Ruth Lindley Muller, 43-W-5

Ruth Lindley Muller passed away in Santa Barbara, on May 8, 2007 at the age of 86.

She was the youngest child of longtime San Diego lawyer Fred E. Lindley and his wife, Alma. In 1941 she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Diego State University. While still at San Diego State, she took a flying class and was hooked. Ruth then trained at Montgomery Field and obtained her private pilot’s license.

In 1943, she was accepted into the Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) program and left San Diego for training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. As part of WASP class 43-W-5, she flew the same military planes as the men flew. But her favorite plane was the P-51. In 1944 she married Capt. Clifford H. Muller, but continued to ferry planes as a WASP until the program was disbanded on December 20, 1944. Her WASP uniform jacket with her wings now resides in the "Price of Freedom" exhibit in the Smithsonian. During the next two decades, Ruth and her family traveled the world living in Finland, England, Morocco, and Japan during her husband’s Air Force career.

In 1971, Ruth returned to San Diego. For thirty years Ruth made her home in Pacific Beach. She stayed active in women’s flying through her membership in the Ninety-Nines and WASP associations. Oma (as her children and grandchildren called her) was very involved in the lives of her family and never missed a birthday, graduation, or special event. Ruth is survived by her two children, Clifford H. Muller of Florida and Lin Reetz of Santa Barbara, California. She also leaves behind four granddaughters; Laura Rossini, Kelly Anderson, Kristin Muller, and Kimberly Muller.

Services will be held August 3rd at 1 pm at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to WASP Endowment, Texas Woman's University, P.O. Box 425528, Denton, TX 76204-5528.

Betty Stabler Harlan, 44-W-10

Betty Stabler Harlan, 84, of 74 Stoney Creek Drive, Montoursville, passed away Wednesday July 25, 2007, at the Gatehouse in Divine Providence Hospital.

Born October 6, 1922, in Williamsport she was the daughter of William and Carrie Clark Stabler.

Betty retired from Williamsport High School where she taught Home Economics and Aviation, and had taught private flight instruction through instrumentation. She graduated from Mansfield University and was a commercial pilot. She and her husband, Charles O. Harlan, owned Aero Flight, Cessna Dealership Charter. She served as an F.A.A. Accident Prevention Councilor for many years. A veteran of WW II she served in the Air Corps as a military pilot in W.A.S.P. (Women Air Force Service Pilot). She was a member of the Silver Wings and the Felicitas 500 Order of Eastern Star.

Surviving in addition to her husband of 41 years is a son, Gary Shafer of Georgia, and a daughter, Constance Martin of Slate Run.

The funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, July 28, at the Spitler Funeral Home, 733 Broad St. Montoursville with Pastor Marie E. Lewis and Pastor Vernon R. Eichelberger officiating. Interment will follow in Mound of Wildwood Cemetery. Friends will be received on Friday from 6 – 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home with an Eastern Star service at 7:30

Daisy Mathis Vaughn, 44-W-6

Daisy Vaughan

Aviation specialist

LACONIA — Daisy Mathis Vaughan, 90, of 21 Ledges Drive died Thursday, July 5, 2007, at Ledgeview, The Taylor Community.

Miss Vaughan was born Feb. 13, 1917, in Chicago, the daughter of Dr. John G. and Daisy (Mathis) Vaughan.

Miss Vaughan attended Northwestern University and Barnard College and served with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). She was an aviation specialist and was employed by the U.S. government at the Federal Aviation Administration and the Navy Hydrographic Office. She had lived in Washington, D.C., and Bethesda, Md., for many years. She had been a summer visitor to the Lakes Region since 1935 before moving to Sandwich in 1994.

Survivors include five nephews, John Muehlke Jr. and his wife, Yi Wen, of Woodstock, Richard Muehlke and his wife, Martha, of Groton, Mass., William S. Vaughan and his wife, Joan Wright, of Washington, D.C., Michael T. Vaughan and his wife, Keelin Murphy, of Stony Brook, N.Y., and Anthony Vaughan of San Francisco; two nieces, Jane M. Rollins and her husband, Al, of Shapleigh, Maine, and Barbara V. Levy and her husband, Gerald, of Rota, Spain; 11 grandnephews and grandnieces.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by a sister, Marcelia V. Muehlke; two brothers and a niece, Marjorie S. Muehlke, of Gilford.

