WASP Emma Coulter Ware, 43-3 May 29, 2011

Emma Coulter Ware

Emma Coulter Ware, 96, died May 29, 2011 in her St. Louis home of 63 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Boyd Ware and is survived by her six children and four grandchildren.

She was born in Greensburg, PA on May 17, 1915 as the only child of Richard Coulter and Matilda Bowman Coulter. *"Both her father and grandfather were generals when generals rode horses instead of jeeps."

She first attended Miss Voegle's School in Greensburg. She graduated from Miss Porter's School in Connecticut and completed her education in New York City at Barnard College. While there she became an avid Gilbert and Sullivan devotee. Her interests were zoology and art history.

World War II was imminent and she joined the civil air patrol after earning her pilot's license. She then graduated in the third class of Woman Air Service Pilots (WASP) in 1943. She served as a ferry pilot of war planes, flew as part of the Tow Target Squadron, and helped test drone airplanes. Emma met her husband while at Biggs Air Force Base in Texas. They married on the last day the WASPs were in service, December 19, 1944. They settled in St. Louis, her husband's hometown.

Emma Coulter and Widget at Biggs Field, 1944

As the result of working with the Frontier Nursing Service in Hayden, Kentucky, she was interested in nursing and natural childbirth and had her third child at home. She gave birth to triplets with the fourth pregnancy. She had lifelong interests in horses, the arts, enviornmental issues, endangered species and travel. Over the years in St. Louis, she raised her family with a menagerie of rescued animals. Besides horses, cats and dogs, she nurtured birds, bats, flying squirrels, wolves, a bear and an albino dingo. She traveled the world for adventure, history, and art as well as in support of her causes to save arctic seals, whales and wolves.

Emma spent time in Buffalo, Wyoming and Aspen, Colorado where she would take her children skiing, hiking, riding and to the music festival. She supported environmental causes such as the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) and she provided housing for teachers, students and opera singers who attended the music festival.
Her volunteer efforts and generous support extended to many associations including The Humane Society, the United States Pony Club, The Wolf Sanctuary in Eureka, The Sheldon Concert Hall and The Opera Theater of St. Louis. She was a member of the Ethical Society.

Emma is survived by her daughters, Nina and Judy Ware of St. Louis, her sons' Richard and James Ware of Maine, daughters Anne Ware of Aspen, Colorado and Wendy Ware-Gleason of Portland, Oregon. Her grandchildren are Judy's children Justin and Margaret Smith and Wendy's children, Christopher and Emily Gleason.

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Respectfully reposted by Nancy Parrishwith the addition of quotes, links and photo.
*p. 546 "Sisters in the Sky" by Adela Riek Scharr
Official notification and photos
Tribute page from Andy Hailey

WASP Justine Fletcher Woods, 44-W-7 May 26, 2011

 Justine Fletcher Woods, better known as “Fletchie”, passed away in her sleep at home in Honolulu, Hawaii on May 26.   She spent her life with her best friend and husband of 62 years, Ransom (Bud) B. Woods, Jr., traveling around the world together courtesy of the United States Air Force.

Justine was a Congressional Gold Medal recipient for her service as a Woman Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) during WWII. Of the 25,000 women who applied for this newly developed women's service program, she was one of only 1,074 who graduated.  She flew for the Army Air Force during the last year of the war flying twin-engine UC-78s and AT-6s military planes as a test pilot and training cadets.  The program was disbanded by the end of 1944 and not until 1977 were the women finally given military recognition. In March of 2010 the WASP were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal as the first women in history to fly American military aircraft.

With the disbanding of the W.A.S.P., Justine joined the American Red Cross to drive a 2-ton truck, the Clubmobile, through war-torn Europe taking coffee and donuts to the boys in the fields. This began a long association as a Red Cross volunteer.

Throughout her life she continued to volunteer through the Red Cross as a swimming and a sailing instructor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Justine was always the tomboy and sport enthusiast, playing golf, tennis, sailing and swimming. She took much pride in her role as a water safety instructor and used this avenue to teach swimming for nearly 50 years with the Red Cross. Justine was also a Red Cross sailing instructor with a group of women called the “Wet Hens” teaching sailing to other military wives while stationed in Hawaii.

Justine received her B.A. from Wells College in Ithaca, New York in 1939 and M.A in education from University of Southern California. She also earned her private and commercial pilots licenses.

Justine married “Bud” right after World War II ended and traveled 30 years with the US Air Force. They moved every three years to new assignments throughout the US and the world. In 1975, upon “Bud's” retirement from the Air Force, they enjoyed life between homes on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, Sun City West, AZ, and Aspen, Colorado, where they had great pleasure snow skiing, golfing, and playing bridge with wonderful friends.

