Richard Clark Jenner Jr.

Dick was born in Gloversville, New York on March 13th, 1937, the middle child of Ellinor Jane and Richard Clark Jenner, Sr. Dick whizzed through school, taking advantage of dual grades in a single classroom, and graduating Gloversville High School at the age of 16. He would spend his summers as a camp counselor in the Adirondacks leading hikes, teaching countless boys to waterski, and honing his leadership skills.

He started studying engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, but found the college environment a tough place for a 16 year old. The remainder of that first year was spent hauling cowhides at his father’s glove business, which inspired a renewed interest in higher education. He soon matriculated to SUNY Oswego where he was introduced to the two loves of his life: aviation and Catherine Cosolito.

After graduation, Dick took the Aviation Selection Test Battery to become a naval aviator, and achieved the highest score ever recorded at his testing center. He was off to Pensacola for flight training, but first had some other business to take care of. On September 4th, 1961, he married Catherine and embarked on a blessed marriage of nearly 60 years. Dick and Catherine would have two children, Richard Clark Jenner, III (Rick) and Karen Lynn Jenner.

Dick’s navy career would take the family from Pensacola to Kingsville, Texas and on to Lemoore, California. Dick shipped out on the USS Hancock aircraft carrier, where he flew A4 aircraft for an attack squadron, the VA-212 “Rampant Raiders”. Many of these Rampant Raiders would go on to become Dick’s lifelong friends. The squadron operated in the South China Sea, and flew numerous missions over Vietnam in the early days of the conflict. Dick’s distinguished participation in his many missions earned him the Navy Commendation Medal for meritorious achievement. Later in life, Dick would compare difficult situations to landing on an aircraft carrier at night in a stormy sea - few measured up.

Dick finished his naval enlistment, started his career as a commercial airline pilot with United Airlines, and moved his family to Connecticut. He threw himself into civilian life, active as a little league coach, president of the Ridgefield Junior Chamber of Commerce, and local chair of the Republican party. One of his favorite experiences was working on the Reagan campaign and attending the inaugural ball. Dick finished his aviation career at Dulles airport in Virginia with over 22,000 flight hours in his logbook. In contrast to his impressive career, Dick’s last flight was rather anticlimactic. As captain of a 767 headed to Milan for a quick trip, Catherine buckled in a first class seat behind him, an engine fault light came on just after the aircraft left the gate. The flight was cancelled and Dick never flew again. He was on to new adventures.

Dick and Catherine retired to Sarasota, Florida, where they would spend the next 20 years. They were active members of the Laurel Oak Country Club, cultivated many new friends, and went on numerous traveling adventures. Dick loved to golf, and could be counted on to set up the weekly Billy Ball games at the club. His handicap always stayed in double digits, and he used it to great effect.

Dick is survived by Catherine, his wife of 59 years, and their two children: Karen (Houston, Texas) and Rick with wife Jean (Houston, Texas), their children Molly (Dallas), Chuck (San Francisco) and Trey (New York). Given the COVID-19 outbreak, a memorial service will be organized at a later date.

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Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at with the family at Robert Toale and Sons Funeral Home at Palms Memorial Park www.palmsrobartsfuneralhome.com. Service details will be posted when available.