Kip Arthur Cutting

On December 20, 2017, Kip Arthur Cutting, a 41-year resident of Sonoma, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family after a courageous 9-month battle with cancer. Kip was born in San Jose, California, on May 10, 1945, and was raised in Campbell and Cupertino, Calif., along with his two brothers, Dane and Ty.  

While attending college at San Jose State University, he met the love of his life, Jane, at the University's flying club.  He volunteered for the US Naval Reserves beginning in 1966, where he spent two summers in Pensacola, Florida.  After graduating from SJSU in 1968 with a BA in Aeronautical Operations, Kip was commissioned and reported to a Naval flight training program in Pensacola. At the start of their cross-country trip, he and Jane took a detour through Reno and were married on July 31, 1968.

Kip quickly became a highly accomplished Naval pilot and was the first in his class to qualify for aircraft carrier landings in a T28 on the USS Lexington and later in a Grumman S2 on the USS Independence.  While Kip was honing his flying skills in Corpus Christi, Texas, Jane was caring for their infant son, Sean, born in April of 1969.   Kip was later assigned to the VP 50 squadron flying P-3 Orions, anti-submarine warfare aircraft, out of Moffett field in Sunnyvale, CA.  He completed an intensive wartime tour in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, and another in Adak, Alaska, with detachments throughout the Pacific. Daughter Noelle joined the family in December of 1971, and as Lieutenant, Kip was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1972.

Turning his flying skills into a career in commercial aviation, Kip began working for Flying Tigers, flying DC-8s out of San Francisco. Soon afterwards, Jim Hengehold, a fellow Flying Tigers pilot, introduced Kip and Jane to the developing Diamond 'A' community in Sonoma, where they eventually built their home.

During his airline career, Kip was a Captain of many aircraft, including DC8s, 727s,  Airbus 300s, and 747s. He received multiple recognitions, including his lauded position as the Chief Pilot for the Boeing 747 at Federal Express in the late 1990s.

After retiring from flying, Kip found a new passion in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Sonoma State University. He quickly immersed himself in OLLI and was instrumental in the development of its program. Over his 15 years of volunteering, Kip served on every committee and was the Founding Chair of the Finance and Budget Committee.

Kip is survived by Jane Cutting, his wife of 49 years, son Sean and daughter-in-law Perrin and their children, Grace and Sam, of Sonoma; daughter Noelle Mayes and son-in-law Rex and their children, Ben and Nick, of Williams, CA; brothers Dane and Ty Cutting; and step-brothers Paul and Dave Rife of Sacramento.

Per Kip's wishes, the family will hold a private gathering after the holidays to celebrate his life. 

His family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Sonoma State University or the Sonoma Branch of Hospice by the Bay. 

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