LaVern St. Clair

LaVern Dale St. Clair Passed suddenly on December 26, 2015, he was 74 years old. LaVern was born in Wapato, Washington on December 31, 1940 to Leroy and Grace (Janshen) St. Clair. He attended Adventist Grade School and went to upper Columbia Academy in Spangle, Washington. He graduated from Wapato High School in 1959. In February of 1960 he married Cheryl Bond and had one Daughter. LaVern moved to Durango in 1960 to work with Dr. Stanley Beddoe to train as a Dental Technician. He attended Classes at Fort Lewis College and later opened St. Clair Dental Lab in Durango which he owned and operated for 31 years. LaVern divorced Cheryl in 1967. He met and later married Beverly (Randall) Perino on 1 January 1971.

LaVern’s passion and first love was Flying. He took Flying lessons when he was 14 years old in an Aeronca Champ out of a Corn Field outside of Wapato, WA. He was a natural and soloed with only 7 hours of instruction. He was unable to finish obtaining his Pilots License until he moved to Durango. LaVern started flying out of La Plata County Airport and completed his check ride with Jim Gregg Sr. in 1967 . LaVern loved to fly and in 1977 Lucy Ringueberg invited him to go on a glider ride out of Animas Air Park where the Durango Glider Club was flying, he was hooked after 2 flights. He had numerous hours in tail wheel aircraft so he started Towing for the Glider Club to trade for Glider time.

LaVern enjoyed going fast along with racing. He was an accomplished snow skier and joined the Ski Patrol at Purgatory. He raced motorcycles for several years. Then his attention shifted to racing boats where he would race at Navajo Lake and Morgan Lake. He was the fastest in class for 4 years in a row on Navajo Lake. He then got hooked riding snowmobiles and had his own dealership for several years. He rode and raced many different types and was a member of San Juan Sledders Snowmobile Club.

Flying gliders became such a passion for LaVern he wanted to do it everyday. That was when he got the idea to build an airstrip in the Animas Valley. He purchased property in the Valley and built Val-Air Airport which was an FAA registered airport CD82. He worked so diligently to have it leveled and the grass runway in top shape. That way it would be close to home and he could fly over the mountains and area he loved. He sold his Dental Lab in order to have more time to follow his dream. His passion was in aviation and flew many different types of airplanes. He was very talented and restored many of them he flew. His true love was flying the gliders and soaring high over the mountains in Colorado. He was a Certified Glider Instructor and taught many people to fly over the years. There were numerous young people who came out and flew with LaVern. They were touched by his passion of flying and many went on to become commercial pilots. Over the years there were many people who came out to experience the joy of flying and he gave rides to many physically challenged people. He had the opportunity to give rides to many people who had wanted to go up in the gliders as a last wish as they only had a short time left to live.

He flew for the La Plata County Search and Rescue for 13 years mainly looking for lost hunters and hikers in the area. He was awarded an honorary membership from the Colorado Mounted Rangers in 1986 for his efforts and support in flying search and rescue. That same year State Representative Ben Knight Horse Campbell presented the plaque from The Colorado House of Representatives paying tribute to LaVern’s flying skills and ability to fly into the mountainous areas in order to guide rescuers in to the area to save lives.

He is preceded in Death by his parents and Sister Doris Beddoe. LaVern is survived by his wife of 44 years Beverly, Daughter Tami Backus husband Bob of Pasco, Washington and Daughter Dr. LaDale Rein and husband Scott of Bayou Vista, Texas. A step son J.P. Perino Jr. wife Kym of Frisco, Texas. His 7 Grand Children Casey, Tanner, Jasper, Jodylane, Jarret, Ashley and Erin along with 4 Great Grand Children, Taylor, Chase, Kolton and Jadyn. Brother Duane St. Clair of Boise. Nieces, Renee and Angie and Nephews, Randy, Rick, Brad and Stuart.

There will be a Celebration of Life at Animas Valley Grange Hall at 1:30, located at 7271 CR 203, on what would have been LaVern’s 75th Birthday 31 December 2015 and an Open House to visit with the family afterwards. LaVern Motto was “Eat Dessert First” Please bring your favorite dessert to share in His honor and your favorite glider picture.