Short History of Grand Junction FSS (GJT), Colorado
Date written is unknown
Grand Junction’s first “Chief”, as they were called back then was Jim Campbell. Jim was also a
part-time building contractor, retired in 1965 or 1966 and died about 1969.
Jim was replaced by Bob Burnett, who at that time was the Grand Junction Tower Chief. To cut down administrative costs the regional office decided to combine these two positions. Bob moved to Denver in 1967.
Ralph Calkins followed Bob as the Chief of the both the tower and flight service. He had worked in flight service stations since 1942. In 1972 Ralph became the chief of the tower only and retired after 26 years of CAA and FAA career service.
Ralph’s retirement replacement from 1972 to 1975 was Wayne Brimner who is now the manager (Chief) of the Denver AFSS. Wayne began in Thermal, California in 1962 and also worked at Lovelock, Nevada, Northway, Alaska, Rawlins, Wyoming, and Imperial, California.
Ed Marvin was promoted to the Flight Service Chief in January of 1975. Ed started his career at the Seattle FSS in 1956 and saw duty at Whitehall and Bozeman, Montana, Akron, Colorado, and was chief at the Dickenson, North Dakota FSS. He also worked at the Cheyenne, Wyoming tower. Ed retired in 1988 and did a stint at the Academy working with the computer based programs and as a flight service instructor. Ed is not back in Grand Junction, still planning the writing of a great novel.
In 1974 an assistant chief position was established at the flight service. Glenn Johnson was selected from Denver FSS to fill this slot. He started out with the U.S. Army Signal Corp in 1946 during W.W.II as a radio operator and enlisted as a civilian after the service to serve aboard a ship. He began his CAA/FAA career at Seattle FSS and served at many other stations including Yakima, Washington, Bakersfield, California, Los Angeles, California, Wichita, Kansas, Joplin, Missouri, Tucson, Arizona, and Denver, Colorado. Glenn retired in 19?? and is still a ham radio operator.
Mel Southam was awarded the area supervisor position at GJT FSS after returning from the OKC training Academy where he served as a FSS instructor. He first began at the Salt Lake City ARTCC, transferred to the Malad City, Idaho FSS, then to the Salt Lake City, Utah FSS. In 1979 he transferred to the Academy. Mel retired in April 1987.
Nine secretaries were employed by the Grand Junction FSS/Tower since the early 1960’s. The secretaries worked for both the tower and the flight service chiefs half a day in each place.
Listed below are the nine with the dates of service when known:
Pat Kephart
Wanda Haralson
Kathy Egan – fall of 1980 – fall 1981
Bonnie Holloway – Sep 1981-July 1983?
Judy Ousley – Mar 1987
Arlone Larsen – 1967-1975
Gini Kinkead Bright – July 1976-Oct 1979
Michele Guyton 1981
Nina Brake – Nov 1983-Oct 1985
