Page 62 - Academic Report FINAL VERSION WEB

FACULTY IN MEMORIAM
Mr. Lonnie Slade
Mr. Lonnie Slade, 1963-2019, was an Assistant Pro-
fessor of Aviation Science and Management in 2018.
In Memoriam by Mr. Adon Clark, Dean of the School of
Aviation.
Lonnie Slade only worked for Middle Georgia State
University for one short year. In that year, colleagues
discovered his love of aviation and, more importantly,
his love for sharing his knowledge and experience with
others. It was clear from the start that he loved teach-
ing. Lonnie had a wealth of experience as a military
aviator, serving in the United States Army as a helicop-
ter pilot, and he freely shared his knowledge with the
students as well as fellow faculty and staff members.
Lonnie enrolled at Middle Georgia Junior College
in Cochran, graduating in 1987. While there, Lonnie
demonstrated his leadership abilities and personable
qualities by being elected president of the Student
Government Association and voted “Mr. MGC.” He
graduated from the University of Georgia in 1989 with
a B.A. in science education and a commission as a sec-
ond lieutenant in the U.S. Army, retiring as a lieutenant part owner of Blackbird Helicopters in Jasper, GA, be-
colonel in 2014. After retirement, Lonnie earned a mas-
ter’s degree in aeronautical science from Embry-Rid-
58 mga.edu | finding greatness
dle Aeronautical University and taught future pilots
until the month before his passing.
He served his country for 32 years, primarily in
the U.S. Army but also in the Marines and the Army
Reserves. He had many deployments throughout the
United States. In addition, he served four three-month
tours in Bosnia while stationed in Giebelstadt, Germa-
ny with his family from 1995 to 1998. His assignments
included flying military personnel in helicopters and
overseeing base logistics. Lonnie was in Iraq for two
one-year tours of duty and in Afghanistan for one tour.
He had different assignments and duties while over-
seas, but in each he used his skills as an astute listen-
er, an innovative thinker, and, most importantly, as a
peacemaker. The mission of the U.S. and U.N. Armed
Forces in Bosnia was to end the slaughter and degra-
dation of helpless people and bring peace to a region
where people could not establish it for themselves. For
his accomplishments during his military career, Lonnie
received many awards and commendations.
Lonnie’s passion was flying. He was licensed to fly
fixed-wing aircraft and any kind of helicopter. He was
fore his second deployment to Iraq. He became a Certi-
fied Flight Instructor (CFI) and loved his time teaching
and interacting with students and colleagues at Middle
Georgia State University.
Lonnie was a generous person, quick to help any-
one in need. He gave freely of his time to those seeking
his advice, guidance, and expertise or just needing to
talk to someone who would genuinely listen. He gave
money to anyone he saw in need of financial help, nev-
er expecting to be paid back. Those who met Lonnie
did not remain strangers for long. His ability to talk with
or listen to anyone made him popular without his ever
trying to be. His sense of humor, kindness, and many
other enduring qualities will be missed by all who knew
him, but will leave many warm and happy memories as
well.
He loved his family more than anything else. He
married Becky Rogers on April 27, 1991, in Athens, GA,
and was a loving husband for 27 years. He is the fa-
ther of Jonathon Dylan and Ashlee Virginia Slade and
has shown them the meaning of family love by being
a model parent. Lonnie’s priority when returning from
his deployments was to make up for lost time by being
with Becky, Dylan, and Ashlee any minute he could. He
was not only a dedicated father to his own children,
but also a father figure to his children’s friends.
I only had the privilege of knowing Lonnie for the
one year he worked at Middle Georgia State University.
I am better for having known Lonnie if only for a short
time. He displayed nothing but professionalism and
continued to teach throughout his battle with cancer.
He indicated he finally had his dream job and he dis-
played that attitude to the very end.