John S. Broome, a director emeritus of SCAA and longtime active member of the Association, died April 10 at his Ventura County ranch. He was 91.

Jack Broome was born in Illinois and was part of a family that had purchased a Mexican land grant near Oxnard, Rancho Guadalasca, in the 1880s. He became active in aviation at an early age, first soloing in 1935 at age 17. During World War II, he served as a pilot in the Army Air Force’s Air Transport Command, flying the North Atlantic.

He was a pilot for American Airlines after the war. To mark the 50th anniversary of his first flight, Broome in 1985 made a round-trip solo flight across the Atlantic. Among the aircraft he owned was a twin turboprop Mitsubishi, which he regularly flew until he was 83. He also owned a yacht, named “Pony Express” for the 19th century postal service co-founded by his grandfather.

Long recognized for his work in banking and ranching, Broome was a philanthropist who contributed generously to educational institutions including Cal State University-Channel Islands, to whose library (now named for Broome) he gave $5 million in 1999.

He is survived by his wife, a son, a daughter and other family members.