Stephen Benya was born Aug 25, 1912, in Yonkers, New York. The first and only son and the second of four children of John & Frances (Bortnik) Benya. His parents were Slovakian immigrants to the United States. Steve grew up on the family farm called "Happy Landings Farm" in Brookfield, Connecticut with his sisters; Helen (Gereg), Frances, and Ruth (Hampton).
He wasn't cut out for the farm life like his parents. He set his sights and goals as high as he could way beyond that. Not that farming is bad or below him. He would never forget or discredit what he had learned from his parents, or his life there on the farm. He would use all those skills, and use them to the best of his ability, and then-some most likely! Openness, kindness, desire, and brains were his key traits inherited from his parents. He used his unique perceptive personality, wit, and charm in everything he did. I'm sure his parents must have encouraged him every step of the way. He was like a rocket that could only progress upwards.
He graduated from Brookfield High School about 1930.
He graduated from Parks Air College of Illinois in 1933 with an Aircraft & Engine Mechanic's license, and a private pilot's license.
After college he moved to North Beach, NY and joined Curtis-Wright Aeronautics at what is now La Guardia Airport.
In 1934 he worked for Trans-World Airways to work on DC-2's, and Ford Trimotor in Kansas City and Newark.
In 1937 he had a tremendous opportunity and moved to California where he worked for Douglas Aircraft Company. He would end up staying there for the rest of his career!
On Dec 28, 1940, Steve married the lovely Margaret Josephine Borrman with whom he had two fine sons: Paul and John. They were a close-knit family. Steve and Margaret taught and inspired their boys to be doers and thinkers by their actions and deeds at work, and at play.
Steve worked on the flight line and helped produce some of the most important and innovative aircraft in the world! These included DC-3, DC-4, DC-6, DC-7, B-18 and B-23.
He then transferred to the Experimental Flight Test Dept where as a flight engineer. He monitored the aircraft's complete system operation from take-off to landing. He did this on DC-4 through DC-10. He was also involved in training flight engineers.
In 1970 he became Chief Flight Engineer.
He became Branch Manager of Flight Ops in 1976.
In 1977 he retired.
In retirement years he and Margaret would crisscross the country to sight-see, visit relatives and travel with them in their mobile home camper which they loved! They were happily married almost 56 years.
He died on 23 Aug 1996 just 2 days shy of his 84th birthday.
Steve was a kind and wonderful man of whom it seemed everyone liked! The same went for his wife Margaret. If you met him, you liked him because he openly and kindly accepted you instantly and, it was not a facade. This was genuine 100% Steve! It's also I'm sure helped make him so very successful in life. A smile can go a long ways, but a smile and acceptance and caring meaningful conversation are skillful tools that he had mastered. Heck he was just a nice guy, and people meant something to him.
Bio composed from family history by his brother-in-law Bob Hampton & son Paul Benya.
It was a real pleasure to meet and know Steve. He was inspiring to me because of his background in the field of aircraft, especially the incredible things he had done at Boeing just blew me away! A test pilot on aircraft that I had marveled at since a young boy. When I first met him it was back in 1978 because he's my wife's uncle. He had already completed his career then, just! I was just starting out in the aircraft field as a mechanic, and was beyond amazed, by his accomplishments. He was like a Chuck Yeager, sort of! He was so leaps and bounds beyond me in ability and intelligence that I was amazed I could even be in the same room with him. He met me and talked with me as if we were equals. It impressed me to no end at the politeness, and care that he would talk to me without seeming, or acting superior or arrogant. Like I said, it blew me away to say the least! What a guy! What a wonderful human being with such ability. I think he was one of the most amazing people I've ever got to meet and talk with. If I had to do it all over again I'd try to get more advise from him on how I should advance in my life like he did perhaps. Of course his family like stated earlier were all gems. You couldn't help but be a gem being around the likes of Steven Benya. A truly incredible man.
He wasn't cut out for the farm life like his parents. He set his sights and goals as high as he could way beyond that. Not that farming is bad or below him. He would never forget or discredit what he had learned from his parents, or his life there on the farm. He would use all those skills, and use them to the best of his ability, and then-some most likely! Openness, kindness, desire, and brains were his key traits inherited from his parents. He used his unique perceptive personality, wit, and charm in everything he did. I'm sure his parents must have encouraged him every step of the way. He was like a rocket that could only progress upwards.
He graduated from Brookfield High School about 1930.
He graduated from Parks Air College of Illinois in 1933 with an Aircraft & Engine Mechanic's license, and a private pilot's license.
After college he moved to North Beach, NY and joined Curtis-Wright Aeronautics at what is now La Guardia Airport.
In 1934 he worked for Trans-World Airways to work on DC-2's, and Ford Trimotor in Kansas City and Newark.
In 1937 he had a tremendous opportunity and moved to California where he worked for Douglas Aircraft Company. He would end up staying there for the rest of his career!