Justine is survived by her son, Ransom (Randy) B. Woods, III and wife, Jeanne; daughter, Lynn Severin and husband, Brian; six grandchildren: Robin Woods Strecker and husband, Peter; Greg F. Woods and wife, Connie; Louis, Baird, and Tyson Severin; Melissa Severin Bruhn and husband, Ray: and, five great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be forthcoming at the Snowmass Chapel in Snowmass Village, Colorado at a time to be determined.

Reposted from the Glenwood Springs Post Independent
Links and photo respectfully added by Nancy Parrish

WASP Violet Thurn Cowden, 43-W-4 April 10, 2011

WASP Violet Thurn Cowden
Oct. 1, 1916 - April 10, 2011

Emails from WASP online have been streaming in since WASP Vi Cowden’s last flight on April 10, 2011.    e.g.  'We lost Vi yesterday.’    'One of a kind is gone.'   'She took her last flight last night peacefully.’    'A real loss to us all!'   Among the emails was a message from her son-in-law, Rick:  "Violet Cowden was a friend to all of us and will be sorely missed.  Her participation in life was immense and her desire to add value wherever she went is evidenced by her multitude of friends from around the country and abroad.  Vi will always be remembered for so many reasons and will be missed by all of us who loved her dearly."

I apologize for not notifying you sooner; however, I honored the family’s request,  that nothing be posted until they had the chance to inform her friends.  

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Vi Cowden truly wrote her own legacy and, respectfully, I post the following links to highlights of Vi's life and her most recent opportunities to spread the joy of being a WASP through interviews and films.


 "VI COWDEN" website, created by the Freedom Committee of Orange County
"Second to None"  recently released film which celebrates the untold achievements of American women throughout history.
Violet Cowden Oral History -- University of North Carolina, Greensboro
Violet Cowden Interview -- The History Channel
Ride of a Lifetime
Veteran's History Project--interview, photos and papers
Photos
Top Gun Grandma


God bless her family and those whose lives she touched.  I pray that she is truly flying higher than she has ever flown before.

Posted by Nancy Parrish
April 13, 2011

WASP Anna Hopkins White, 44-W-1 Jan. 29, 2011

Anna Hopkins White was born in Little Rock, Arkansas and raised in Jena, Louisiana. 

She learned to fly while studying airport management at LSU. She fell in love with flying and hitchhiked from the campus to the airport so that she could earn more hours, finally logging the 35 hours required to enter WASP training.

She applied for and was accepted into the women’s flying training program. In August of 1943, Anna arrived in hot, dusty, Sweetwater, Texas, to report for training as a member of class of 44-1.

Anna and her class were the first WASP class to graduate wearing the Santiago Blue uniform, which had been designed for the WASP by Bergdorf Goodman and fitted by Neiman Marcus in Dallas. In their honor, the other classes composed special songs for the ceremony, creating a new tradition at Avenger Field.

After earning her silver wings on Feb. 11, 1944, Anna was assigned to Childress Army Air Field, a Bombardier School, in Childress, Texas. Here, she flew the AT-11, flying to a fixed altitude, and turning over the aircraft to the bombardier cadets for the ‘simulated bomb runs’ as they practiced for combat. Later, she was transferred to Eagle Pass Advanced Gunnery School helping train gunnery cadets.

After the WASP were disbanded, Ann worked as an instrument instructor in Corpus Christi, eventually marrying one of her students.

On Veteran's Day, 2010, Anna was one of the WASP honored in Dallas, Texas at a special event.  Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison presented her with a copy of the bill, awarding the WASP the Congressional Gold Medal.  her face lit up as she shook the Senator's hand.  

Anna passed away on January 29, 2011.  Our prayers are with her family.  

Respectfully posted by Nancy Parrish
February 28, 2011

Martha McKenzie Carpenter, 44-W-5

WASP Martha McKenzie  Carpenter, the great granddaughter of McKenzie, Tennessee founder James Monroe McKenzie died in Memphis on Sunday, February 6, 2011.  She was 88.

Martha's roots were always planted deep in the soil of Tennessee, even though she took flight and served her country as a WASP during World War II.

During one of her last cross country training flights, Martha's unique experience was captured by classmate Doris Tanner in her "Zoot Suits and Parachutes:

A rough cow pasture was where luckless Martha McKenzie found it necessary to land. Her plane had sputtered out its last drop of fuel before she realized she was lost.  Mushing the plane down, she managed to land safely, climbed out and began walking to a nearby farmhouse.  Suddenly, she grew aware that she was not alone.  Turning, she found an approaching herd of Herefords bearing down on her. A burst of adrenaline sent her running faster than possible. She jumped the fence and made it to the farmhouse porch. Pounding on the door, she met a deaf old farmer who kept repeating, "Well, I'll be darned if it ain't a gal."  He cranked up his old Ford and drove her to the nearest telephone some miles down the road. 

