Jon Seppanen, BHS 1963Valley News, Sunday, February 12, 1967
SET SERVICES TOMORROW FOR VICTIM OF AIR CRASH
Funeral services for Jon Seppanen of 810 N. Mariposa Ave, Burbank who died after a plane crash in Lake Powell, Utah, last week, will be held tomorrow at 11 a.m. in the chapel at Glenhaven Memorial Park and Mortuary, 18017 N. Lopez Canyon Road, San Fernando. Interment will follow.
Seppanen, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. John C. Seppanen of the same address, apparently drowned after escaping from the single-engine plane he was in which plunged into Lake Powell while attempting to take off.
Kim O'Brien, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. James O'Brien of Hatton place, Reseda, a close friend of Seppanen's also drowned after escaping the plane. The Cessna 172 Skyhawk crashed about 200 yards from shore. Funeral services for O'Brien were held yesterday in St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Reseda. Interment followed in San Fernando Mission Cemetery. Robert Kush of 12960 Dronfield Street, Sylmar, was the sole survivor of the accident. He swam to shore following the crash.
The three men apparently were flying up and down the Colorado River Canyon searching for suitable camping sites. They left Van Nuys Airport Tuesday afternoon, and had been scheduled to return Thursday afternoon.
Seppanen was a graduate of Burbank High School and attended Glendale City College for three years. He had a private pilot's license and was gaining hours on the trip toward his commercial license. Seppanen also held a power plant license, which authorized him to do mechanical work on plane engines. He had joined the 146th Air Wing of the Air National Guard Base in Van Nuys eight weeks before his death.
He is survived by his parents and a sister, Shirley Lentz, of Cottonwood, California.
Thank you, Linda, for posting this. I had no idea it was here. I believe I still have the original newspaper clipping. John and I dated during most of our senior year in high school (Class of '63) and then again during college. He was one of the most wonderful people I have ever known. He is buried just steps from my grandmother and uncle in Glenhaven.
ReplyDeleteHello, my uncle was Kim O'Brien who was also killed in that crash. We are looking for the third occupant of that plane who survived, Robert Kush. If anyone happens to know him we would love to speak with him to get a complete story from him about the events. My email is: reynoldswu@gmail.com. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteHello, my uncle was Kim O'Brien who was also killed in that plane crash. My family would like to contact the third occupant Robert Kush to obtain some more details regarding the events surrounding the crash. If anyone knows Robert please contact me. It would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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