Jere Bowden Cobb
Jere Bowden Cobb
November 4, 1935-April 18, 2021
Jere was born November 4, 1935 in Jackson, Tennessee. After graduating from Columbia Military Academy in 1953, Jere attended the University of Virginia graduating in 1957. He graduated 1st in his class with a degree in aeronautical engineering. While at the University of Virginia, he was 2nd company commander in Naval ROTC, was in Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, the Trident Society, and played intramural tennis and baseball.
After college, Jere was commissioned in to the U.S. Navy, and attended USMC Basic Officer School. He attended flight school in Pensacola, Florida and Kingsville, Texas graduating in 1960. As a fighter pilot with the Marine Corps, he flew the A7-Corsair, the F8-Crusader and the F4-Phantom among others.
Jere was hired as a test pilot by NASA in 1963. He went to Langley Air Force Base and then transferred to Ellington Air Force Base in Houston where he made his home for 55 years. As a test pilot, he flew the T-33 Shooting Star and T-38 Talon as well as the Gulfstream I and II. He was instrumental in zero-gravity training and was often flying NASA’s specially outfitted KC-135 nicknamed “vomit comet”. He was a member of The Society for Experimental Test Pilots and spent much time at Boeing testing numerous aircraft and aiding in safety design and facilitating improvements. He logged more hours in the Lunar Landing Test Vehicle (LLTV) than any other pilot and trained the astronauts including the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong. He remained at Nasa until 1977.
As a professional pilot, Jere was FAA qualified in airline transport and multi-engine land, rotorcraft, gliders, single-engine sea, and was a certified flight instructor in single and multi-engine, rotorcraft, instrument airplane and helicopter. He was type-rated in Boeing 707 and 720, LT-33, L-188, L-382, L-329, Learjet, Learjet 60, IA Jet, Hansa Jet, DC-3, CV-240, 340, 440, Paris Jet, Hawker Jet, G159, G1159, MIG 15, L39, T33 and the rotary wing S-61, as well as almost all single and multi-engine turboprops and all Beech, Piper, Cessna single and multi-engine aircraft. In all, he flew 158 different fixed and rotary wing aircraft, totaling well over 40,000 hours with no incidents and in almost every country on the planet. Jere trained many up and coming pilots and was instrumental in their success. With little tolerance for ineptitude, if his students survived his training, they were in all likelihood very proficient. Due to Jere’s expansive knowledge in so many aircraft, he was frequently retained by attorneys and courts to provide expert witness testimony in aircraft incidents.
When not working, Jere could often be found flying acrobatic maneuvers in a Stearman. A classic Type-A personality and an avid athlete and competitor, Jere was a runner, biker, and skier, played handball and tennis, was a certified scuba diver, and worked out at the gym until just prior to his passing. He was a voracious reader and loved blaring Jazz music on the radio. After flying, Jere volunteered his time at the Lone Star Flight Museum at Ellington, passing on his passion to others. He loved spending time with old friends and was always ready to help someone, he could be found driving them to appointments and meeting them for morning coffee before heading to the gym.
Married for 53 years to Paula Cobb, he had four children, Laura Mulholland, Cynthia Cobb, Gregory Allen, and Kimberley Gurry. He had four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren as well as a sister, Penny Kervill. Jere had many loyal and loving friends and family who will all miss him greatly but carry his legacy of love and learning as well as his quick smile with them always.
A proud Jarhead until the end, Jere exemplified Semper Fi. The end of Jere’s life was on his terms and in the words of his favorite singer, Frank Sinatra, he did it his way. Jere was not one to sit still so we will not ask him to rest in peace, instead, we ask him to keep flying…just with angels now…to whom we are sure he is already busy teaching new maneuvers!….Go easy on ‘em Captain Cobb! and OORAH!
Jere will be interred at Pensacola Memorial Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida where he attended flight school. A Celebration of Life will be held May 15, 2021 at the American Legion in League City, Texas at 5:00pm. Casual Attire.
*In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to The Lone Star Flight Museum, 11551 Aerospace Ave, Houston, TX 77034; (346) 708-2517.
Jere, was an amazing man. So proud to have known him. He will be missed by so many friends and family
Love Nedra
Jere was my best friend. I will miss him terribly.
Heartfelt sympathy for your loss..Husband, Father Gradfather, Friend
Jere was my best friend and Mentor. He taught me so much about life and flying. I can’t imagine this world without him. I’m so sad 😞
A unique and wonderful friend always fun but also always caring I’ll remember the times we -Paula Jere and the rest of that amazing tight group was together It’s part of my history
Jere taught me so much in the 50 years I’ve known him. He was my role model as a kid and mentor in adulthood. We’ve been on many adventures together that helped shape me as a man. He always was pushing me out of my comfort zone. To say that Jere was a part of my life is a gross understatement and his passing will leave a void.
