Charles William Gatschet died peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on July 12th, 2022. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa on April 30,1930. Most people called him Skip. His father was Charles Gatschet Sr., a pilot and reporter for the Des Moines Register and Tribune who served in both World Wars. His mother was Rose Budine Gatschet, a Kansas City nursing home proprietor.
Skip moved to Kansas City as a child and graduated from Paseo High School in 1948. He studied violin at the Kansas City Conservatory until enlisting in the Air Force in 1951. He played numerous instruments throughout his life and fostered a love of music in his children.
In 1959, Skip married Barbara David. After spending their first married year in Los Angeles, Barby and Skip moved to Gladstone, MO. In 1972 they built a home on a farm north of Weston, MO, near Iatan. During their 43 years at the farm, which they called “Toad Hall,” they enjoyed the wildlife and quiet beauty of country living. In 2015 they moved to a home in the northland of Kansas City.
Aside from being with his family, Skip’s favorite thing was to fly. He served as a Dehmel simulator instructor at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas. Returning to Kansas City, he worked in family businesses while also working as a flight instructor for Trans World Airlines. TWA hired Skip in 1954, made him an international co-pilot on the Lockheed Constellation in 1956, and then a captain in 1966. During a brief furlough from the airline, he instructed and flew charters for Kansas City’s Executive Aircraft. After retiring from TWA in 1986, Skip flew for twelve years for Americo Life insurance Company. Over the course of his life he piloted helicopters, gliders, and hot air balloons. He built his own Stits Playboy and flew a variety of small aircraft, including an Omni autogyro and a Rose Parakeet. For three years, he competed in the National Hot Air Balloon Races in Indianola, Iowa. Skip received the Wright Brothers Award from the Federal Aviation Administration.
During his years as a TWA captain he also taught at the airline’s training center, preparing scores of pilots to fly. He relished the exchange of culture and knowledge with his students from international airlines. He and Barby formed friendships with Aeroméxico students and their families, which contributed to Skip’s lifelong admiration for Mexican culture; he studied Spanish all his life and traveled to Mexico many times, including a tour of the country on his motorcycle.
He participated in numerous organizations, including the Antique Aircraft Association, the Experimental Aircraft Association, the Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame, and Quiet Birdmen. He served Kansas City’s Airline History Museum on its Board of Directors and as Chief Pilot. Recently, he served as a docent at Kansas City’s TWA Museum. Beyond aviation, he was an amateur radio operator, a member of the Weston Historical Museum, and a patron of The Bell Road Barn Playhouse in Parkville. In Gladstone, MO he served as a reserve police officer in charge of the motorcycle division and later he served as a deputy with the Platte County Sheriff’s Department.
Skip was a peacemaker. He was kind, compassionate, generous and open minded. He could repair anything and loved to find or make a needed tool in his vast workshop. He wrote and read daily, sharing a sense of vital curiosity with all who surrounded him. He built buildings and machines, baked bread, grew vegetables, and made friends with people and animals of all kinds. He was ours, we loved our time with him, and we miss him. We wish him blue skies.
Charles “Skip” Gatschet is survived by his wife, Barbara Gatschet; brother, James Gatschet; children, Susan, Charles, and Anne; granddaughters, Rachel, Eva, and Marilyn; great grandchildren, Carter and Amelia, and by many loving friends and relatives.
Services will be held at Meyers Northland Chapel, 401 Main Street, Parkville, MO on Tuesday, July 19, 2022. Visitation at 3:00 PM. Celebration of Life at 4:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of Skip can be made to the TWA Museum, Kansas City, MO. Memories of Skip and condolences to the family may be shared at meyersfuneralchapel.com.
Dear Barbie and family, We enjoyed visits wtih you and Skip over the years. My son, Anthony, still remembers when you and Skip flew a helicopter that Skip made to Manhattan and my dad, Frank, took a ride in it. I remember a visit to your farm when I was about ten years old and using a rope to jump into the pond. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are for you.
I an sorry for your loss. I did not know Mr.Gatschet but I worked for OZARK, TWA, and AMERICAN before retiring in 2015 as a Aircraft Technician. Reading his obit/bio this group of men and women are leaving us quickly now along with our WWII heroes. This Generation fought the tough fight and learned and taught us so much in their lives how to work and succeed in this changing world. I hope you find Peace in knowing that HE did a GREAT JOB while on this earth his short time. Again I hope your Family finds peace in knowing He did it right.
Darrell Hawkins
Dear Barby and family – Knowing the Gatschet family through the years, though not often gathering personally, has been a happy place in our lives. We are saddened to hear of Skip’s passing and his physical absence from you. After reading the synopsis of Skip’s life adventures and talents, it is clear your memories will be many to share always.
Wishing you peace and comfort in those memories. Annehara and John Tatschl
Dear Barbara and family, I didn’t know skip for too many years, but I met him at the EAA group in Atchison, I’m the gentleman that purchase the J3-CUB from Skip. It is in restoration right now but it will be done soon. I will have the honor of keeping this Cub well into my retirement years. It will be a great reminder over the years of Skip and the legacy he held in aviation , and our friendship. Skip and I had some great conversations, both loving airplanes.
He will be missed.
Barbara if you would like? I would be honored to put something on airplane in memory of Skip?
Please feel free to contact me and we can discuss this further. 816-244-2424
My condolences to the whole Gatschet family.
Luke Jesnowski
I’m so sorry for your loss. Skip was a lovely and talented man. I have so many fond childhood memories of the Gatschet family, especially on the farm…thank you! I know he will be greatly missed but the world was a better place because he was in it. May you all feel God’s love and peace during this difficult time.
I send my condolences to Barby and family. I only knew Skip through email. He so generously shared Gatschet family history information with me, about your family and mine. He descends from Carl Jacob Gatschet and I from Carl’s brother William Gatschet. I refer to Skip’s family as “Kansas Gatschets” and mine “Missouri Gatschets” even if that’s not where we all ended up. If it weren’t for Skip, I wouldn’t know my grandfather had worked at a bullet factory in St. Louis during World War II. Skip also told me about the airplane that crashed (late 40’s or early 50’s) near Kansas City, and my father piloting a separate plane, witnessed it. My father didn’t discuss those kinds of difficult things. Skip told me that a lot of Gatschets were pilots. That included Skip, his father, my father, and others. And also about his mother Rose, the wing-walker. I value the information he shared with me. He was so kind to me. I’m very sorry for your loss. Janis Gatschet
Sorry for the loss of a good friend and fellow pilot
Dear Barbara and family.
We were so sorry to hear about Skip. It was a great pleasure to get to know you and Skip as neighbors and during your visits to the winery. What an interesting and adventurous life he lived!
David & Ginah
Riverwood Winery
Barby and family, we regret that we only learned today of Skips passing. As so many others have mentioned it was our great fortune to have Skip and you as very good friends and TWAers all these years. The big airplanes, little airplanes, motorcycles, jazz music and so many other common interests enriched our friendship. Skip has gone up up and away, but we will always miss him.
Love, Jim and Betty Ball
Rest in Peace Capt. Gatschet. I recall fondly the times our paths crossed during our TWA
years. Tail winds.
Blue Skies West Bound to Heaven Skip. What an incredible life with Family and Friends,
Capt. Bennie Clay
Was always happy to fly with Skip at AHM, he was a natural leader and when showing up for a trip and finding out he was Captain,you always knew good things were going to happen,no matter what they threw at us! Always loved his stories and in the same breath he was alays interested in my seagoing antics!
To say that Skip was a class act would be an understatement,no one is going to fill those shoes!