Legends of the North at Pickle Lake-Jack Hooker Memorial

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Antique Pilot
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Legends of the North at Pickle Lake-Jack Hooker Memorial

Post by Antique Pilot »

I attended the memorial service for Jack Hooker on July 23rd at Pickle Lake. Attached is a pic of Hooker Air and Ontario Central Airlines pilots and mechanics. Several of them go back to the 1960's and are still flying or working.

L-R: Al Ogilvie, Tony Belluz, Peter Kartuunen, Dave Buttons, Gerry Norberg, Sil Boulanger, Eddie Cull (behind Sil), Barry Houston, Jamie Biggs, Bill Carter, Rob Mallory, John Mummery. Missing from the pic is Ed Showalter who was out doing a flyby in his Beech 18.

Lots of great stories and memories.

AP
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DASBOOT
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Re: Legends of the North at Pickle Lake-Jack Hooker Memorial

Post by DASBOOT »

Is Pete the fin in that picture and has anyone know if John Parson is still around I was flying helicopters out of Pickle in 70-72
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Antique Pilot
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Re: Legends of the North at Pickle Lake-Jack Hooker Memorial

Post by Antique Pilot »

DASBOOT wrote:Is Pete the fin in that picture and has anyone know if John Parson is still around I was flying helicopters out of Pickle in 70-72
Yes Pete the Finn is third from the left. Not sure where John P is.

AP
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bobo
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Re: Legends of the North at Pickle Lake-Jack Hooker Memorial

Post by bobo »

John Parsons is still around although he is fighting a battle with cancer. He spends his summers at his home in Ontario and his winters in the Caribbean. I had an email from him recently.
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bobo
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Re: Legends of the North at Pickle Lake-Jack Hooker Memorial

Post by bobo »

Oops, sorry about that. I was mixing John Parsons up with John Peacock.
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RWD
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Re: Legends of the North at Pickle Lake-Jack Hooker Memorial

Post by RWD »

Hi @Antique Pilot. Could you please PM me when you get a moment (I just signed up here and cannot send PMs yet). I noticed you have a wealth of information about Hooker Air Service and Pickle Lake. Dave Hooker was my grandfather, and Jack my Uncle. My mother is the oldest child of Dave & Winifred. I spent a lot of my summers in Pickle hanging around the docks (and bumming rides whenever I could). I was hoping we could catch up a bit, and maybe trade photos - I have a wall at my house with pictures of Pickle and (mostly) planes. THANKS, and apologies for the off topic post...

And @DASBOOT, I recall a chopper at Pickle, not sure of the year. It was one of those with the huge glass bubble surrounding the cockpit. This particular chopper was undergoing some maintenance, and they had the rotor off, supported by a tripod of tree trunks. Said tripod either broke, or the legs slipped, and the rotor went crashing through the glass canopy. I don't have a photo of the aircraft, but the image is clear in my mind... Thanks...
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Antique Pilot
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Re: Legends of the North at Pickle Lake-Jack Hooker Memorial

Post by Antique Pilot »

RWD wrote: Thu Aug 08, 2019 10:32 am Hi @Antique Pilot. Could you please PM me when you get a moment (I just signed up here and cannot send PMs yet). I noticed you have a wealth of information about Hooker Air Service and Pickle Lake. Dave Hooker was my grandfather, and Jack my Uncle. My mother is the oldest child of Dave & Winifred. I spent a lot of my summers in Pickle hanging around the docks (and bumming rides whenever I could). I was hoping we could catch up a bit, and maybe trade photos - I have a wall at my house with pictures of Pickle and (mostly) planes. THANKS, and apologies for the off topic post...

And @DASBOOT, I recall a chopper at Pickle, not sure of the year. It was one of those with the huge glass bubble surrounding the cockpit. This particular chopper was undergoing some maintenance, and they had the rotor off, supported by a tripod of tree trunks. Said tripod either broke, or the legs slipped, and the rotor went crashing through the glass canopy. I don't have a photo of the aircraft, but the image is clear in my mind... Thanks...
PM sent.
AP
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NitaMcLean
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Re: Legends of the North at Pickle Lake-Jack Hooker Memorial

Post by NitaMcLean »

Hi, I am a granddaughter of Claude Hooker and was hoping someone would be able to give me some information on him. All I really know is that he was a bush pilot and from what I've been told, crashed near Collins Ontario. He died when my mom was quite young so I don't really know a lot , other than he was one of the founders of Hooker Airways In Pickle Lake. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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Antique Pilot
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Re: Legends of the North at Pickle Lake-Jack Hooker Memorial

Post by Antique Pilot »

PM sent.

AP
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Marie A Sparlling
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Re: Legends of the North at Pickle Lake-Jack Hooker Memorial

Post by Marie A Sparlling »

Hi Nita. My name is Marie & I have a copy of the death registration for your grandfather Claude Hooker. My Dad is a Millen, Townsend & Tripp descendent & 1 of his Townsend Aunt's had a daughter that married a Hooker. They are from here in Ontario, Canada. You can email me directly at marieasparling2175@gmail.com & I will be happy to email you that info. Take care. Marie Sparling (Iroquois Falls, Ontario, Canada)
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squawk
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Re: Legends of the North at Pickle Lake-Jack Hooker Memorial

Post by squawk »

Wow, that is a great shot. I started my career in YPL and know Al and Tony well. I was a generation after them but always appreciated their great stories. One that stands out, is Al’s recollection of the demise of Pat Air. It all happened in the span of a month with two crashes in one day and then the otter crashing on Koval street a few weeks later. The first two crashes were in minutes of each other and tragically one pilot died. That was the end of Pat Air that summer. . Bidgood has some pictures on Facebook of that tragic day.
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