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Family, Friends Mourn Pilot

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By JOSH POLTILOVE The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 21, 2009

TAMPA - After being told her pilot father died in a plane crash, 12-year-old Kaley Renslow had a dream. In it, she said, she was able to hug and kiss him one more time.

Renslow told several hundred people about the dream Friday at her father's memorial service at First Baptist Church of Lutz. He told her in the dream "that he would never leave me ... that he is home and he lives in my heart."

Marvin Dean Renslow, 47, was remembered as a family man who loved God, music and flying planes. He was the pilot of the commercial airplane that crashed into a home Feb. 12 near Buffalo, N.Y., killing all 49 people on board and a man in the house.

Renslow lived in Lutz in Pasco County with his wife and two children.

Investigators are still piecing together what led to the crash. Kaley said she knows. "My dad did everything he could to save the lives of the people on his plane, but it was just his time, along with everyone else."

Renslow's son Tyler, 17, said his father was a true captain - and not just in the air.

"He was the head of our family. He was someone to look up to."

An account has been set up for Renslow's children to help pay for college. The account is at the Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union, 1837 Collier Parkway, Lutz. Checks should be made payable to Renslow BNI. Account number 4433106 should be on the memo line of the check.

The family of another local man killed in the crash also mourned his absence Friday.

Nicole Yarber, daughter of Clay Yarber, a former Bay area musician who was a passenger on the plane, held a news conference. Clay Yarber, a Vietnam veteran, lived in Pinellas County until 2008.

After the air disaster, she gathered in Buffalo with other families for a tour sponsored and organized by Continental so the families could see for themselves what happened.

"There was a lot of crying and hugging. It looks a lot different in person than it does on television," Yarber said.

Friends and family are planning a memorial service Monday at Harvest Temple, 13301 Walsingham Road, Largo, Nicole Yarber said. The reception will start at 6 p.m., the service at 7:30 p.m. Well-wishers will gather later at Ringside Cafe in St. Petersburg.
Yarber said memorial donations can be made to the Marine Semper Fi Fund for injured Marines.

Pam Jones, who said she also is a daughter of Yarber, said the memorial events Nicole Yarber is organizing aren't authorized by the rest of the family.

"Our family has not been able to reach Nicole, nor has she reached out to any member of our immediate family regarding these events which she has scheduled via media outlets," Jones said in a written a statement.

"His life and heroism will be properly honored and respected by a memorial service held at the National Cemetery in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio at a further date."

Reporter Keith Morelli and News Channel 8 reporter Mark Douglas contributed to this report. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

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