Merrill Wien

Apr 4, 1930 -

Jan 8, 2023

On Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, notable Alaska pilot Merrill Wien, a loving husband, father and grandfather, passed away, at age 92, with his family at his side.

Merrill was born on April 4, 1930, to Noel and Ada Wien and into a famous flying family in Alaska. He flew in the bush in Alaska, as well as WWII trainers, bombers and transports in the Air Force, and later airliners as a pilot for Pan Am and Wien Air Alaska. He ushered in the jet age to Alaska and later flew wide-body aircraft all around the world.

After retiring, he flew sightseeing flights for his friend Lowell Thomas Jr. over Denali, worked as a test pilot for the Soloy Corporation in Olympia, Wash., and flew freight in a C-46 out of Fairbanks, Alaska, for Evert's Air Cargo as a "retirement job."

He acquired a number of WWII aircraft and brought them back to active flying. Merrill volunteered as an instructor pilot with the Commemorative Air Force, flying their B-29, "FiFi" to airshows across the country. He completed his career with many thousands of hours of accident-free flying.

Merrill and former wife, Kathy, had three children, Kimberlee, Kurt and Kent, while living in Fairbanks and Anchorage, Alaska. Merrill married his current spouse, Barbara, and helped raise her two children, Eric Guina and Suzanne Guina Sagiao. They lived in Seattle, Wash., and were together for 40 years.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; brother Richard and wife Sally; as well as five children; six grandchildren; nieces, Dona, Robyn, Kelly and Leslie; and nephew, Loren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Noel and Ada; sister, Jean; and nephew, Michael.

A celebration of his life is planned for later spring 2023 in Seattle.