Marty Page

Our first assignment was to “No Hope Pope” AFB, NC, flying the Four Fans of Freedom. Back then the saying was, “The only thing good about being based at Pope is that you never have to go there TDY!” Actually, we rented a house on a lake and thoroughly enjoyed living in North Carolina and traveling the world. The next assignment, in 1976, was to Westport, Connecticut in the Education With Industry Program. My follow-on job was at Eglin AFB as a Research and Development Contract Negotiator. R and D was very interesting but my friends in Texas convinced me to apply at their start up airline. So, in 1979, I resigned and began work with Southwest Airlines in Dallas. We lived there until 2001, when we moved to the new crew base in Orlando, FL.

I was “retired” by the FAA at age 60 in 2007. But not to worry, in 2003, Southwest agreed to let me work part time at the Orlando Magic, flying their 42-seat Boeing 737. I was set for at least five more years. Not so fast! The best job in corporate aviation disappeared in 2008, when the plane was sold. At least Gayla was able to accompany me to Basel, Switzerland to turn the plane over to the new owner. She said that she could get used to traveling that way. I told her to run for political office.

We are now back on a lake in Orlando with the requisite water craft and within six minutes of Disney, Universal and Sea World. I call it Grand-kid bait! Speaking of which, we have two beautiful daughters.
Amber, her husband and daughter live in Colorado Springs. Paisley, her husband, daughter and two sons live in Charlotte. Gayla works Very part time and tutors math at a children’s ranch. I wake up each morning terrified by the decision of which vessel to take out………..first! What a country!

Martin L. Page — “Shovel”

“Marty Page had little trouble acquiring the nickname ‘Shovel’ in the early days of pilot training. That term was derived from a certain propensity of his to shovel it onto everyone else (‘it’ being a familiar but best unnamed entity with which all UPT studs are most intimately acquainted). Few, if any, have managed to escape the barb of the Shovel.

…Shovel was a salient feature on the flight line but he was a rare sight after hours…But who can knock a guy for liking his wife? Everyone liked Gayla just as everyone liked the guy who always gave his classmates a hand when they needed it most. Thanks Shovel.”

71-01 Yearbook, page 50.