UPDATE: Friday, September 23, 9:50 AM
The family of Olivia Dahl says arrangements are being made to celebrate the 16 year old aspiring pilot's life in the near future. Dahl, a senior at Gibraltar High School in Fish Creek died in a plane crash on September 18th. As details of the services are formalized, Dahl's family is asking the community to donate to The Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth (WCATV) in Madison and Friends of the Ephraim-Gibraltar Scholarship Program in Fish Creek. For more information and to read Olivia Dahl's obituary, click here.
The funeral home making arrangements for pilot Ralph Keller tells NBC26 services will likely take place near his home in Illinois. Funeral details will be worked out with his family.
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Friends and neighbors grieving with heavy hearts in the small town of Gibralter.
"Wonderful family and just a terrible unfortunate thing," explains Larry Perkins. He's a family friend of Olivia Dahl's family and a pilot at the Gibralter Airport.
They're remembering 69-year-old Ralph Keller and 16-year-old Olivia Dahl, who was a senior at Gibralter High School. Both died in a tragic plane crash Sunday when their plane went down at Peninsula State Park.
"It just hurts like any accident any loss of life especially a 16-year-old," said Perkins.
For friends and classmates who knew Dahl best they're putting a message up along the roadside at Gibralter schools that says my heart flies with Olivia.
"She was enthusiastic, the friends of the airport here had a scholarship that she applied for and was awarded to learn how to fly so it's especially excruciating because of all of that," said Perkins.
NBC26 spoke with Olivia's mother, who didn't want to go on camera but tells us she's set up two scholarships in her daughter's name. One for her love of aviation and one for her talented and gifted mind, which school leaders at Gibralter recognized telling us in a statement quote:
"She was a remarkable young woman. Olivia was highly intellectual, loved looking for unique learning opportunities, and stood out in our band as an extraordinary bassoon player. She was courageous and bold in all aspects of her life."
At just 16-years-old Dahl was already a senior in high school and planning on becoming a pilot.
Now her memory lives on outside Gibralter School and in the hearts of those she loved.
