. He deserved the best and you gave it to him. Thank you from all of us in ’59
Tom and Karen Stack, Richmond Hill GA
To My Friend and Fellow Cyclist
I only got to know Mike late in his life, but I rapidly appreciated his dedication, honor and persistence. He and Arohanui have been and will continue to be inspirations to me. I am so happy we became friends.
Trading metal wings for wings of angels!
To Capt Mike, it has been an honor knowing and working with you! Thank you for passing on your knowledge and expertise to me when I was just a fledgling. I always cherished our times in the cockpit. You fought the good fight and now are in the arms of our beloved Savior! To the family I can only say how sad I am that Mike is gone but know that he was respected and loved by many in the aviation community. May your sorrow turn to joy as his many friends pay him tribute! God bless you and keep you! Capt Nick Koczo, UPS MD11 Capt.
Farewell, Cap’n Mike.
Fair winds & smooth air on your final flight west, Captain! All of us who have taken flight will one day take our last flight west as you have sooner or later. Plz make sure the runway lights are up & that the runway is a long & dry one. We, the living still here, will all take flight whether we have been summoned by THE CHIEF PILOT, pilot, aviators or not. NO flight training required! To the family, GOD’S mercy, love & peace be unto you all. COURAGE & trust in the LORD! He was a VERY good man who will be missed. The world is a lil poorer because of your departure from it & us. Don & Patti Burrows, former CAL Capt & F/A.
to Mike’s family
Our condolences and prayers go to the family…. HD Davis was in class of 59 USAFA
Sincerely, Howard Dale and Sue Davis
We live in Sedona, Az. now ……. [email protected]
Great Life Example
I met “Mike” on 21 MAR 1988, as we started class at UPS. As new hire Captains, we roomed together for several months. During that time, I learned more about being a good pilot and crew member than in all my previous career. We have lost a wonderful man. May he rest in a well deserved peace, and, may his family find the peace he would want them to have. Joe Della-Rodolfa USAF RET, UPS 727CAPT RET.
My Classmate
My sincere condolences to the family of “Mike” Bender upon the change of life of my classmate in the first class of the USAF Academy in 1959.
You should take great pride to have known and loved Mike. He was and is a good man.
GOOD MAN
My sincere condolences to the family of Mike Bender, my classmate of USAF Academy, Class of 1959. W
