Week 27: Planes (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – 2024 Version)

The theme for Week 27 is "Planes." I sometimes think of my grandparents, going from childhoods where they often traveled by horse to adulthood where they could get on a plane and visit relatives on the other side of the country. What role do planes play in your family history? Click here to see all the 2024 prompts.

When my father, Robert Crinion also known as Chic, retired in 1989, he worked for Mercury Marine a Brunswick Corporation for 33 years. Mercury Marine started as a Kiekhaefer Mercury company.

My father worked in the service department at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin for Kiekhaefer and in October of 1965 he became the Service Manager and thus was relocated to Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. 

My father was one of the co-authors of the Maintenance Guides for various motors, such as: Mercruiser Stern Drives 60 Power Package Operation and Maintenance Guide; Outboard Pocket Service Guide; Kiekhaefer Mercury Outboard Mortors Master Service Manual; Mercruiser Rover Marine Installation Manual; and MerCruiser Rover Marine Operation and Maintenance Guide.

In 1974, he became the Export Service Manager and would travel the world every 3-6 months for 6 weeks straight. He taught people how to service the motors. 

My father is the one circled above

My dad flew all over the world and brought back many souvenirs, I still have some hanging in the foyer of my house. He also brought back small dolls, Barbie size and smaller for my two sisters and I to share and they were displayed in our bedroom. These small dolls wore traditional clothes from the country he purchased them from. I still have that collection, but the years haven’t been kind to them, with some falling apart because of the rubber bands that hold on the heads, arms and legs have deteriorated. They are currently in a box in one of my spare bedrooms. 

Through the years, when seeing plane crashes, such as the American Airline Flight 191 that crashed on May 25, 1979 in Chicago at O’Hare International Airport, made me realize how quickly my father could be taken away from us. He actually flew out the day before from O’Hare.

Once in London at the airport, a bullet whizzed by his head, because the police were chasing a terrorist through the airport. That just sounded too dangerous for me. 

In the beginning, he travelled First Class and later he was bumped down to business class. He could fit everything he needed in his carry-on luggage, because he didn’t want to waste time in the airport for his luggage. Plus, he never lost his luggage this way, either. He once brought back a large spinning wheel for my mother. He carried that onto the plane and they placed it in the closest that is reserved for first class coats and jackets.

My father even traded in his first-class ticket for two coach tickets and took my mother to Europe. They visited many countries on that trip, seeing England, France, Spain, Germany and more.  

In 1982, he was reassigned as Mercury Outboard Product Service Manager and his world travels ended. He made so many friends internationally, that when they came to Headquarters, they insisted on visiting my father and he would invite them to the house. I always enjoyed meeting these business men and asking questions about their home life.

On August 31, 1989 he officially worked his last day and a year later, my parents sold their home in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin and retired to Lake Havasu City, Arizona. My father died on January 13, 2011 in Lake Havasu City, Arizona and was laid to rest next to my mother in the Crinion plot located in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

Remember to have fun and Just Do Genealogy!