On April 7, 2020 , John (Jack) M. Broadbent, loving husband, brother, brother-in-law and uncle, passed away at the age of 65. Jack was born on April 13, 1954 in Cleveland Ohio to Howard and Dorothy. He received his BA in History from American University in 1976. He was a pilot for his entire career. Jack flew gas pipeline patrol flights in Ohio to build time after he learned to fly in the Cleveland area. He was hired at Class One Aviation at Washington National Airport where he flew the Piper Aerostar on charter flights. In 1981 he was hired at Fairways Aviation, a contract carrier for the US Navy where he flew the Beech 99 and de Havilland Twin Otter in the US and Canada until 1985. Everyone he came in contact with got to know Jack and his kindness toward his fellow aviation employees; he was well known for his generosity. On May 5, 1985 he was hired at Piedmont Airlines, in Winston-Salem, NC. His first assignment was as a B727 flight engineer, then he upgraded to B737 First Officer. Always wanting to serve his fellow pilots, he served as a volunteer on the Air Line Pilots Association Hotel Committee. Later he was trained as a Peer Support Volunteer for the Critical Incident Response Team where, along with his wife Lani, he assisted pilots and family members who had been affected by incidents such as the September 2001 attacks. He upgraded to Captain on the B-737 in 1991, and later flew the B-757/767 and A320 as a captain until his retirement flight on March 26, 2019.
On February 6, 1993, he married Lani. Lani and Jack met when they both worked for Piedmont Airlines. Lani was the love of his life.
Jack had a life long passion for history, ancient and modern, especially military history and politics as well, as local and regional history. He loved telling a funny story and being with his friends—barbecuing and entertaining them with his wife, Lani. He enjoyed travel and exploring the many places that his work took him. He had a second home in Canada on Georgian Bay and spent as much time as he could on his friends’ sail boats. He was known for his quick wit, his supportive generosity, his ready offer of assistance to all and his kind and compassionate spirit. He took his passion for understanding weather from his mother and his love of the water from his father, both Navy veterans. He loved looking at the sky and earth as he flew his aircraft throughout the US and internationally, bringing his passengers safely home to their families throughout his 35 year career. He treasured being a part of Lani’s loving family in Hawaii, especially his mother-in-law Vivian ( Happy) and his father-in-law Katsugi (Kats).
Jack was preceded in death by his father Howard and his mother Dorothy. His mother-in-law Happy and his father-in-law Kats died in the past year (2019). He is survived by his wife, sisters, an uncle, a sister-in-law, several brothers-in-laws and many nephews and nieces. He treated everyone as family and he loved his many friends dearly. Our hearts are broken at his sudden passing too soon from us all.
