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Vancouver, British Columbia, on May 24th to 26th. Here they had a dangerous assignment. The field was very small and completely surrounded by trees with an electric power line at one end. Due to high customs charges they took only one plane with them. Despite the hazards they put on a very successful show and both made several good flights. Grant Morton, the chutist, was scheduled to be part of the show but was ill and could not perform, so a local balloonist, Charles Saunders, took his place and made a successful jump both days.

From Vancouver they went to Bellingham, Washington, and then split up, Parmelee going to North Yakima, Washington, and Turpin to Seattle. Flying from the Meadows Race Track at Seattle on May 30th Turpin lost control and crashed into the grandstand, escaping serious injury himself, but injuring several spectators. Two days later, on June 1, 1912, at North Yakima, Parmelee crashed and was killed instantly while attempting a flight, against his better judgement, in a very strong, gusty wind. His mechanic begged him not to fly, but he did not want to disappoint the crowd. Shortly after takeoff he lost control and fell into an apple orchard. Until this happened he had never broken up an airplane. By coincidence this happened the day after Wilbur Wright died in Dayton, Ohio.

Turpin came at once to return Parmelee's body to his home in St. John, Michigan. By proclamation of the Mayor, all business was suspended the forenoon of June 7, 1912, the day. of his funeral as St. John's M. E. Church. He was buried in the East Plains Cemetery near Matherton, Michigan, beside his mother who had passed away in 1900. He was 25 years old, unmarried, survived by his father, stepmother, brother, sister and half sister. Parmelee had been scheduled to fly at the local county fair in August. Following his death Turpin was so broken up he stopped flying permanently.

Flying Pioneer Phil Parmelee was truly one of the greats among early 

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