On Dec 28, 1940, Steve married the lovely Margaret Josephine Borrman with whom he had two fine sons: Paul and John. They were a close-knit family. Steve and Margaret taught and inspired their boys to be doers and thinkers by their actions and deeds at work, and at play.
Steve worked on the flight line and helped produce some of the most important and innovative aircraft in the world! These included DC-3, DC-4, DC-6, DC-7, B-18 and B-23.
He then transferred to the Experimental Flight Test Dept where as a flight engineer. He monitored the aircraft's complete system operation from take-off to landing. He did this on DC-4 through DC-10. He was also involved in training flight engineers.
In 1970 he became Chief Flight Engineer.
He became Branch Manager of Flight Ops in 1976.
In 1977 he retired.
In retirement years he and Margaret would crisscross the country to sight-see, visit relatives and travel with them in their mobile home camper which they loved! They were happily married almost 56 years.
He died on 23 Aug 1996 just 2 days shy of his 84th birthday.
Steve was a kind and wonderful man of whom it seemed everyone liked! The same went for his wife Margaret. If you met him, you liked him because he openly and kindly accepted you instantly and, it was not a facade. This was genuine 100% Steve! It's also I'm sure helped make him so very successful in life. A smile can go a long ways, but a smile and acceptance and caring meaningful conversation are skillful tools that he had mastered. Heck he was just a nice guy, and people meant something to him.
Bio composed from family history by his brother-in-law Bob Hampton & son Paul Benya.
It was a real pleasure to meet and know Steve. He was inspiring to me because of his background in the field of aircraft, especially the incredible things he had done at Boeing just blew me away! A test pilot on aircraft that I had marveled at since a young boy. When I first met him it was back in 1978 because he's my wife's uncle. He had already completed his career then, just! I was just starting out in the aircraft field as a mechanic, and was beyond amazed, by his accomplishments. He was like a Chuck Yeager, sort of! He was so leaps and bounds beyond me in ability and intelligence that I was amazed I could even be in the same room with him. He met me and talked with me as if we were equals. It impressed me to no end at the politeness, and care that he would talk to me without seeming, or acting superior or arrogant. Like I said, it blew me away to say the least! What a guy! What a wonderful human being with such ability. I think he was one of the most amazing people I've ever got to meet and talk with. If I had to do it all over again I'd try to get more advise from him on how I should advance in my life like he did perhaps. Of course his family like stated earlier were all gems. You couldn't help but be a gem being around the likes of Steven Benya. A truly incredible man.
Stephen Benya was born Aug 25, 1912, in Yonkers, New York. The first and only son and the second of four children of John & Frances (Bortnik) Benya. His parents were Slovakian immigrants to the United States. Steve grew up on the family farm called "Happy Landings Farm" in Brookfield, Connecticut with his sisters; Helen (Gereg), Frances, and Ruth (Hampton).
He wasn't cut out for the farm life like his parents. He set his sights and goals as high as he could way beyond that. Not that farming is bad or below him. He would never forget or discredit what he had learned from his parents, or his life there on the farm. He would use all those skills, and use them to the best of his ability, and then-some most likely! Openness, kindness, desire, and brains were his key traits inherited from his parents. He used his unique perceptive personality, wit, and charm in everything he did. I'm sure his parents must have encouraged him every step of the way. He was like a rocket that could only progress upwards.
He graduated from Brookfield High School about 1930.
He graduated from Parks Air College of Illinois in 1933 with an Aircraft & Engine Mechanic's license, and a private pilot's license.
After college he moved to North Beach, NY and joined Curtis-Wright Aeronautics at what is now La Guardia Airport.
In 1934 he worked for Trans-World Airways to work on DC-2's, and Ford Trimotor in Kansas City and Newark.
In 1937 he had a tremendous opportunity and moved to California where he worked for Douglas Aircraft Company. He would end up staying there for the rest of his career!
On Dec 28, 1940, Steve married the lovely Margaret Josephine Borrman with whom he had two fine sons: Paul and John. They were a close-knit family. Steve and Margaret taught and inspired their boys to be doers and thinkers by their actions and deeds at work, and at play.
Steve worked on the flight line and helped produce some of the most important and innovative aircraft in the world! These included DC-3, DC-4, DC-6, DC-7, B-18 and B-23.
He then transferred to the Experimental Flight Test Dept where as a flight engineer. He monitored the aircraft's complete system operation from take-off to landing. He did this on DC-4 through DC-10. He was also involved in training flight engineers.
In 1970 he became Chief Flight Engineer.
He became Branch Manager of Flight Ops in 1976.
In 1977 he retired.
In retirement years he and Margaret would crisscross the country to sight-see, visit relatives and travel with them in their mobile home camper which they loved! They were happily married almost 56 years.
He died on 23 Aug 1996 just 2 days shy of his 84th birthday.
