Varney served as a pilot in the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps during World War I.

After the war Varney established an aviation school and air taxi service in northern California.

[4] In 1932, Varney contributed half of the $40,000 needed to purchase the Lockheed division of Detroit Aircraft Corporation out of bankruptcy.

He died of bronchial pneumonia on Jan. 25, 1967 at Dani's Nursing Home in Santa Barbara, California.

He was buried in Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, California in the Varney family plot.