NBAA is mourning the death of Walter Pague, 96, a former director of aviation for Armco Steel who was among the 13 people who gathered at the Wings Club of New York in 1946 to establish the Corporation Aircraft Owners Association, the precursor to NBAA. Pague, who would have turned 97 on Thursday, died in his sleep last Friday at his home in Middletown, Ohio. He is survived by his wife, Betty. “Pague was one of NBAA’s ‘founding fathers,’” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “His vision and determination helped make possible the association we have today. For nearly three-quarters of a century, he not only served our industry with distinction but embodied the highest qualities to which we all aspire.” Besides being one of the association’s co-founders, Pague served on NBAA’s board of directors from 1947 to 1964 and was the first chairman of the group’s technical committee. After flying missions to Alaska on behalf of the Air Transport Command during World War II, Pague joined Armco Steel’s flight department in 1945, flying the company’s Twin Beech. He remained with the company until his retirement in 1980. According to a family spokesperson, Pague will be cremated and his ashes spread over Middletown Regional/Hook Field Airport. A memorial service is being planned.