Mr. Edward Ropp

Kenneth Edward Ropp 1917 - 2011 Kenneth Edward Ropp, age 94, died November 24, 2011 in Columbus, Mississippi. He was preceded in death by parents Kenneth & Lillian Ropp of York, PA and daughter Jeanne Ropp Ahlberg of Magee, MS. He is survived by his wife Nell Coleman Ropp, sister Helen Ropp Leiphart, daughter Ann Ropp Eagerton, grandchildren Neil Gordon Eagerton, Edward Coleman Eagerton, David Andrew Eagerton, Jeanne Eagerton Cooper, Daniel Enoch Ahlberg, Michael Carothers Ahlberg and great grandchildren Carleigh Anne Cooper and Flint Enoch Ahlberg. Originally from York, PA, Kenneth, an old time aviator with over 33,000 hours of flight hours, learned to fly an airplane before he learned to drive a car. As a boy he would pedal his bicycle out to the York airport, learned mechanics which he traded for flight instruction. He worked at Taylor Aircraft in Bradford, PA, became a flight instructor in Akron, Ohio and joined Pennsylvania Central Airlines (later Capital Airlines) in February 1941. Two years later he checked out as Captain. He was first based in Detroit, MI and later Washington, DC. During WWII, he flew with the ATC (Air Transport Command), flying supplies to Army bases from Alaska to Florida with all points in between. He met and married his wife Nell while they lived and worked in Washington, DC, Nell having graduated from MSCW and gone to work as an airline hostess for Pennsylvania Central. During his long career with Capital Airlines (later merged with United Airlines), commercially he flew: the Boeing 247, the DC-3,the Viscount, the Caravelle, the Boeing 727, the Boeing 727 Stretch, the DC-8, the DC-8 Stretch, and the Boeing 747. From Washington, DC, Kenneth was based in New Orleans, LA, Miami, FL and ended his career with United Airlines, flying the 747’s out of Chicago, IL. During his illustrious aviation career stretching from bi-planes to 747’s, he was never involved in any aircraft mishap or accident. He and his wife retired to Columbus, MS in 1979 where he owned and operated Golden Triangle General Aviation for over six years. Family and friends are welcome to come by the family residence in Columbus, Mississippi on Friday, December 2 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. to pay their respects. A private family service will be held at a later date.