Reo Landon Rood

1927 - 2021

Reo Landon Rood

Warsaw, NY — Reo Rood: Even The Sky Had No Limits Reo Landon Rood Jr died peacefully at the age of 94 in his bed at The Birches of Concord New Hampshire on Thursday, December 16, 2021, with his son Tom and daughter Rhonda at his side. He was loved and admired by all for his humble and charming nature, great sense of humor and ability to live in the moment with a twinkle in his eye. Reo was the first of 4 boys born to the late Reo Landon Sr and Mabel (McClenathan) Rood, in Grand Rapids Michigan on June 25, 1927.

Watching planes from the roof of his home near the local runway, he came to love aviation as a child. He spent his teens at the airport doing virtually any job in trade for flight time.

After finishing high school, he enlisted in the Navy in the mid 1940's for flight school, which he completed at The University of Michigan in 1949. During this period, Reo married Ruthann Degraves Rood (deceased at 94 on August 27, 2020) and became a Christian. He was a devoted husband and father, and together they raised 4 children with strong Christian values and work ethic. They celebrated their 73rd anniversary together in 2020.

In the 1950's, Reo was an instructor for the military services, specialized in aerobatics. He taught many cadets the skilled maneuvers essential to their survival as combat pilots in the Korean War. He served with/flew for the Army Air Corps, US Navy and the US Air National Guard. He was briefly a corporate pilot/flight director.

In the early 60's, he flew commercially for Pan Am, visiting virtually every country on the globe. He then flew for Trans Caribbean/American Airlines into the 70's and also operated an aircraft dealership in Danbury CT, offering Waco (Siai Marchetti) aircraft, a high-end Italian private plane line.

In 1973, Reo "retired" and moved his family to a runway-suitable farm property in Warsaw NY, beginning the most prolific period in his flying career. With the help of his sons Richard and Tom, he built a 4000ft runway and hangar. He travelled to Russia to purchase a Czechoslovakian fighter pilot trainer jet to refurbish for the US market. He flew a vast array of airplanes and helicopters, as an aerial photographer and crop duster, and most passionately, as a flight instructor.

He was active in (and later president of) the Geneseo (National) Warbird Museum. Through the Museum, he instructed on many Warbirds, and toured the country flying in airshows and giving rides in both the R4D and B17. Although his first passion was aviation, Reo was a self-taught engineer, electrician, mechanic, woodworker and plumber who built two family homes.

He was a devout Christian throughout his adult life, and was always active in his church, most recently St Paul's Lutheran in Batavia NY.

He loved to laugh, dance, sail, and most of all to fly, and took his wife Ruthann and his children on many adventures. He always had a beloved dog, and thrived on Mexican food and ice cream!

Reo is survived by two brothers: Robert Rood and William Rood, his three children: Rhonda Rood, Janine Rood, and Thomas Rood, as well as his two grandchildren, Rachel and Derek Bridgewater and his great-grandchild, Abbot Kirtland. He was preceded in death by his brother Gene Rood, his wife Ruthanne (Degraves) Rood and his son Richard Rood.

Reo will be buried with his wife's and son's remains at the New Waterloo Cemetery in Warner, NH. Services will be held on June 18, 2022, at 11:30am at the United Church of Warner at 43 East Main St. After the service, a celebration of his life will be held at 27 School St in Warner.