Leland K. Ozawa
1943 ~ 2024
Captain Leland K. Ozawa, age 80, died on September 21, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada of pneumonia. He was born on December 16, 1943 at Queens’s Hospital, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to parents Walter Minoru Ozawa and Catherine Keonaona Sims.
‘Lee’ was the second of four siblings, there was an older brother and a younger brother and sister. His father was a GP medical doctor, and his mother Catherine was a nurse. These parents discerned that Lee needed direction and discipline, upon reaching high school age he was enrolled in Staunton Military Academy in Staunton, Virginia, graduating with the class of 1961. After high school Lee enlisted in the Marine Corps and served a single term enlistment.
Briefly after the USMC Lee studied at the University of Utah. Sometime around this era he began general aviation pilot instruction at airports near Salt Lake City. The bulk of his ratings and initial flight time were acquired in or near Salt Lake City. Thereafter, the quest for airline employment began.
Lee was hired by Northwest Airlines on August 01, 1966. After initial training in Minneapolis, he launched 37-year airline career by serving as a second officer on the Boeing 727. He also flew second officer on the Boeing 707 before upgrading to a long line of copilot positions. Lee progressed right up the seniority ladder from the Boeing 727, 707, and 747 Classic as copilot (first officer). His initial captain checkout was on the Boeing 727, this was followed by immensely popular Boeing 757, and eventually the much sought after captain qualification on the Boeing 747 Classic. Toward the end of his career NWA started phasing out the Classic 747 and Lee opted to qualify as a Boeing 747/400 captain. During his 37-year NWA career Lee served at crew bases in Minneapolis, Detroit, New York JFK, and Los Angeles.
A gathering of Japanese American NWA pilots in Manila - Lee at right.
It is little known that during the later years of his airline career, Lee enrolled at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Nellis AFB campus) and completed his unfinished college degree. Well done, Sir.
Marriage held special challenges for Lee. He underwent the matrimonial drill three times. From these first two marriages he acquired three children.
Lee with his friend Yvonne and his former wife Lorna Dahl
Lee’s post-retirement can best be described as extensive and interesting. Immediately after retirement from NWA in 2003, Lee flew for Vision Airlines conducting Grand Canyon flight tours. During this tenure he acquired a FAA rating in the DO-228 (Dornier twin-engine 19 pax turboprop transport). There ended up being a lawsuit against Vision Airlines over worker rights and training costs. Unfortunately, Lee lost the case in the Nevada Supreme Court. The case turned out to be a landmark case for employment law in Nevada.
In 2009, as an independent contractor, Lee served for a year at a US Army forward operating base in Mosul, Iraq flying drones for the US military.
Lee was always a big supporter of workers’ rights. It is reported that he flew with printed scab lists and often made a big stink when having to fly with a scab. His son reports that Lee was interviewed in the early-mid 1980s on local Seattle TV news about a strike situation. It is ironic that it is unsure if this interview involved a pilot strike, or a sympathy strike for the NFL Players Association. Either way Lee stood out as an ardent labor activist. He was also a good mentor for students at Embry-Riddle University, teaching them how to manage their money, pension, retirement, etc.
Lee was a member of The Quiet Birdmen, attending meetings and functions for several years after retirement. Lee even volunteered for a few years at a hospice along with his dog, Xena, a St. Bernard.
At the time of his passing there was a lady in is life – Yvonne. Together they did some traveling around the country, including a visit back to Staunton, childhood favorites in Hawaii, and lots of places in between.
Leland Ozawa is survived by his sons Keith, Lindsey, and Lincoln. In addition, he had 6 granddaughters and 3 great-grandchildren.
Another NWA aviator Flies West. Lee, your NWA colleagues thank you for your camaraderie and incredible attention to detail.
(~ Lincoln Ozawa & Bill Day)