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<p><em>Louis Bailey “Buzz” Trevathan Jr.</em>, named after his Army officer father, was born in Mount Airy, NC. While still in the hospital after giving birth, his mother read a newspaper article about someone named “Buzz” and decided her son would go by that name.</p>
<p>When Buzz was 5 years old, his dad was assigned to post-war Japan. Buzz would often reminisce about the antics he engaged in during the long ocean trip, playing in the ship’s long hallways and frustrating the lady that kept hanging her fur coat on the posts of his bunkbed. During his two years in Japan, he met and played “Army” with other military dependents, several of whom became West Point graduates.</p>
<p>Next came Panama, where, as a preteen, Buzz investigated the local jungles and beaches and co-masterminded a business venture. He and friends, on a toy printing press, printed up fliers for an appliance repair shop and got an amazing number of responses from people bringing in things to be fixed. The only problem was they had no tools, materials, or skills for fixing anything. </p>
<p>In Panama, Buzz had a pet marmoset monkey he often carried around in his shirt pocket. Unfortunately, perhaps misunderstanding his mother’s comments about the monkey, a couple of maintenance men departed with the monkey. </p>
<p>Buzz’s father and his many “Army brat” friends inspired Buzz to attend a military academy, and after a year at the Army Preparatory School he joined the “Unsurpassed” West Point Class of 1967 at the United States Military Academy. While at the Academy, he was a Protestant Sunday School teacher and, though being long and lanky, became a member of the Plebe Gymnastics Team. </p>
<p>After graduation and Field Artillery Basic School, Buzz attended Ranger School, where, in the first week, he severely sprained his ankle. The doctor recommended that he recycle, but he refused to do so and continued the course. Despite the grueling challenges of Ranger School, he learned that it was entirely possible to move through the jungle while fast asleep. He is remembered by a Ranger buddy as one who was never flustered, took all that was dished out with stoicism, and remained calm in the worst of circumstances. Prior to Ranger School, the same buddy confronted Buzz with, “Why aren’t you running miles to prepare for Ranger School?” Buzz’s response, “Why should I train to be miserable?”</p>
<p>At the beginning of 1970, after attending flight school, Buzz was shipped to Vietnam as a member of the 220th Aviation Company known as the “Catkillers,” he being Catkiller 26. They flew low and slow in single-engine Cessna Bird Dogs, flying surveillance missions over the Ashau Valley, locating the enemy and supporting ground troops. In 1971, Buzz was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star.</p>
<p>Buzz’s next assignment was with the Berlin Brigade in Germany, where upon arrival he found himself unqualified to fly any of the assigned aircraft. In short order, he transitioned to rotary wing and flew the UH-1 helicopter. He also transitioned to and piloted the U-6 Beaver and co-piloted the U-8 Seminole twin-engine aircraft. He would quip that when he flew the Berlin Wall, he could always shake the Soviet aircraft tailing him because they couldn’t fly that slow. He particularly enjoyed giving narrated VIP helicopter tours of Berlin and imparting his thorough knowledge of the city’s history.</p>
<p>Shortly after leaving Berlin, Buzz resigned from the Army and landed in Luray, VA as an engineer for Virginia Oak Tannery. His duties included everything from EPA compliance to negotiation of union labor contracts. Beginning in 1980, Buzz worked for Air Products & Chemicals and raised sons Ian and Micah as a single parent. Four years later, he would take a job as a project engineer for Fairchild Space Company in Germantown, MD, where he would meet his soulmate, Pam. </p>
<p>While in Maryland, Buzz and Pam built a log home, satisfying their long-time dream. Buzz’s love of the Southwest and Native American cultures led to several trips to New Mexico and Arizona. They eventually made the decision to move to the Southwest and begin a new phase of life, catalyzed by purchasing Cristof’s, a well-known and respected Native American Art Gallery located in downtown Santa Fe, NM. While there, Buzz became an expert on Navajo weavings and, together with Pam, published numerous articles on the subject, operating Cristof’s for nearly 13 years. </p>
<p>During their time in New Mexico, Buzz and Pam raised two sons of their own, Zachary and Wyatt. The family traveled to competitions all over the state as both boys loved participating in sports such as hockey, soccer, and track.</p>
<p>After a brief post-Cristof’s retirement, Buzz went to work for AlphaNet, an organization that monitors and educates individuals that have the rare genetic disease called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, which in 2008 Buzz learned that he had. Buzz’s positive impact on others with this condition has been nationally recognized.</p>
<p>When retirement finally came for both Buzz and Pam, they moved to Bella Vista, AR to enjoy the many outdoor and cultural activities it afforded, with plans to travel extensively. Their plans were curtailed by the pandemic and Buzz’s deteriorating health.</p>
<p>Buzz always liked to brag about all the places he lived and the people he met, having lived in 15 states and four foreign countries. Common to all these boasts and stories was a special place in his heart he reserved for the classmates he had from West Point. </p>
<p><em>— Family, with input from classmates</em></p>
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