Martha eventually graduated from Army Air Forces flight training as a member of WASP class 44-W-5, one of 72 young women pilots to earn their silver wings on June 27, 1944.

After graduating, Martha's Army orders sent her to  Napier Army Air Base in Dothan, Alabama, close enough to Tennessee to almost feel like home.  At Napier,  she would have flown AT-6's as an engineering test pilot, instrument instructor  and would have ferried PT-17's and AT-6's. From Napier, she was transferred to Tyndall AFB, Florida, where she successfully completed B-26 transition training to become a B-26 tow target pilot.

After the WASP were disbanded, Martha became a bookkeeper, married and began to raise a family.   She retired from Memphis Furniture Manufacturers as a bookkeeper. 

She was preceded in death by her husband of 35 years, George M. Carpenter, and two sons, Daniel Green, and John Green. She is survived by her three daughters, Martha (Roger) Murray of Jackson, Maine; Garland (Jackie) Davis of Nesbit, MS; and Meg Thomas of Memphis; 10 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren.

A funeral service was held Wednesday, February 9 at Memphis Funeral Home, followed by interment  at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, McKenzie, TN.   The family requests memorials be made to either Make-A-Wish Foundation or to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Online gallery--a touching compilation of photos of Martha's life and family.

Of her hometown, Martha once said,

"McKenzie has always been a good place to live.   Folks were interested in having good schools, good churches and keeping an eye on their children. The town has responded to national emergencies, sending their boys to the service, supporting the Red Cross and War Bond campaigns. There have always been those planting flowers to make the town pretty, book clubs to keep up to date on what was going on, and church circle meetings.   Many former McKenzians and their children have excelled in the field of education, military, athletics and religion. I am sure the young people coming up now will accomplish even more with the opportunities open to them today. And when they become famous, I hope they will always mention they got their station in this little town, even if it's through a great grandfather or grandmother. I hope those who choose to leave McKenzie will always have a longing to return someday.

I honestly believe the happiest people in the world are those who were born and raised here and never left. I still get home sick sometimes and when I'm on the way up here, along about Jarrell Switch, the air seems to smell better, the trees  greener, and I drive a little faster."

God speed, Martha and God bless your family.
Respectfully posted by Nancy Parrish

Martha's roots.

WASP Dolores Meurer Reed, 44-W-1 Feb. 20, 2011

MY FINAL APPROACH  

The past ninety years have been happy, eventful and exciting for me. I was born during the flu epidemic in St. Louis, survived the Great Depression, the War, etc. I am blessed with a wonderful family and good friends. Been around the world and have done many things, hang gliding, logged fifteen minutes in the blimp (airship), flown a helicopter, ballooning, finally won an air race, did the speed of sound on the "Concorde". 

One of the highlights of my life was becoming a W.A.S.P., the flying, the check rides, the zoot suits are fond memories.

I am now on my Final Approach, my ETA is uncertain, depending on mission control, I hope that I make a smooth landing, and at the terminal gate, I will put out my hand and truly touch the face of God.

             Dolores Meurer Reed 44 1


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Dolores Meurer Reed “slipped the surly bonds of earth and touched the face of God” (High Flight) on February 20, 2011 having lived her 93 years following her dreams.

Born in St. Louis, MO on February 12, 1918, Dolores experienced her first airplane ride in a Stinson plane at the age of 5. From that moment, a passion for flying was sown, and throughout her life that passion grew and never faltered.

During the Depression she earned money for flying lessons by teaching ballet, dancing being her second passion.

When the call came out in WW II for women pilots to help the war effort by ferrying planes, parts, and military officers around the country, Dolores applied, was accepted, and left St. Louis for Sweetwater, TX, for training to become a WASP, Womens Airforce Service Pilots.

As a member of Class 44-1, Dolores said that receiving her wings in 1944 was the best day in her life, surpassed only by her wedding day to Robert Guy Reed, and the birth of her children, Robert, Kathleen, and Michael.

The war over, Dolores married Bob and their first child was born. Her passion became the family and motherhood.

In 1965, she took up flying again to participate in women’s air races. With some fancy flying and experience acquired from handling war birds, Dolores and her co-pilot won first place in the Long Beach to Baja Race in May 1982.

Bob Reed died in 1974 at the age of 59, leaving Dolores to fly solo in life for a time. She took over the duties of corporate secretary for a family owned land trust company in New Mexico. She continued to travel extensively and experienced the many cultures of the world.

