Gastineau Channel Memories

Jarman, Lloyd R.

Jim Ruotsala

Former Juneau resident Lloyd R. Jarman died in
1996, in Seattle, Washington. He was 79. Jarman was born in 1916, in Juneau, Alaska. ?Mr. Aviation? of Southeast Alaska would be an appropriate title for Jarman. He fell in love with airplanes while in grade school.

When Alaska-Washington Airways flew non-stop from
Seattle to Juneau in 1929, Jarman knew he was going to work around airplanes. He became an instant member of the hangar fraternity and at the age of 15, learned mechanics from Frank Hatcher, who later was killed in a crash near Ketchikan.
Jarman was paid in crankcase fuel for his work. This he sold to owners of heavy-duty trucks for
cash.

Jarman worked for Alaska-Washington, Marine Airways and Alaska Coastal Airlines. He became a full-time flight mechanic and flew with many of
the past greats, Shell Simmons, Alex Holden, Bob Ellis, Jim Hickey, Sr., and Chet McLean. Many of the rescue and mercy missions flown included Jarman as mechanic.

Jarman planned to be a pilot, he took flying lessons, but in 1934, a crash on Chichagof Island crushed his pelvic bone and his dreams of being a pilot were over. He continued to fly as a mechanic. During WW II, he assembled fighter planes in North Africa.

Jarman always carried a camera. He photographed
aviation history in Southeast Alaska from 1929-40. His extensive collection is now the property of the Alaska State Library.

Jarman is survived by his daughter, Kathleen, and her husband, Dave Demming, of Wasilla; son, Bill, and his wife Sheryl, of Buckley, Washington; and grandchildren Rand and Nina Jarman of Buckley; Kerry Madsen of Juneau, Molly and Jaime Demming of Wasilla; great grandchildren, James and Corey
Madsen of Juneau; and sister, Muriel Pierce of Mission, Texas.

	Lloyd Jarman, mechanic, Juneau, February 1935. Credit: Lloyd Jarman.