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Edward E. Beatty

Edward Eugene Beatty, 84, of Raskin, FL, and native of Huntington, died Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012.

Mr. Beatty served with the United States Navy as a mechanic on an aircraft carrier. He served with the Indiana Air National Guard for 38 years, working as a mechanic on the flight line and supervising maintenance supply. He later served as an air traffic controller at the 235th Air National Guard Unit. He retired from the military as a senior master sergeant.

He was a charter member of the Back Forty Flying Club, a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association and a 30-year volunteer at AirVenture. He was inducted into the Quiet Birdmen in 1981. He earned his solo pilot's license at 15 and made his last solo flight at 82, earning membership in the United Flying Octogenarians (UFOs).

He was born July 5, 1928, in Huntington. He married his first wife, Alice in 1950. He was preceded in death by his second wife, Jean, to whom he was married for 30 years.
Survivors include two daughters, Karen (Steve) Allen and LuAnn (Steve) Kurtz; two sons, Kyle Beatty and Brooks (Renee) Beatty; two stepdaughters, Colleen Brown and Jana (Troy) Bearman; two stepsons, Thomas (Sally) Holle and Ned Holle; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m. in the Psi Iota Xi Pavilion at Northside Park, located at East State Boulevard and Parnell Avenue, Fort Wayne.

Preferred memorials are gifts to the Experimental Aircraft Association at www.eaa.org/support/giving.asp or St. Jude Children's Hospital at www.stjude.org/waystohelp.

Zipper's Funeral Home, Ruskin, FL, was in charge of arrangements.

Online condolences may be made at www.zippersfuneralhome.com.