Babette Yvonne Andre, 84, of Broomfield, CO, passed away peacefully on February 6, 2026. She was born in 1942 in California to Leo Andre and Dorothy Fisher. She spent her formative years growing up in Honolulu, Hawaii, where her lifelong curiosity about the world began. She graduated from Roosevelt High School in Honolulu and attended the University of Hawaii before earning her Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1963.

Following college, Babette volunteered with the U.S. Peace Corps, spending two years in Cameroon, Africa teaching English to French-speaking Africans. Her commitment to education and global understanding shaped the course of her remarkable life.

In the years that followed, Babette taught French in both Hawaii and New York. While living in New York, she discovered aviation and earned her private pilot certification in 1973. Her passion for flying grew into a distinguished aviation career. While working in Community Relations for the City and County of Denver, she earned her instrument rating, commercial license, Airline Transport Pilot (ATP), and Gold Seal Flight Instructor certifications.

Babette was a Certified Flight Instructor for more than 40 years, providing instruction at Centennial Airport, Aspen Flying Club, and through private instruction at airports throughout Colorado. She also taught in the Aerospace Science Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver, specializing in instrument procedures and mountain flying. She served for many years as an AOPA liaison and Airport Support Network Volunteer.

Her aviation career included work as an Airborne Traffic Reporter for KOA's "Air One" in 1978 and KHOW's "Sky Spy" in 1982. She was an active member of numerous professional organizations, including the Denver Press Club, Colorado Ninety-Nines, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Colorado Aviation Historical Society, Colorado Pilots Association, The Civil Air Patrol, and the Rocky Mountain Aviation and Aerospace Association.

Babette was inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame in 1990. She was named Aviation Journalist of the Year in 1989 and was recognized in Who's Who of American Women. In 1985, she founded Wings West Magazine, becoming a publisher and freelance journalist. She also partnered in the creation of the first WAC-size color aviation chart of Colorado, highlighting preferred mountain routes for pilots during the 1980s.

Beyond aviation, Babette worked in real estate as an airport property specialist for more than 20 years. She traveled extensively throughout Africa, Europe, Asia, India, and much of the United States, embracing new cultures and experiences wherever she went.

Babette will be remembered for her love of animals, particularly dogs, and for her adventurous spirit, intellectual curiosity, and dedication to teaching and aviation.

She is survived by her husband, Joe, a retired Associated Press foreign correspondent; her stepchildren, Colleen McGowan Bolton of Aurora, Colorado, and Joe H. McGowan of Temecula, California; her sister, Judy of Modesto, California; and several nieces and nephews.  Babette was preceded in death by her brother, Jerry.

We are gathering friends and family to celebrate Babette's extraordinary life and many adventures Sunday, March 8, 2026 from 12:00pm - 2:00pm at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (RMMA/BJC), 11755 Airport Way Broomfield, CO 80021 (Main Terminal Building), Flatirons Conference Room – 2nd floor – there is an elevator. Please RSVP to 720-363-1838 to allow us to plan adequately. Text or call.

Please join us as we share memories, stories, and the moments that made her so special to all of us. A pasta bar and salad will be served as we come together in love and remembrance.

We look forward to celebrating Babette with you. Please share this to others that may have been a part of her life.