Flying Tiger Line Pilots Association

In Memoriam...

BERNIE NOWLEN

05/28/1947 - 05/31/2015

It is with great sadness we report the death of retired FedEx Captain Bernie Nowlen. Bernie passed away May 31, 2015 in Redding, CA.

His wife Melanie and two adult children, Amelia and James, were at his side. He had retired in 2007 at age 60, but due to failing health he went on a disability retirement in 2003.

Bernie was born and raised in the Bay Area and lived and worked in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose. He was in the Army National Guard during his college years and graduated from San Jose State in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Later that year, he received his commission in the Navy and acceptance to flight school.

Bernie eventually served as P-3 Aircraft Commander at NAS Moffet and NAS Barbers Point. He retired in 1989 with the rank of Commander and 22 years of combined military service.

Bernie began his airline career in 1979 with Flying Tigers in Los Angeles. He flew many years in both the DC-8 and the B-747. He came to FedEx with the Flying Tigers in 1989. He progressed through Captain on the B-727 and the Airbus. His family spent a number of years domiciled in Memphis.

Daughter Amelia, a Memphis State graduate, is currently employed as a social worker at Crossroads Hospice in Memphis; his son, James, lives and works in Monterey, CA.

Bernie had elected for cremation and no funeral service. A wake is planned for Saturday June 6, 2015 at the Redding Jet Center at the Redding Municipal Airport in Redding, CA. In lieu of flowers, family request donations to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital-San Francisco, Center for Hemophilia Research https://makeagift.ucsf.edu/children (877) 499-UCSF (8273).