(KUTV) News went out Friday to a stunned east Provo neighborhood that the local LDS bishop and three family members died in a plane crash more than a thousand miles away.
Killed were Mark Openshaw, his wife Amy, son Tanner, and daughter Ellie. Another son Max, the youngest of five children, survived the crash and was taken to a local hospital.
They were on a plane piloted by the husband and father, which reportedly took off from a grass air strip in Missouri. The Openshaws had been visiting family there, and were moments into a return flight to Utah, when the aircraft went down. Relatives may have witnessed the crash.
“It’s going to leave a hole that will never be filled,” said Katie King, a neighbor and ward member. “The bishop, he would call every member of the ward on their birthday, and sing Happy Birthday to them.”
Thoughtfulness, some told 2News, extended throughout the Openshaw family.
“They brought food and condolences,” said Jeff Geertsen, when his own 93 year old father died several weeks ago. Geertsen said the Openshaws showed “unconditional love
Amy Openshaw was an LDS Primary president, and two older sons were not on board the plane. 2News was told one is serving an LDS mission, the other is studying abroad.
Mark Openshaw served on the Utah State Board of Education. A graduate of BYU, he was a founder and president of AirCom USA, a Provo-based data company.
He also was a long-time pilot, and according to the Daily Herald newspaper, was on the Provo Municipal Airport Board, and was active on the Boy Scouts.
Asked how Openshaw fit all of the activities into a busy life, Stake President Jeff Alexander said “that’s a good question…bit he did it. We had a neighbor a couple of weeks ago who had a heart attack. He was the first one on the scene
