Late Green Country Business Owner Honored By Family Members, Aviation Community

Family members of Deanna Robertson are remembering her legacy after she was killed in a car accident two weeks ago in Glenpool.

Deanna has been a big part of Tulsa’s aviation community for nearly half a century.

"Aviation has always been a man-oriented business, and my mom went above that, she owned her own business she was a mechanic, she did all her own maintenance on her aircraft," said her daughter Connie Robertson. "She would want young women out there to realize that all those things are possible in this world."

Deanna became a part of the 99's, an organization that promotes aviation for women. Her advocacy for women in aviation inspired all her students.

"She started a lot of this, she was at the ground floor when giving more women a chance to get into the world started, her passion was the inspiration for so many women to begin taking on a flying career," said Mike Hastings, an instructor and student of Deanna's.

Deanna’s passion is what made her so successful. Her younger sister, Debbie Deardorf, said if someone in Tulsa was interested in learning to fly a plane, Deanna was always highly recommended.

Debbie Deardorff, younger sister of Deanna, "It's incredible how the aviation community of this city knows her and of her and when somebody would say, 'Who can take flying lessons from?', most people in this town would say go take them from Deanna."

When she died Deanna had over 32,000 flight hours under her belt.

"I've been flying for 27 years now and I don't have near that number so that's quite a number, that speaks to how much she loved being in the air," Hastings said.

For Deanna, aviation became a family affair when her daughter became an aircraft mechanic, and they got the chance to work together.

"This airport and those airplanes other than her family were the most important thing to her," Connie said.

Now Debbie’s legacy will continue to make a priceless impact on so many.

"All the people probably hundreds in this town and she's touched in some way," Deardorff said.

There will be a celebration of life for Deanna on Dec. 2 at 4 p.m. at the Riverside Airport in Tulsa.

"I just try to follow her example i have to be a good person and treat people right," Connie said.