The loss of one of our own: SWABrian
Feb 28, 2013, 3:36 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
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The loss of one of our own: SWABrian
It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the sad news that we have lost a very dear member of our Southwest Airlines family. Brian Lusk, our official Southwest Airlines Corporate Historian, passed away this morning. Many of you here on this forum know him as SWABrian and throughout the years he has provided a wealth of information related to Southwest Airlines and the aviation industry. I have never met another person who had such a passion for aviation and loved to share that passion with anyone he came in contact with. We will always remember Brian’s clever comebacks, witty jokes around the office, and of course his Flashback Friday posts on our corporate blog. We will also never forget the many contributions he has made to our Company over his many years of service. An archive of Brian’s Flashback Friday and other aviation related posts can be found here: http://www.blogsouthwest.com/users/blusk Please join us all in taking a moment to think of Brian and his family during this time.
Thank you
Rob Hahn
Southwest Airlines
Thank you
Rob Hahn
Southwest Airlines
Feb 28, 2013, 3:54 pm
#2
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
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I met Brian. He was as much a prince in person as he was on this forum.
Southwest's historian is part of this forum's history too.
May I suggest to Southwest a project in Brian's honor? I'd like to see a virtual wall walk of the historical displays all up and down the hallways at HQ. Hire Google to bring their mapping camera in and run it through the halls. Link to it from blogsouthwest and dedicate it to Brian.
Southwest's historian is part of this forum's history too.
May I suggest to Southwest a project in Brian's honor? I'd like to see a virtual wall walk of the historical displays all up and down the hallways at HQ. Hire Google to bring their mapping camera in and run it through the halls. Link to it from blogsouthwest and dedicate it to Brian.
Feb 28, 2013, 4:35 pm
#3
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Wow, this is incredibly sad news.
While I never had the opportunity to meet Brian in person, his commentary here at FT was always greatly appreciated. I am so sorry to hear of his passing...he will be greater missed in our forum as well as at Southwest.
Brian R.I.P.
While I never had the opportunity to meet Brian in person, his commentary here at FT was always greatly appreciated. I am so sorry to hear of his passing...he will be greater missed in our forum as well as at Southwest.
Brian R.I.P.
Feb 28, 2013, 9:10 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2007
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Condolences to Brian's family and the Southwest family. Brian will be greatly missed by all. He was quite the positive contributor on this forum as he was always willing to lend a helping hand to any of us with our questions/comments/issues.
Feb 28, 2013, 9:25 pm
#7
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This is a great loss for Southwest airlines.
Like many long time flyertalkers, I got to know Brian from his posts on Flyertalk. His love and family history of aviation was apparent.
Brian Lusk graciously gave my family and I a tour of Southwest headquarters two years ago. We immediately felt welcome and he made us feel that we were the most important part of his day. He was a walking encyclopedia on every piece of Southwest Airlines / Love Field history. He showed us the archives room and we could immediately tell how happy he was managing that area. It was very fitting that he was later appointed as Southwest's first corporate historian.
We got to see him further at additional events including the Oskosh Airventure show and the inaugural revenue flight of Warrior One. A funny moment was when we told him we were at Oskosh Airventure just for the day. He looked at us like we were absolutely nuts. He told us that he needs almost an entire week to get through the entire show.
Rob posted a link to Brian's Flashback Friday series. Each weekly installment made for great reading and helped further my interest in the behind the scenes life of the Southwest Airlines family.
Like many long time flyertalkers, I got to know Brian from his posts on Flyertalk. His love and family history of aviation was apparent.
Brian Lusk graciously gave my family and I a tour of Southwest headquarters two years ago. We immediately felt welcome and he made us feel that we were the most important part of his day. He was a walking encyclopedia on every piece of Southwest Airlines / Love Field history. He showed us the archives room and we could immediately tell how happy he was managing that area. It was very fitting that he was later appointed as Southwest's first corporate historian.
We got to see him further at additional events including the Oskosh Airventure show and the inaugural revenue flight of Warrior One. A funny moment was when we told him we were at Oskosh Airventure just for the day. He looked at us like we were absolutely nuts. He told us that he needs almost an entire week to get through the entire show.
Rob posted a link to Brian's Flashback Friday series. Each weekly installment made for great reading and helped further my interest in the behind the scenes life of the Southwest Airlines family.
Last edited by expert7700; Feb 28, 2013 at 10:00 pm
Feb 28, 2013, 9:31 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2006
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Very, very sad news...indeed. I always enjoyed, and learned a great deal from, Brian's posts. Brian's love of Southwest and his genuine caring for the customer always came through in all he posted.
R.I.P., Brian. My condolences and prayers to your friends and family.
R.I.P., Brian. My condolences and prayers to your friends and family.
Feb 28, 2013, 10:17 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,072
OMG this can't be. SWABrian had such a presence on this forum and I will forever be appreciative for his replies to my postings. May Brian RIP. I'm so sorry to learn of his passing. May his family be blessed with the happy memories.
BTW is there a place where we can send our condolences to the family even if its via e-mail? Can Flyertalk complile memorable posts where Brian was helpful so the family knows how he helped us to know more about WN.
I met Brian as well he was truly a wealth of knowledge.
BTW is there a place where we can send our condolences to the family even if its via e-mail? Can Flyertalk complile memorable posts where Brian was helpful so the family knows how he helped us to know more about WN.
I met Brian as well he was truly a wealth of knowledge.
Last edited by danielonn; Feb 28, 2013 at 10:28 pm
Mar 1, 2013, 5:01 am
#10
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I wish I'd had an inkling that this was near at least a day sooner.
But he always knew how I felt.
* BTW, absolutely no one would ever believe who alerted me to this.
Last edited by Firewind; Mar 1, 2013 at 7:22 am
Mar 1, 2013, 8:17 am
#12
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My condolences. I have missed seeing him post on FT (no disrespect to the current social media presence), and had hoped to meet him in person if I ever got to visit HQ. A sad day...
P.S. - I second nsx'x idea!
P.S. - I second nsx'x idea!
Last edited by HPN-HRL; Mar 1, 2013 at 8:18 am Reason: added PS
Mar 1, 2013, 8:25 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,638
I would also like to express my sincere condolences to the family, friends, and co-workers of Brian. Though I am a relative newcomer to this forum, I know that Brian was a real asset to both this forum and SWA, with a true passion for what he did.
Remembering Brian...
http://www.blogsouthwest.com/users/blusk
http://www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/fl...arewell-friend
Remembering Brian...
http://www.blogsouthwest.com/users/blusk
http://www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/fl...arewell-friend
Last edited by mke9499; Mar 1, 2013 at 9:23 am
Mar 1, 2013, 9:12 am
#15
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Oh this is horrible news! I was thinking of him just the other day. I never got a chance to meet him in person, but he was a wonderful ambassador for Southwest and a model of the values which Herb held dear in terms of treating customers (and I presume, other colleagues).