1914
Urban
2004
Urban Kampsen
May 8, 1914 — October 19, 2004
Funeral services for Urban John Kampsen, age 90, of Ottertail, MN, will be Saturday, October 23, 2004, at 2:00 p.m., in St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Rush Lake, rural Perham, MN, with Reverend Jerry Nordick, Reverend Leo Otto and Reverend Kevin Schwartz officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation at Schoeneberger Funeral Home is from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, October 22, 2004, with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m, as well as one hour prior to the funeral at the church. Urban died at the Good Samaritan Center, Battle Lake, MN, Tuesday, October 19, 2004.
Urban was born the first of nine children to Henry and Helen (Casper) Kampsen, in Sauk Center, MN, May 8, 1914. At age 15, the family moved to Pontiac, MI where he finished high school and studied mechanical engineering at General Motors Institute. He attended flight school and, later, had his own flight school at Pontiac Airport. Urban was the first person in Pontiac to achieve an instrument rating. In 1942, Urban was united in marriage to Alice J. Brekke, in Chicago, IL, following achieving rank as Captain with TransWorld Airlines. During the thirty-four years he was in airline service, Urban was involved in varied flight crew training operations which led to his appointment to Staff Vice President-Flight Operations Training, in 1968, a position he held until his retirement in May 1974. He participated in air traffic accident investigations which led to greater understanding of flight crew performance. In the early 1970's, with Urban's involvement on the Air Transport Association Training Committee and FAA Flight Standards, he provided a positive influence in the use of flight simulator training, in lieu of using aircraft, to assist pilots in meeting the standards required by the FAA. As an indication of his stature in the development of flight simulation, Urban was invited by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics to present a paper on that subject in Moscow in July of 1973 before a joint symposium of American and Russian aviation experts. He also developed a flight training program for the 747 and Lockheed 1011. This was unique in the history of the airline manufacturer relationship resulting in safer airline operations. Urban provided service to the academic community through membership on junior college aviation advisory boards as well as through recommendations made, at the invitation of Purdue University, to improve and modernize the Purdue Aviation Technology curriculum and facilities. Urban was awarded the FAA Distinguished Service Award in 1974 upon his retirement. This is the second highest award given by the FAA to civilians. When Urban retired, he and Alice moved from Kansas City, MO to Ottertail, MN. His hobbies included trap shooting, golfing, and bowling, winning numerous trophies in each sport. The couple very much enjoyed their retirement years in Ottertail.
Surviving Urban is his wife, Alice, of Ottertail, MN; one daughter, Patricia Kampsen, of Chicago, IL; three brothers, Alquin "Auggie" (Dorothy) Kampsen, of Fenton, MI, Ray (Phyllis) Kampsen, of Chicago, IL and Virgil "Red" (Evelyn) Kampsen, of Calvert City, KY, and one sister, Lidwina (Lee) Cotter, of Oxford, MI .
Preceding Urban in death were his parents, Henry and Helen Kampsen and siblings, Evelyn Greene (James), Verena (Troyce) Hudnell, Leo Kampsen (Dorothy), Cyril Kampsen and Anthony Kampsen.
Schoeneberger Funeral Home, Perham, MN, is in charge of the arrangements. (218) 346-5175
Online tributes may be posted at www.schoenebergerfuneralhome.com
Urban was born the first of nine children to Henry and Helen (Casper) Kampsen, in Sauk Center, MN, May 8, 1914. At age 15, the family moved to Pontiac, MI where he finished high school and studied mechanical engineering at General Motors Institute. He attended flight school and, later, had his own flight school at Pontiac Airport. Urban was the first person in Pontiac to achieve an instrument rating. In 1942, Urban was united in marriage to Alice J. Brekke, in Chicago, IL, following achieving rank as Captain with TransWorld Airlines. During the thirty-four years he was in airline service, Urban was involved in varied flight crew training operations which led to his appointment to Staff Vice President-Flight Operations Training, in 1968, a position he held until his retirement in May 1974. He participated in air traffic accident investigations which led to greater understanding of flight crew performance. In the early 1970's, with Urban's involvement on the Air Transport Association Training Committee and FAA Flight Standards, he provided a positive influence in the use of flight simulator training, in lieu of using aircraft, to assist pilots in meeting the standards required by the FAA. As an indication of his stature in the development of flight simulation, Urban was invited by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics to present a paper on that subject in Moscow in July of 1973 before a joint symposium of American and Russian aviation experts. He also developed a flight training program for the 747 and Lockheed 1011. This was unique in the history of the airline manufacturer relationship resulting in safer airline operations. Urban provided service to the academic community through membership on junior college aviation advisory boards as well as through recommendations made, at the invitation of Purdue University, to improve and modernize the Purdue Aviation Technology curriculum and facilities. Urban was awarded the FAA Distinguished Service Award in 1974 upon his retirement. This is the second highest award given by the FAA to civilians. When Urban retired, he and Alice moved from Kansas City, MO to Ottertail, MN. His hobbies included trap shooting, golfing, and bowling, winning numerous trophies in each sport. The couple very much enjoyed their retirement years in Ottertail.
Surviving Urban is his wife, Alice, of Ottertail, MN; one daughter, Patricia Kampsen, of Chicago, IL; three brothers, Alquin "Auggie" (Dorothy) Kampsen, of Fenton, MI, Ray (Phyllis) Kampsen, of Chicago, IL and Virgil "Red" (Evelyn) Kampsen, of Calvert City, KY, and one sister, Lidwina (Lee) Cotter, of Oxford, MI .
Preceding Urban in death were his parents, Henry and Helen Kampsen and siblings, Evelyn Greene (James), Verena (Troyce) Hudnell, Leo Kampsen (Dorothy), Cyril Kampsen and Anthony Kampsen.
Schoeneberger Funeral Home, Perham, MN, is in charge of the arrangements. (218) 346-5175
Online tributes may be posted at www.schoenebergerfuneralhome.com
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