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Alan Magary Obituary
Magary was nicknamed "Sky" by his mother, Elizabeth Cutter Mayher, shortly after his birth in Elgin, IL on September 20th, 1942. After graduating from Phillips Exeter Academy (1959), Yale University (1963), and Harvard Business School (1967), Sky Magary would more than live up to his nickname by embarking on a career that took him from the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Pan Am Airways, Hyatt Hotels, and finally Republic/Northwest Airlines.
It was at Northwest where Magary, as Vice President of the airline's marketing department, would implement the first domestic smoking ban that any airline had ever attempted in North America. Despite fierce opposition from the tobacco lobby, the ban proved to be a historic success, with other carriers soon instituting bans of their own and the US government codifying the ban as law in 1990.
Magary also had footrests installed in front of every seat on Northwest flights. Airlines had never been so accommodating to all of their passengers, and perhaps never will be again.
After a change in Northwest's ownership, Magary left the airline in 1991 and retired to Litchfield, CT, with his wife that same year. Save for a brief stint running the United's now-defunct Shuttle service in 1995, Sky Magary would remain in Litchfield for the next 33 years, playing golf (as best he could) and collecting vintage railroad timetables. He was a contented man, and would end his life that way: surrounded by his wife and kids, loved by them forever.
A memorial service in Magary's honor is being planned for late October.
11 Entries
Sally Dean
September 19, 2025
When I think of Sky I can hear his voice loud and clear. Surely missed.
DOUG MAGARY
October 29, 2024
As Sky´s younger brother, the following are facts or rumors, I have heard or seen, perhaps incorrect.
The first story is the origin of the name "Sky". I heard that my mother and father when Sky was born in 1942 considered giving him a real fancy name. They decided on the rather snobby name of Skyler Pierpont Von Rensselaer Magary. Who knows if this story is even true. Somehow the Sky stuck.
In elementary school, Sky and I did not see as much of each other as our family moved from Wayne, Illinois to Louisville, Kentucky to Litchfield, Connecticut to Greenwich and back to Litchfield. We often went to different schools during this period.
Sky went to Exeter in 1955 and graduated in 1959. Sky became the member of a doo-wop singing group called Bobo in the Blackjacks led by Bobo Gray, one of the very few African-Americans at Exeter at that time. Sky was always collecting something. He started a collection of doo-wop music. A typical example was "That's My Desire" by the Channels on the Whirlin´ Disc label.
One of the abrupt changes in Sky´s collection history was that he eventually dropped doo-wop music and developed an interest in a classic German composer named Anton Bruckner. How he changed from soul music to a dreary German composer, I have no idea.
When Sky was about 16 or 17, he had a job with White´s Woods. For transportation Sky bought a German Adler scooter. It would've been much cooler if he had commuted on a Harley Davidson but the scooter got him to work.
At Yale, Sky developed his collection of railroad timetables. He became part of the very small group of timetable collectors in the US. In 1961, Sky won the Adrian Von Sinderen book collecting prize for undergraduates with his timetable collection. I would have been afraid that this award would have labeled me as one of the biggest geeks on campus.
This fascination with railroads eventually led Sky to take his first job after graduation with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. He was paid the magnificent sum of $6500 a year to work in what was a dying industry. Susan can relate to how easy it was to live on minimum wage. If Sky had continued with railroads, his whole family might've been raised in a renovated Amtrak caboose.
Over our adult years we didn't we had not too much contact because we always lived in different locations. in the last few years, Diane and I loved to join Sky´s family outings on Cape Cod and in Kennebunkport Maine. Sky and Susan were great hosts and these family outings will always be remembered. Sky and I enjoyed our many golf outings.
We will always have Sky and Susan and their family in our memories.
DOUG AND DIANE
David Bornemann
October 26, 2024
My wife and I met Susan and Sky at numerous parties during our time at HBS together. Their apartment became the center of social life for married sudents. After graduation in 1967, we lived close to each other near Gramercy Park in NYC. Sky and I worked on our squash games on Sunday at the Harvard and Yale clubs. Since Sky and I both worked for airlines (Pan Am and American), we were able to travel and enjoyed a great trip with our wives to Rio. When our first children arrived about the same time, they enjoyed playing with each other
and we all kept in touch for many years. As mentioned in his obituary, Sky had a great impact on the airline industry and all those with whom he came in
contact. I feel so lucky to have known him for so long, and send sincere condolences to Susan
.
October 10, 2024
In loving memory of a wonderful person. We will love you and miss you always.
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SALLY DEAN
October 4, 2024
Thinking of you Susan and all the family. I can hear his voice now as I write. He lives on in our memories.
Kathy Troje
October 3, 2024
So sorry for your loss. Sounds like a wonderful life... we were lucky to have him in the NWA family.
Caroline King
September 30, 2024
So very sorry for your loss, Susan...I will miss his visits to the library. Sending much love to you and yours. - Caroline & Chris
Quentin Ryan
September 29, 2024
Sky loved movie night at The Sanctum!
Laurel Galloway
September 28, 2024
Susan, Please accept my sincere condolences for your loss of dear Sky.
Sending you and your family love and best wishes during these difficult times.
Laurel Galloway
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283 Torrington Road P.O. Box 486, Litchfield, CT 06759
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