Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend, Lane Older
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On Tuesday I said my final good byes to an old dear friend, fellow pilot and Mercedes enthusiast. Lane Older was 92 when he passed away on April 30.
I first meant Lane in the summer of 1969 just after I graduated from Aircraft Mechanics and Commercial Flight School. I came home with an A&P mechanics license and a commercial pilots license with single and multi-engine land plane, single engine seaplane, instrument, and flight instructor ratings. I was 23 years old and ready to take on the world, but I soon discovered that no one would hire me as a pilot because I did not have any "experience." After a number of rejections looking for a job up and down the West Coast, I finally ended up knocking on Lane's door. He operated a seaplane taxi service out of Lake Whatcom in Bellingham, WA. I still remember how he looked at me with a big smile and said, let's see what you can do. So we walked over to his Grumman Widgeon, climbed in, taxied out to the middle of the lake. He finally looked at me and said, Well, go ahead and take her off. I had never flown a twin engined amphibian before, and it soon became apparent that Lane was not going to show me how. Lane was a true believer in prodding you to "figure it out yourself." He must have liked the way I flew that big bird as we ended the flight with him offering me a job.
I flew seaplane charter work that summer in his Cessna 180 and helped him out in his shop fixing airplanes. It was a great learning experience. He gave me a "chance" when no one else would, and I have always been extremely thankful for that opportunity. Lane taught me a lot about staying alive in an airplane. Those lessons are one of the main reasons I survived eight years of flying in the highlands of New Guinea during the 1970's
Along with his love for aviation, Lane was also an avid Mercedes enthusiast. He drove them for their build quality and safety. He was always trying to convince me to buy a Mercedes. One day when I was working in his shop, he rolled up in an old Mercedes and yelled at me to come out and take a look. Up to that time I have never seen anyone so excited about buying a car! I walked out a noticed it was a "cool" looking car with a big star on the front. At the time I was into Alfa Romeos and did not think his Mercedes was anything "special." He explained his new ride was one of the last production 300SL roadsters. I did realize until years later that he had acquired one of the most sought after collector cars in the world.
I went off to fly in New Guinea for eight years and then finally moved back to Bellingham in 1984. We kept in touch over the years and when we would get together he was always taking Mercedes Benz. In 1994 (25 years ago) Lane came to me with a "proposal." He found an old airplane he wanted to buy and needed some cash. He told me he would give me a great deal on his 1982 240D. I really did not want to buy the car. I remember thinking to myself that I should help him out and I would probably not lose anything if I decided to sell it. I had always been a "car guy" even from a very early age. I bought my first car (1928 model A pickup ) for $20 when I was 13 years old. My next car was a 1934 Ford. Then moved on to hotrods and sports cars. I had never driver a Mercedes Benz. When I drove away in that 240D, my first thought was the car was a "dog", but once I got it up to speed (on a very winding road around the lake) I remember thinking, " Wow, this car handles better that all the sports cars I have owned." Being a pilot, I think it was the "feel" in the seat of my pants that sold me on Mercedes."
In that one unexpected event, Lane passed on his love affair with these cars to me. Little did I realize that this passion would become a business that would shape my life for the next 25 years!
Life has its surprising twists and turns. Often the people we meet have an impact on us and those encounters can influence our lives. But to meet someone like Lane Older, who had such a huge impact on my life is rare indeed. I am truly thankful for his life and will surely miss him.
Kent Bergsma
Posted by: Nate <vwnate1@yahoo.com>
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