I think about him daily and I’ll never forget.
Trent Johnson
Semper Fi my good friend Captain Cobbo
Jere was one of my mentors as well. When I was 16 years old and started a mobile automotive detail business in Nassau Bay, Jere was there to help. He literally took me door to door and introduced me to his neighbors and they all took to me. Helped me create a nice little business that put me through high school, college and beyond. I am forever in debt to Jere. We spent a lot of time together over the years. He took me flying on numerous occasions, we washed cars together, had many great meals together and on and on. I even worked with him when he had a little side business where he owned vending machines. We had lots of fun. Jere always had awesome cars and he always let me take them out and run the snot out of them. I had more of Jere’s cars going ( well let’s just say over the speed limit) than I care to admit. Just putting this all in writing makes me think of so many good times. I will miss him dearly.
Jere was not only a neighbor but a very good friend and buddy. I will miss my friend very much. Good friends are impossible to replace and I will have a cocktail every day and converse with him, he will be remembered.
From one of my first flights in a DC-3 to landing at a car dealership in a Jet Ranger, Jere was always teaching. His passion for flying and Corvettes was second to none. Thank you Jere for all the good times and great opportunities. I think of you often. My Dad always spoke of you with pride that he was your good friend.
I met Jere through his daughters, Laura and Cynthia, who loved him very much. I have good memories of him, and express my sincere condolences to his family.
Talented in so many diverse ways and to levels beyond one’s imagination, I am surprised he allowed the spirits to carry him away but for him I guess it was just part of the journey. In so many totally different ways he was my lifelong inspiration and I am sure he will be such in the next chapter!
Jacky and I wish to extend our deepest sympathies. I understand and want you and your family to know we deeply support you no matter what the distance.
Jere – my friend is gone, the skies have gained a bright new star and it’s doing aerobatics.
As a young and upcoming pilot at the time, I too got my butt kicked around the sky by Jere. He taught me the skills and airmanship of being the best aviator you can be and to this day I still fly by his rules and try to pass these on to my young F/Os.
We spent many hours moving a plethora of aircraft around the skies in many parts of the world as he gave me a shot at Jetstars, Lears, DC3,etc….As the wide eyed kid I was back then trying to make it in aviation, he gave me a shot at it and I truly appreciate having him as a friend and the greatest mentor in the years we flew together.
Thank you Jere
I will miss my brother always. We shared a lot of family history that I will never recover. He had a great perspective on life and a wicked sense of humor which he dispensed liberally. I will love him and miss him alwasy.
He was one of the most unique individuals I have ever had the pleasure to know. He will be missed. Fly now with angles
In 1999 I had the pleasure of flying a trip to Europe as a copilot in the JetStar with Captain Cobb and his lovely wife, Paula. We had a blast. Almost 20 years later and at the very end of his flying career Jere flew as my copilot in the Gulfstream 1. Jere couldn’t see or hear very well by then but he still flew the airplane like the consummate professional that he always was. And he was busting my chops about having to sit in the right seat instead of the left. Well now Jere is back in the left seat, flying whatever he pleases. Semper Fi, Captain Cobb.
My most sincere condolences. Pryares for all who knew and loved him
I first met Jere in 1987 when attempting to make a mid life career change from Ace Hardware merchant to Professional pilot. Jere went out of his way to mentor and guide me along the way, ultimately helping me get my first professional flying job. Through the years we became close friends spending many hours in the cockpit together, flying various jets. Those of us who were privileged to fly with Jere all agreed every budding pilot needed to spend time in the cockpit with Jere Cobb. It seemed Jere treated each flight as a teaching moment, and all of us who flew with him are better off for it. It would be a major understatement to say that along with his stick and rudder skills, Jere’s aeronautical knowledge was off the charts.
Our sincere condolences go out to all Jere’s family. It’s been a privilege and honor to know all of you, and to call Jere my friend.
Ken and Debbie Kaiser
Jere was a skilled pilot for sure but for all the numerous flights we did together or that I only witnessed, I-never once saw him do a preflight check. For a long time we had a joke between us from when he tried to start the engines on a jet commander {IA-jet 1121} with the engine inlet plugs still installed. He surely had a Guardian Angel in his back pocket.
David Trigg, Aviex Jet / Star Flight
I really liked Jere a lot, flying with him was always an adventure. After reading the previous message from David trigg I was reminded of how lucky Jere was. He was all about saving time. Flying Piper Mojave N186SW for Sam White Oldsmobile there were quite a few times that he continued VFR visual into IFR instrument conditions, usually in West Texas. When I brought it to his attention that I wasn’t comfortable with it, he would just smile that smile of his and say something I won’t repeat here. How can you argue with that?