As a 6-year-old boy, Willie Daniels often found himself gazing upward at the expanse of the sky with a dream of becoming an astronaut. But as it goes for many people, life had other plans, and Willie’s dreams shifted from exploring space in a rocket ship to flying the friendly skies in an airplane.

Captain Willie L. Daniels II, was born in Kansas City, Kansas, but primarily grew up in Palmdale and Pomona, California, as one of 10 children. He began flying lessons in middle school and attended Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, California, where he was on the track team and earned a commercial pilot degree. In 1976, Willie went to Metro State College of Denver and graduated in 1978 with a professional pilot degree. He then became a flight attendant for United Airlines to use as a “stepping stone to enter the cockpit,” which he did in 1987 when he began his pilot career with United. After nearly 45 years, Willie retired in 2020 having flown more than 11 million air miles and accumulating more than 22,000 flight hours.

While Willie had an accomplished career as a pilot, he felt a constant tug to “do something to make it better for our country.” He noticed a relationship between two of the United States biggest issues: overcrowded prisons and workforce gaps in the tech sector, including the aviation and aerospace industries.

Willie was determined to “make our youth part of the solution.” Hence, in 1999, SHADES OF BLUE (Shades) was born, a nonprofit that tutors, counsels and arranges internship and employment referrals for youth who desire a career in STEM-related fields, especially aviation and aerospace. The foundation’s name was conceived by Willie and others who had the pleasure of seeing various “shades of blue” in the atmosphere from the approaching sun as they traveled across the Pacific Ocean.

Willie’s efforts with Shades have earned him some illustrious accolades, including the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023. On October 12, Willie was inducted into the Colorado Aviation Historical Society Hall of Fame, which honors individuals who have made significant contributions in the field of aviation in Colorado.

Willie and his wife, Perezza, from Arrington, Virginia, married in 1989 in Denver, where they lived in a house just steps away from the noisy runways at Stapleton Airport. They are the parents of two grown daughters, Danielle and Dana, both of whom attended Rock Canyon High School.

The family moved to the Noble Ridge neighborhood in 1992, and having lived next to an airport, were pleasantly surprised by the lack of noise and disruptions. “We fell in love with the area. We can see the Milky Way across the heavens at night and we have wildlife in our backyard,” said Willie.

Willie’s career traveling the globe for nearly half a century has infected the entire Daniels family with the travel bug. They have been to many places, including Spain, Portugal, Italy, Mexico, and most recently New Zealand, where they retraced the steps of the hobbits from the Lord of the Rings movies.

For more information about Shades, visit ourshadesofblue.org.

 

 

By Sara Goodwin; photos courtesy of Willie Daniels