NTC church nurtured hero pilot Sullenberger

BY JOHN A. LOVELACE
Special Correspondent

His 50-years-ago Sunday School teacher at Waples Memorial UMC, Denison remembers, him as Chelsey.  His sister refers to him by his middle name, Burnett. Anda prominent female clergy member of the North Texas Conference remembers him as Burney, her rival for first-chair flute in the
Denison High School band.

As of Jan. 15, much of the world knows him as the pilot of “The Miracle on the Hudson,” the successful emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River with no loss of life. As recently as Feb. 1 pregame ceremonies for Super Bowl LXIII, the entire five-member crew captained by Chesley Burnett (Burney) Sullenberger received heroes’ welcomes.

On, coincidentally, her brother’s 58th birthday Jan. 23, Mary Wilson welcomed two journalists into her comfortable Plano home – one from her family’s church, Christ UMC, Plano, the other from the UM Reporter, the conference newspaper.

Mary, two years younger than Burnett, was savoring a comparative respite from the media blitz that surged into her life after word got out that she was a hero’s sibling. A University of Texas graduate and professional actuary, she works partially from her home.

Savvy now to things media people seem to want, she shared her mother’s scrapbook, other family photos and documents, unhurried, temperate responses to questions she had answered many times and, at the request of the church journalists, insights into the Sullenberger family that might not occur to other media.

Mary and Burnett, their parents – Chesley Burnett Sullenberger, Jr. and Pauline Hanna Sullenberger – and both sets of grandparents – Russell Samuel Hanna and Kate Whitehurst Hanna (maternal) and Chesley Burnett Sullenberger and Florence Burge Sullenberger (paternal) – were all born in Denison.

The Hannas were members of St. Luke’s Episcopal in Denison. “I believe,” she continued, “that the Sullenbergers were members of Waples, but not 100 percent sure. I know that my father considered himself Methodist when  he married my mom. She joined l my dad’s church, so we were all UMC. For this article she pro-

The scrapbook yielded, among other jewels, Burnett’s certificate of church membership. Pauline Sullenberger taught for several years in the Waples day school.

Norma and Bob Hauser are longtime members of Waples.” vided this unique remembrance: For this article she provided this unique remembrance: “I remember Chesley as a young boy about the time he was 8–12 years old. I was teaching Sunday School at Waples the children’s music program. He was such a lovely boy, with blond hair and such a sunny disposition. He was always very well behaved and did everything asked of him. He was a pleasure to be around and very likeable. His mother and I worked with the children in the church and were friends.

“Even though it has been a long time ago, I was so proud to hear about our Denison native and Waples family member. May God bless him over and over.”

MHS staff remembers
Another recall comes from one of his Denison contemporaries, Rev. Carole Somers-Clark, vice president of pastoral services for the Dallas-based Methodist Health System.

“Burney and I went through most of junior high and high school together (my family moved away for a few years when I was in 10th and 11th grade). Burney was 1st chair fl ute – I was 2nd chair (most of the time!) He was always very disciplined with practice and studies. I fl ew with him in one of the ‘prop’ planes when we were seniors. I don’t remember being scared or my parents objecting to my climbing into a little bitty plane with a boy my age as pilot.

UMYF
“Until I received your request I had forgotten that he also was active in MYF with me. I think Eldon Chester was our lay youth leader at that time. Walter Underwood was senior pastor, and there was an associate pastor who had primary responsibility for MYF with Eldon. I vividly remember a ‘talent show’ where Burney (holding a big paper lollipop) sat in a chair and I skipped around lip-syncing to a pop song called “my boy—Lollipop”. I am pretty sure we were in high school.

“I guess my recollection illustrates that no matter what we offer kids in UMYF youth activities, it can help produce people who grow up to be pilots who save lives and ordained elders of the church!”

Mary Wilson is amused by the small-world coincidences behind the two intersections involving her family and the Underwoods. She remembers Rev. (later Bishop) Walter Underwood as a “very warm” pastor of Waples Memorial Methodist whose family came to dinner at least once at the Sullenbergers’ home ten miles outside Denison on a bluff overlooking Lake Texoma.

Mary also remembers her classmate, Wally Underwood, and twins Ronnie and Donnie, three years older than her brother. Today one twin, Dr. Don Underwood, is her pastor, at Christ UMC, Plano.

