1. Walter Thomas Varney was an American aviation pioneer who founded forerunners of two major US airlines, United Airlines and Continental Airlines, which combined under United Continental Holdings in 2010, long after his death in 1967.
11 Facts About Walter Varney
1. 2.
Varney served as a pilot in the Aviation Section, US Signal Corps during World War I After the war Varney established an aviation school and air taxi service in northern California.
3.
In October 1925, Walter Varney was awarded one of the first contracts under the recently passed Contract Air Mail Act after the determination was made the United States Army Air Corps was not suited for air mail flying.
4.
Walter Varney based his operation, Varney Air Service, in Pasco, Washington, and flew routes between Pasco, and Elko, Nevada, stopping in Boise, Idaho each way.
5.
Walter Varney, following a five-company merger, sold the much expanded Walter Varney Air Group in 1930 to United Aircraft and Transport.
6.
Walter Varney ceded control to Mueller in 1934, and in 1936 a controlling interest in the company was sold to Robert Six who renamed it Continental Airlines in 1937, moving its headquarters to Denver.
7.
In 1932, Walter Varney contributed half of the $40,000 needed to purchase the Lockheed division of Detroit Aircraft Corporation out of bankruptcy.
8.
Walter Varney was reorganized in Burbank, California as the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation.
9.
Walter Varney lived for a time with the family of his son-in-law, Richard Lambert.
10.
Walter Varney died of bronchial pneumonia on Jan 25,1967 at Dani's Nursing Home in Santa Barbara, California.
11.
Walter Varney was buried in Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, California in the Varney family plot.