DES MOINES, IOWA – Dolores J. “Dee” Price, 82, of Des Moines Flying Service, passed away unexpectedly at her home on March 3, 2014.
Price was born in Waukegan, Illinois; graduated from Osceola High School, Osceola, Iowa; and attended AIB College. She retired from Des Moines Flying Service, Inc. and Hondajet Midwest as Vice President, Sales Administration, on December 31, 2011, after nearly 50 years of service.
In the summer of 1962, Price had the opportunity to take a demonstration flight in a Piper Cherokee 160 with flight instructor, Willis Faux, at Des Moines Flying Service. “Willis had the ability to make you feel that you were actually flying the airplane during the demo, and I was bitten by the ‘flying bug,’” said Price. Price soon started taking flying lessons, flying mostly in the Piper Colt (PA-22-108) and the Piper Tri-Pacer (PA-22-150), after she got off work at the Iowa Independent Telephone Association.
After about two weeks of flying lessons, a position opened up at Des Moines Flying Service working the front desk, and directly with the owner, Howard Gregory. She applied and did not get the job, at least right away. At the time, Gregory was on one of his trans-Atlantic flights to Europe, delivering an Aztec. When he returned from the trip, he found that no one had been hired to fill the position, and Price was called at home one evening and asked to again come in for an interview.
“The interview was rather unforgettable,” said Price. Gregory asked Price if she could type, and she could, but he insisted on her taking a typing test. She passed and started working at Des Moines Flying Service the day after Labor Day on
September 4, 1962. At the end of Price’s first day on the job, she went flying in one of the company’s
Tri-Pacers, and soloed for the first time.
As time went on, Price became more involved in the company, helping Howard Gregory with the record-keeping on airplanes ordered, writing letters, and making phone calls to their dealers. DMFS was a Piper distributor at that time, and had more than 20 dealers and flight centers.
As the company grew, Price grew with it. In 1974, DMFS became a Piper Cheyenne sales center and Price got very involved in every aspect of aircraft sales. In 1997, DMFS became a Pilatus dealer and Price’s duties were much the same as with the Cheyenne. In 2008, DMFS became a HondaJet dealer and established “HondaJet Midwest,” covering 10 Midwestern states. Price continued in her role in sales administration for the Hondajet as well, and was looking forward to the company’s first delivery scheduled for 2015.
Price is survived by her children, Dr. Steven (Jan) Price, and Sue Price; sisters, Carol Palmer and Deletha Gabrielson; three grandchildren; and six great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by the father of her children, Robert K. Price.
