Butchie served on the hospital ship, Republic that broke down near the Panama Canal. Ben Ryan was stationed there, flying submarine patrol in a P-38. One blind date changed both of their lives forever. After a nine-month courtship, they were married.
QUITE A LIFE – BUTCHIE RYAN TURNS 100
January 3 is Butchie Ryan’s 100th birthday. To honor this remarkable woman, we’re sharing a few highlights of her very full life. The RAF will be forever grateful to Butchie and her late husband Ben for donating their Ryan Field property near West Glacier, Montana to the RAF so it can be enjoyed by all. “Getting to one hundred is clearly a milestone, but getting there with a real story to tell is something more, and Butchie has a real story to tell,” RAF Chairman John McKenna said, adding, “The RAF is so privileged to be a part of her story and aviation should be forever grateful.”
Agnes Butchkosky “Butchie” was raised in Pennsylvania. Her father was a coal miner and the family of seven managed through several labor strikes. Butchie enrolled at Kings County Hospital School of Nursing in Brooklyn, graduating in 1944. She was determined to join the Army Nurse Corps, even though she was too short. She piled her hair on top of her head which made her just tall enough. “Our generation was willing to step up and it was what I wanted to do,” she said.
It’s tradition that the bride of a pilot make her wedding dress out of his parachute. But silk becomes transparent if wet. Ben had ditched his P-38 after a midair, and Butchie said, “I was glad Ben’s parachute was at the bottom of Panama Gulf!”
When they were both discharged, Ben roughnecked on an oil well near Livingston, Montana.
Ben then attended Stanford for a degree in Petroleum Engineering, and the couple lived near Palo Alto for three years. Butchie followed Ben as his career with Richfield Oil took him to Bakersfield, Casper, WY, Caracas, Venezuela, Los Angeles, then Anchorage where they survived the 1964 earthquake. Ben’s notable achievement was endorsing his crew that had discovered the Prudhoe Bay oil field.
After retirement, the couple bought the quarter-section near West Glacier where Ben would carve Ryan Field from the heavy timber.
“We settled in Montana, a place Ben had loved as a kid growing up, with trout streams and good use for his shotgun or hunting rifle.” They built a home, and it began displaying beautiful wildlife mounts, including a moose that Butchie shot.
In 2005, the Ryans began incrementally donating their property to the RAF so the airstrip would remain a public-use recreational destination in perpetuity. By 2012, the Ryans gracefully let age lead them to a decision to move to a comfortable room at the Montana Veteran’s Home in Columbia Falls. Moving was a huge adjustment for them, but they approached it as another natural part of their life. Ben passed in 2017 after 71 years of marriage to Butchie.
Everyone at the RAF wishes Butchie a happy birthday, and expresses appreciation for the Ryans’ vision and generosity.
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The RAF is excited that our Expand the Map initiative to open and rehabilitate airfields is off to an impressive start. As a result, we are seeking an airport engineer who is willing to volunteer their consulting services on airfield projects around the country. "Our supporters have many talents and areas of expertise," President Bill McGlynn said. “Please let us know if you’re an airport engineer who would be interested in volunteering your knowledge to improve recreational airfields.” Please contact Erin White, RAF Volunteer Coordinator, ewhite@theraf.org . Submitted October 8, 2026.
Like many people at this time of year, you may be considering your charitable contributions. The RAF is fortunate to have a deep bench of professional financial planning talent with several planned giving ideas to help you enjoy the advantage of tax benefits while benefiting the RAF mission. You can even specify a project that you'd like to support. You may not be aware of a new opportunity this year: Those who use the standard deduction (like most taxpayers), can deduct up to $1,000 ($2,000 for couples) for your direct donation to the RAF, without itemizing. This gives everyone a charitable giving tax-advantage, not just high-income donors who itemize. If you have any questions, a great way to start is to contact RAF Texas/Montana Ambassador Steve Maus, CLU, MSFS, and Chartered Advisor of Philanthropy. Reach him at: smaus@theraf.org .
FEATURING: RAF FLY ROCKY TOP COLLECTION This summer, the RAF proudly announced the Fly Rocky Top Airstrip Network, opening up a new way to experience the beauty, adventure, and recreational flying opportunities of East Tennessee. Now, you can take a little Fly Rocky Top spirit with you wherever you go! The new Fly Rocky Top Collection has officially landed at the RAF Outfitter, with something for just about everyone. From adventure-ready KÜHL layers to hats, a lightweight women’s performance shirt, and stickers, the collection was made for days at the airstrip and everywhere your adventures take you in between.
RAF key volunteers from across the nation gathered at Seattle’s Museum of Flight for a two-day RAF Educational Conference that ended Saturday, September 26. The days were filled with discussions about ways to further the RAF mission, beginning with the US Forest Service. The RAF Board of Directors and AOPA co-president Katie Pribyl and board member Peter Burwell updated the group over breakfast, and RAF Liaisons reported on airfield projects. Other presentations included author Richard Kyte on the importance of community, the RAF Safety, Education and Etiquette (SEE) committee reported on its messaging to pilots, Garmin presented its new Axis platform, author Richard Holm presented on the history of aviation’s role in the Idaho backcountry, and RAF Georgia Ambassador Dhruv Thakkar discussed the use of Digital Control Towers. Attendees also received an update on the RAF Airfield Guide and heard from RAF staff on tips for holding work parties and connecting RAF supporters. RAF Utah Liaison Wendy Lessig, RAF New Mexico Liaison Ron Keller, and Oregon Ambassador Kevin Johnson were presented with the RAF's Wind Beneath Our Wings Award for outstanding volunteer contributions to the RAF mission. Among the attendees were National RUS Liaison John Nadeau and his wife, who drove thousands of miles from Maine to join. "It was well worth the trip to learn about important projects fellow volunteers are working on from coast to coast, and how they successfully handle difficult situations using the RAF Way." The conference concluded with a talk from former and current principals of the adjacent Raisbeck Aviation High School. Dinner was later held in the high school, at which retiring RAF Director Steve Taylor was honored. Attendees enjoyed seeing their fellow volunteers and meeting new friends. Volunteers walked away feeling inspired and energized, with new ideas to continue their efforts preserving, improving, and creating airstrips for recreational access. Submitted September 1, 2026 Photo by Jake Peterson
The RAF extends its appreciation to Steve Taylor of the Seattle area for his dedicated service on the RAF Board of Directors from 2019 to 2025. Throughout his time on the Board, Steve generously shared his aviation experience, perspective, and relationships in support of the RAF mission. He contributed to numerous RAF efforts, including the RAF Kodiak missions in support of airstrip work on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest, and has been a valued advocate for the organization and recreational aviation. Steve also played an important role in helping bring the RAF’s 2026 National Educational Conference to Seattle. The gathering gave RAF volunteers, supporters, and partners an opportunity to learn, connect, and spend time together at the Museum of Flight and Raisbeck Aviation High School—two places that reflect Steve’s long-standing commitment to aviation and aviation education. In recognition of Steve’s service to the RAF and his support of the next generation of aviation leaders, the RAF made a donation to Raisbeck Aviation High School in his name during the conference. Steve’s contributions to the RAF extend well beyond any single project or event. We are grateful for the time, experience, relationships, and enthusiasm he has shared with the organization over the years, and we are proud to recognize him as a Director Emeritus. “We can't thank Steve enough for his devotion to the ongoing success of the RAF. He has ‘changed the game' for us in many ways and raised our stature as a volunteer organization,” said RAF President Bill McGlynn. Submitted September 1, 2026
