Richard Kanode
November 21, 1927 — January 1, 2020
Richard Wagner Kanode, 92 of Thurmont, passed from this life on Tuesday, January 1, 2020 at Frederick Memorial Hospital with his life partner of 32 years, Janice Robbins and Bruff Proctor by his side.
Born on November 21, 1927 in Catonsville, MD he was the son of the late Gretchen and Robert Wagner Kanode.
He was a United States Army Veteran serving during the 1950’s.
Dick was a builder and the owner of Country Homes, Ltd, a company that built housing communities and some high-rise buildings in and around Baltimore County. He also built many roads in Ocean City Maryland area. Later in life, he owned and operated a farm in Thurmont, which he has donated along with an endowment to Frederick County Maryland to remain an educational agriculture center known as the Richard W. Kanode Farm Park.
A long-time aviator, he was a member of numerous aviation associations including the Quiet Birdmen (QB’s), The Stransky Knights, his favorite local airport club, and as a Lifetime member of The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Dick was a member of the Frederick Airport Commission serving as Chairman from 1994-2000. A Flying Legend, in 2003 he was the recipient of the Maryland Aviation Pioneer Award from the Maryland Aviation Administration. His many accomplishments in aviation included from the late 1960’s to the 1970’s of his running Mason Dixon Air Shows in Frederick, MD, where he flew a modified Boeing A75 450HP Stearman Biplane in an aerobatic and wing walking act. He also flew a Piper J-3 Cub as "Baron Von Leftover" in a flying comedy act, and a North American T-6 WWII trainer in an aerobatic routine. Later years he flew his Beechcraft T-34 Mentor performing aerobatics.
Dick loved all kinds of racing and was a member of Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). He raced motorcycles as well as Formula Cars and was the 1997 Mid Atlantic Road Race Series Champion.
He is survived by Janice Robbins and Bruff Jackson Proctor of Thurmont, MD.
Services will be private.
Arrangements are by Stauffer Funeral Home, Thurmont, MD. and Stauffer Crematory, Frederick, MD.