Dolores was a woman of determination but the best of who she was could be seen and felt through her kindness, generosity, loyalty, and her incredible sense of humor and joy for life.

She will be greatly missed by her 3 children, her companion of 25 years, Carl Bliss, 5 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren, extended family, and her many friends.


respectfully reposted from the El Camino Memorial site.
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Click to see the original posting online and the wonderful family photos at El Camino Memorial.

WASP Marguerite Ty Hughes Killen, 44-W-8

"When I was nine years old, a barnstormer in a Jenny... sold rides... being the last to go up, my brother Mike and I got a ride for the price of one, $5. That ride proved to completely change our lives."     
WASP Ty Killen

On January 17, 2011, WASP Marguerite "Ty" Hughes Killen quietly took her final flight, surrounded by her loving family.

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She was born May 16, 1924 in Superior, Arizona, about an hour east of Phoenix, but grew up in Wellton, near the border, in southwest Arizona. It was in this small town that young Ty fell in love with flying at age 9.

While Ty was in high school, a CPT program (Civilian Pilot Training) began at Fly Field nearby. A family friend was hired as a flight and ground school instructor and, once he told the young girl that there were jobs available, Ty immediately went to work.

"I started working after school and weekends, gassing planes, sweeping hangers, pushing planes in and out of the hangers, checking gas levels, servicing planes and cleaning rest rooms. My pay was dual flight instruction wherever the instructor could sandwich me into his busy schedule. At night, I attended ground school with the CPT trainees. My world was at Fly-in Field after school until dark, and weekends from sunup until dusk."

Ty went on to pass her flight tests and became one of the first women to get a commercial and flight instructor rating--on her 18th birthday.
 

Ty Killen, 1994 from "WASPs" by Vera S. Williams

Ty enrolled at the University of Arizona in Tucson in September of 1942. She paid for her education by instructing at Gilpen Airlines, after school and weekends. While continuing her studies, she heard a radio announcement about the women pilot's training program beginning in Texas. Although she met all the requirements, she was only 18, and the minimum age limit at the time was 21.

In August of 1943, the age limit for the WASP training program was lowered to 18 1/2. She immediately called Jacqueline Cochran's office and set up an interview. After passing all the requirements and the Army physical, Ty was accepted into the class of 44-8. November 1, 1943, Ty married her childhood sweetheart, B-24 pilot Lt. Fred Hughes, who was soon sent overseas.

In March of 1944, Ty left her home in Arizona and paid her way to Texas. On March 13, she and 107 other young women pilots, raised their right hands, took the military oath and entered Army Air Force flight training.

In July, while she was still in flight training in Texas, Ty's husband was killed half a world away, flying over the Himalayas. Determined to serve her country, she stayed in training, using her talent for drawing to lift the spirits of her classmates. After 7 months, she passed her final check rides and exams, and graduated on October 16, 1944, along with 48 classmates. After graduation, Ty was sent to Childress Bombardier School in Childress, Texas, where she flew the AT-11, AT-6 and BT-13, training male students to become bombardiers for combat.

On December 20, 1944, when the WASP were officially deactivated, Ty paid her way back to Tucson, returning to work as an instructor and enrolling in the University of Arizona. In 1948, she graduated from college and remarried. Soon, the young couple started their family, eventually having 1 son: Jim, and 3 daughters: Talley, Kelly and Shauna.

In 1990, Ty wrote about her life in "Out of the Blue and Into History" by WASP Betty Turner. In her own words, she described herself as "a happy grandmother of 8," continuing, "I treasure my love and involvement with family, flying, painting, gardening, teaching, and enjoying the continual blessings of an active full life. But the WASP are still there! We live in the greatest country in the world. And we helped to realize this...together."

On March 10, 2010, when the WASP were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, Ty was in the audience, dressed in her WASP uniform, sitting on the back row. She was smiling... and, as she always did, she was glowing from the inside out.
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I was honored to meet Ty in 1994 at the WASP Convention. My dad passed away 6 months earlier and I had convinced mom that it was important for her to attend. It was a tough and challenging time. Mom and Ty had never met, yet immediately, there was a beautiful connection. Never had I met anyone so instantly giving and kind.

If a life can be measured by the caring, love and passion for living shared with others, then Ty Killen's life is rich indeed. Her daughter, Kelly called her an angel. Indeed she was...and is.

God bless her family and all those whose lives she touched and who will always remember her--for her kindness and her loving spirit.

V/R posted by Nancy Parrish
Jan. 23, 2011

OFFICIAL INFORMATION WILL BE ADDED TO THIS POST WHEN IT IS AVAILABLE.