The family would like to extend their thanks to the staff of Ledgeview and Hospice for their wonderful care.

According to her wishes, there will be no calling hours or funeral service. A family celebration of her life will be held at a later date.

Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, is in charge of the arrangements. For more information and to view an on line memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.

Sarah Allshouse Gleeson, 44-W-9

Sarah J. Allshouse Gleeson
East McKeesport

Sarah Jane "Sadie" (Allshouse) Gleeson, 84, of East McKeesport, died Tuesday, July 3, 2007, at home. She was born May 21, 1923, in Wilmerding to the late Edward L. and Alma (Hallam) Allshouse and also was predeceased by son Glenn Gleeson, former husband Joseph Gleeson; siblings Hallam and Robert Allshouse, Blanche Laird and Harriet Moore and a brother-in-law, Robert Laird. Sarah was a retired sales representative for Central Pharmaceuticals, Seymour, Ind., and had received 15 Archie awards as the top salesperson.

She was a veteran of World War II, having served in the Women's Air Force Service Pilots, and was a member of the Women Aviators Association and Linway United Presbyterian Church, North Versailles. Sarah enjoyed vacationing with family at Edinboro Lake, swimming, water skiing and golfing and liked to travel with friends and attend W.A.S.P. reunions.

She is survived by children Carl Gleeson and Barbara (fiance Kevin Dobis) Gleeson, both of East McKeesport, and Scott (Norma) Gleeson, of Atlanta; grandchildren Pamela and Jacqueline Gleeson and Thomas DePaoli; brother Edward L. (Mary) Allshouse Jr., of Monroeville; sister-in-law, Jane Allhouse; brother-in-law, George Moore; special friend Roberta Churilla, of Forest Hills, and nieces and nephews.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the FORGIE-SNYDER FUNERAL HOME, 1032 Broadway, East McKeesport, 412-823-8083, where services will be at 11 A.M. Friday with the Rev. Thomas Moore officiating. Interment with military honors will follow in Grandview Cemetery, North Versailles.

SARAH, IN HER OWN WORDS

Kathleen Nova Kelly Titland, 43-W-4

KALISPELL, MONTANA - Kathleen Nova (Kelly) Titland, 87, an Air Force WASP veteran who taught in Cut Bank until retiring, died of natural causes May 22 at her home in Kalispell. A memorial service with military honors is 2 p.m. Monday at John-son Mortuary Chapel in Kalispell. Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is in charge of arrangements. 

________________

Kathleen was born Jan. 18, 1920, in Duran, N.M., the daughter of Daniel and Nova (Simpson) Kelly.   She was raised in Tucum-cari, N.M., and graduated from New Mexico State University with a degree in education. 

Meeting the requirements for the newly created Army Air Forces flying training program for women pilots, Kathleen  paid her way to  Texas in early 1943.  On August 7, 1943, she graduated as a member of WASP class 43-4, the largest class ever to graduate (112).  From Avenger Field, she was sent to Love Field as a pilot with the Fifth Ferrying Group.  However, shortly after arriving, her orders were changed, and she was sent to Camp Davis, North Carolina, where she became one of the first women to tow targets for ground to air artillery training. She pursued flying with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP); flying various airplanes during World War II. 

She was united in marriage to Robert John Titland on June 1, 1947, in Superior, Mont. 

After receiving a master's of education degree, she enjoyed a long teaching career in Cut Bank, Mont., until retiring after 25 years. 

Following her retirement, she volunteered for many years at Kalispell Regional Medical Center and the Kalispell Dialysis Center. She enjoyed traveling, painting, hiking, photography and continued to enjoy flying. 

Survivors include a son, Robert (Michelle) Titland Jr. of Great Falls; three daughters, Lee Scroggins of Las Vegas, Nev., Susan (Mark) Foley of Wasilla, Alaska, and Sara Tutland of Albu-querque, N.M.; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, in 1994. 

The family suggests that memo-rial contributions be sent to the Dialysis Patient Fund, 135 Com-mons Way, Kalispell, MT 59901. Condolences may be sent online to johnsonmortuary.com and/or greatfall-stribune.com/obituaries. 

V/R posted by Nancy Parrish Jan 25, 2011

Original notice: Great Falls Tribune on 6/3/2007.

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