Steve was a kind and wonderful man of whom it seemed everyone liked! The same went for his wife Margaret. If you met him, you liked him because he openly and kindly accepted you instantly and, it was not a facade. This was genuine 100% Steve! It's also I'm sure helped make him so very successful in life. A smile can go a long ways, but a smile and acceptance and caring meaningful conversation are skillful tools that he had mastered. Heck he was just a nice guy, and people meant something to him.
Bio composed from family history by his brother-in-law Bob Hampton & son Paul Benya.
It was a real pleasure to meet and know Steve. He was inspiring to me because of his background in the field of aircraft, especially the incredible things he had done at Boeing just blew me away! A test pilot on aircraft that I had marveled at since a young boy. When I first met him it was back in 1978 because he's my wife's uncle. He had already completed his career then, just! I was just starting out in the aircraft field as a mechanic, and was beyond amazed, by his accomplishments. He was like a Chuck Yeager, sort of! He was so leaps and bounds beyond me in ability and intelligence that I was amazed I could even be in the same room with him. He met me and talked with me as if we were equals. It impressed me to no end at the politeness, and care that he would talk to me without seeming, or acting superior or arrogant. Like I said, it blew me away to say the least! What a guy! What a wonderful human being with such ability. I think he was one of the most amazing people I've ever got to meet and talk with. If I had to do it all over again I'd try to get more advise from him on how I should advance in my life like he did perhaps. Of course his family like stated earlier were all gems. You couldn't help but be a gem being around the likes of Steven Benya. A truly incredible man.
He wasn't cut out for the farm life like his parents. He set his sights and goals as high as he could way beyond that. Not that farming is bad or below him. He would never forget or discredit what he had learned from his parents, or his life there on the farm. He would use all those skills, and use them to the best of his ability, and then-some most likely! Openness, kindness, desire, and brains were his key traits inherited from his parents. He used his unique perceptive personality, wit, and charm in everything he did. I'm sure his parents must have encouraged him every step of the way. He was like a rocket that could only progress upwards.
He graduated from Brookfield High School about 1930.
He graduated from Parks Air College of Illinois in 1933 with an Aircraft & Engine Mechanic's license, and a private pilot's license.
After college he moved to North Beach, NY and joined Curtis-Wright Aeronautics at what is now La Guardia Airport.
In 1934 he worked for Trans-World Airways to work on DC-2's, and Ford Trimotor in Kansas City and Newark.
In 1937 he had a tremendous opportunity and moved to California where he worked for Douglas Aircraft Company. He would end up staying there for the rest of his career!
On Dec 28, 1940, Steve married the lovely Margaret Josephine Borrman with whom he had two fine sons: Paul and John. They were a close-knit family. Steve and Margaret taught and inspired their boys to be doers and thinkers by their actions and deeds at work, and at play.
Steve worked on the flight line and helped produce some of the most important and innovative aircraft in the world! These included DC-3, DC-4, DC-6, DC-7, B-18 and B-23.
He then transferred to the Experimental Flight Test Dept where as a flight engineer. He monitored the aircraft's complete system operation from take-off to landing. He did this on DC-4 through DC-10. He was also involved in training flight engineers.
In 1970 he became Chief Flight Engineer.
He became Branch Manager of Flight Ops in 1976.
In 1977 he retired.
In retirement years he and Margaret would crisscross the country to sight-see, visit relatives and travel with them in their mobile home camper which they loved! They were happily married almost 56 years.
He died on 23 Aug 1996 just 2 days shy of his 84th birthday.
Steve was a kind and wonderful man of whom it seemed everyone liked! The same went for his wife Margaret. If you met him, you liked him because he openly and kindly accepted you instantly and, it was not a facade. This was genuine 100% Steve! It's also I'm sure helped make him so very successful in life. A smile can go a long ways, but a smile and acceptance and caring meaningful conversation are skillful tools that he had mastered. Heck he was just a nice guy, and people meant something to him.
Bio composed from family history by his brother-in-law Bob Hampton & son Paul Benya.
It was a real pleasure to meet and know Steve. He was inspiring to me because of his background in the field of aircraft, especially the incredible things he had done at Boeing just blew me away! A test pilot on aircraft that I had marveled at since a young boy. When I first met him it was back in 1978 because he's my wife's uncle. He had already completed his career then, just! I was just starting out in the aircraft field as a mechanic, and was beyond amazed, by his accomplishments. He was like a Chuck Yeager, sort of! He was so leaps and bounds beyond me in ability and intelligence that I was amazed I could even be in the same room with him. He met me and talked with me as if we were equals. It impressed me to no end at the politeness, and care that he would talk to me without seeming, or acting superior or arrogant. Like I said, it blew me away to say the least! What a guy! What a wonderful human being with such ability. I think he was one of the most amazing people I've ever got to meet and talk with. If I had to do it all over again I'd try to get more advise from him on how I should advance in my life like he did perhaps. Of course his family like stated earlier were all gems. You couldn't help but be a gem being around the likes of Steven Benya. A truly incredible man.