In his Jan. 22 e-mail newsletter to parishioners and friends, Dr. Underwood wrote, “Ordinarily, I would not write about an event that has been as well publicized as this one, but today I make an exception for the simple reason that Captain Sullenberger is connected to both Methodism and Christ Church. He grew up in Denison . . . and graduated from Denison High School three years behind me. My father was his pastor, and he attended the same Methodist Youth Fellowship that I attended.

“On Monday I discovered that one of our Christ Church members, Mary Wilson, is the sister of Sully Sullenberger. Mary also grew up at Waples Memorial United Methodist Church in Denison. Reminiscing with her about Denison, she made the comment that both she and Sully consider my father to have been their ‘childhood pastor.’ Now, 46 years later, I am her pastor. “

…I would maintain that there are more Captain Sullenbergers around than we typically recognize. There are many who, on a daily basis, help to create ‘good news’ with acts of kindness and service and sometimes
unrecognized heroism. At Christ Church we call it simply ‘Loving God, Serving Others... Transforming Lives.‘ That is the message that the Captain and his family grew up with, and we are pleased that the long tentacles of the Methodist connection have been found in one of the great stories of our day.”

Dr. Underwood, proud of the connections, shared his discovery with this newspaper.

As for their youthful activities at Waples Church, Mary remembers that Burnett had a nice voice, sang in the youth choir and had at least one solo in a worship service. She says they both were active in MYF and  recalls two kinds of events – one known as “Mystery Ramble,” the other “Up with People.” She says her parents were very supportive “but not big leaders” in youth work.

Because the Sullenbergers lived in the country, Burnett and Mary as children had only each other as playmates. She says that he, as “big brother,” would let her choose what game they would play so long as it was from his preferred list.

She says he was funny, sociable and popular and never intended to do anything in life but fly. As their mother’s collections attest, Burnett showed early talent for drawing -- so long as the object was an airplane.

Life as a pilot
Dr. Sullenberger, their father, was a Navy veteran who hoped that Burnett would go to the Navy Academy. But potential life as a pilot won out when Congressman Ray Roberts appointed him to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Dr. and Mrs. Sullenberger had a travel trailer then, and the entire family visited the Air Force cadet more than once, including, naturally, his graduation in 1973. Dr. Sullenberger, a dentist with offices in downtown Denison, died in 1995, his wife in 1999.

After graduation, Burnett flew for the Air Force for six or seven years then took his first job as a commercial pilot in 1980 with Pacific Southwest Airlines. That line merged into US Airways for whom he was flying on Jan. 15. Mary Wilson first learned of the emergency landing from television when she got home about 3:00 p.m. She immediately called Burnett’s wife, Lorrie, at their home in Danville, CA, and learned that Burnett had called her and said he was all right. “So I knew he was safe.” She said she last saw her brother a few months ago when he called, as he occasionally did, between flights at DFW Airport.

Mary, her husband, Alan, a quality engineer at Texas Instruments, and their son, Alex, 14, joined him for a meal and visit.  Sister and brother have talked on the phone several times since Jan. 15, but, she says, “I haven’t gotten up the nerve to ask him how he felt during the emergency.

I will ask him eventually.”

Does she think he intends to continue flying? “I haven’t asked. Certainly not in the near future.”

Was she relieved when examination of the flight’s “black boxes” confirmed her brother’s version of what happened, namely that the plane’s engines shut down after the plane hit a flock of birds?

“For me that was non-news. If you knew my brother you’d believe whatever he said.”

Among his publicized recognitions was his and Lorrie’s being invited to the presidential inauguration. Afterwards, on invitation, they attended one of the ten inaugural balls that Barack and Michelle Obama graced.

Backstage, the Sullenbergers stood in a receiving line. As the President and the pilot shook hands, Capt. Sullenberger said, “It is an honor to meet you.” The President responded, “No, the honor is mine.” He then suggested to Michelle: “Why don’t you give him a hug?” She did.

Family reunion
The two families – the three Wilsons and the four Sullenbergers – Burnett, Lorrie and daughters Kate, 16, (named for her maternal great-grandmother)
and Kelly, 14 – haven’t gotten together in fi ve years. They stay in touch by e-mail and phone. But at their next reunion, little sister has some questions for her big brother -- and a few hugs of her own to bestow.
 

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The late Pauline Sullenberger’s scrapbook yielded many artifacts about her son, Of special value for this article was his Certificate of Membership in Waples Memorial Methodist Church, Denison, displayed by his sister Mary Wilson.