Sawatzky, Thomas (1930-1948)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1948 May 20 p. 3

Birth date: 1930

text of obituary:

Two Young Men Lose Lives in Airplane Tragedy

RECENTLY LICENSED PILOT LOSES CONTROL OF PLANE AT STEINBACH, MAN.

Steinbach, Man.—Two young Steinbach men were killed here at 4:15 p. m. Sunday May 9, when their rented Aeronca two-seater airplane went into a tailspin and nose-dived into a road near the airfield.

Lloyd Friesen, 18, the pilot, and Thomas Sawatzky, also 18, are both dead.

Friesen had obtained his pilot's license during the past week and had rented the plane Sunday afternoon from a Winnipeg firm where he had taken flying lessons. Prior to the fatal flight young Friesen had taken up three other flying enthusiasts. First, he took his brother, Gilbert, 10, followed by Jacob Sawatzky, 18, and William Reimer, 17.

Witnesses of the last flight said that after he had been in the air for a few minutes with Sawatzky, he apparently lost control of the plane after making a tight turn in gusty winds. The light craft made a loop and nose-dived into the road. Friesen was killed instantly and his passenger died about 15 minutes later.

Lloyd is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Friesen of Steinbach and was employed by the C. T. Loewen Lumber company. Sawatzky is survived by his widowed mother.