Frank Hanly Radspinner died Monday, Feb. 23, 2009, after a brief illness. A celebration of life will be held at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 917 Lamar, Fort Worth. Interment will be 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, at Pickwick-McAdams Cemetery at Possum Kingdom Lake. Visitation is 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, at Biggers Funeral Home, 6100 Azle Ave., Lake Worth, TX. Mr. Radspinner was born April 26, 1934, in Darlington, S.C., to Frank Hanly and Elsie May Radspinner. His love of aviation started when he piloted his first flight at age 11 and continued throughout his life. He graduated from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, in 1955. After entering the U.S. Army, he served in Asia, Europe and the Antarctic, where he flew the first helicopter flight to the South Pole. Mr. Radspinner was named in recognition of his accomplishment. His service in Antarctica resulted in the Distinguished Flying Cross. A master Army aviator with more than 4,300 flight hours, he served over 30 months in Vietnam, receiving the Meritorious Service Award, Bronze Star, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Award, Vietnam Service Medal (seven campaigns), Vietnam Campaign Medal/60 device, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Antarctica Service Medal and many other related honors and awards. His contributions to aviation in both the military and commercial and volunteer communities spanned more than 50 years. As the Army liaison with Bell Helicopter, he participated in the development of the then-new Bell Cobra helicopter. After retirement from the Army, he joined Bell Helicopter’s international marketing department, where he continued his love of flying and helicopters in Asia and Europe. A charter member of the Army Aviation Association of America, he continued to serve as a governor on the AAAA scholarship board. Additionally, he served with The Citadel Foundation board. As a member of the Possum Kingdom Chamber of Commerce board of directors, he initiated the drive to establish a recycling project for the area. Survivors include his wife of 30 years, Diana Braiden Radspinner; daughter Lisa Ann Radspinner; daughter and son-in-law Nina and Michael Johns; grandson Dean Edgar “D.J.” Rose; and granddaughter Natalie Ann Johns. He was preceded in death by his parents and son, William Douglas Radspinner. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests memorials be made in his name to The Citadel Foundation, Class of ’55, 171 Moultrie St., Charleston, S.C. 29409; or the Army Aviation Association of America Scholarship Fund, 755 Main St., Suite 4D, Monroe, Conn. 06468-2830. Tags: 1955
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