Professional Documents
Culture Documents
NEWSLETTER
December
Vol. X
READY FOR RENO?
ANYONE?
PRESIDENT's
1974
MESSAGE
REUNION COMMITTEE
SMITHSONIAN
INSTITUTION
Shephard, who is supposed to bite any unLEOTI (DEDIE) DEATON and her Cliff celebrainvited guest. Good Luck, Nancy:
ted their 52nd anni July 12-with an eveBARBARA FASKEN DICKINSON writes she hasn't
nin~ dining and dancing in Fort Worth::
done much this past year. Except a trip to
Ded1e received a special Red Cross pin &
the South Pacific-Tonga, Fiji, Bora-Bora,
plaque last fall for 50 years of service
and Tahiti in Feb; then she and her husto their Water Safty program (they also
band took both sons to England, Athens &
gave one to Cliff for "understanding and
the Greek Islands in May. Ahhh: Son Roger,
~uppor~")."of course, I've been involved
30, and Robert,26,are raising cattle in
1n v~r~ous WASP affairs-biggest one the
St Helena, Calif, and she sadly confesses
~nve111ng of the memorial plaque. Plaque
that the closest she's gotten in years to
1S elegant, touchingly beautiful (the exflying herself around is in a big,ugly jet.
pression on the faces of the figures is
BETTY GILLIES, "The Mighty Atom" as she was
remarkable), and an appropriate memorial.
fondly called by the gals at NCAAB says
Jewel Estes is a true artist and her hard
she has nothing exciting to report except
work was a real labor of love."
she and Gertrude Lockwood headed for Miami
and Puerto Rico in her Baron to attend the
99 Convt. in August. They were planning to
WAFS Secretary:
KATHERINE
BERNHEIM FINE
fly to San Juan, but what with possible
Buckberg Mt.Road,Tomkins Cove N.Y.I0986
hurricanes in the area, decided to take
EAL from Miami. Had hoped to RON in SaraNANCY LOVE well, Nancy with her usual flair
sota wither coming or going. Nothing exthrilled us no end
called from Fla. to
citing??
Hmmm:
file her report. She was a little under
GERTRUDE MESERVE TUBBS says she is working
the weather but is feeling fit as a fiddle
partime in the County Hospital in Bradennow and is looking forward to a fun trip
town, Fla and ~as just ready to leave on
to Alaska as soon as Bob returns from
her vacation when our letter arrived. We
Martha's Vineyard with their beautiful
are sure that everyone will want to send
blue sloop, the C'est Ca. She says she's
their deepest sympathies at the loss of
been diddling around while her kids have
her husband of 30 years-and our good
been busy, busy. Hannah works at Cornell
buddy, Charlie Tubbs.
in the Ornithology Dept, rides and hunts
ADELA SCHAAR. From what we can gather from
her Arabian steed, is following in Ma's
Del's letter she has turned into the profootsteps and is flying like mad. Allie
verbial work-horse; painting, reroofing,
has been living in Anchorage working as
rechinking mortar, patching plaster and
an anthropologist and psychologist with
generally fixing up her 107 year old farm
the Methodist U. of An~horage. Marky, she
house. To say nothing of planting every
says, is having a great time playing avegetable known to manking and canning,
round in Calif. Nance says she was tickled
to date, 40 qts.of tomatoes: She has only
to death when Betty Gillies unexpectedly
woven 2 purses this year because she is
popped in on her way to the 99 Convention.
still scrubbing down the house and finNANCY BATSON CREWS, our Prez, says she
ishing the painting. She threatens, however,
started 1974 by going to Atlanta in Jan.
come fall,she'll find the time to weave
to help her sister,Amy,and her mother move
paint a picture or two and perhaps do a'
from Birmingham. Feb.brought a letter from
bit of writing. Her Spanish group meets
Fran Gustavson that the Reno Convt Com.
each Thursday and she had a chance to use
had resigned because of the energy crisis
it in June when she took a cruise from
so she,reluctantly,cancelled
the WASP ReGalveston to Cozumel Island, Panama Canal,
union and went to the hospital in March
Cartagena and Montego Bay with hubby,
for some surgery that turned out well, as
Harold, and her sister and brother-in-law.
she was able to return to Northrop in Apr.
She also suggests she might write the
where she is involved with the YF-17 Light
WAFS Story in Spanish-should be fascinWeight Fighter being tested for future
ating-but who amon~st us could read it?
production. Son,Radford, received an HonDel is also chairman of the Awards Com, a
orable Discharge from the AF last Nov, ensort of Fifinella Oscar, and asked that
tered college in Jan, made Dean's List and
anyone with suggestions on rules or guide
is now scheduled for the Chapman College
lines please contact her.
fall semester trip on the World Campus A- THERESA JAMES. We asked for a short synopsis
float. Daughter Janey has been enjoying
of the year's doings and got instead an 8
her summer attending the Caroline Leonetti
page document-very interesting, but used
Charm & Modeling School in Hollywood, and
up all our "blue-pencil": She writes from
in her spare time dishing out ice cream at
W.Palm Beach that the Bourbon in her blood
Dari-Delight. Nancy still does a little
stream hasn't discouraged the mosquitos,
instructi~g, is fixing up her Super Cub
fleas,etc. from biting either her or her
and has acquired a 1949 Mooney Mite which
dog,Gretchen. She's been slopping up the
is in the process of being rebuilt. She
beer and vittles at her sister's and brocalls it her Baby P-51. Outside of that
ther-in-Iaw's restaurant, Alfie's Fish &
she says everything is status quo except
Chips, and getting FAT,FAT. Did you know
for a new addition-a 4 month old German
she went to London on theP-47 (Jug) junand Crews conned us into being secretary
ket? Sat up with the pilot all the way,
to the WAFS, otherwise we are still on
take-off to lamding, had a trew.endous time
our mountain top, still at the controls
hob-nobbing with all the big-shots incluof the 60-passenger school bus and still
ding Lord Louis Mountbatten; met friends
praying for our twin-diesel yacht to sail
of Helen Ritchies and was made an Honorary
us off into the sunset. Daughter, Dugie,
member of the RAF; got to Paris and saw
and her husband, Axel, just released from
the Follies Bergiere, et all. Besides all
the Navy after 4 years came for a 2 week
that, she met some. flying friends in Opa
visi t and have returned as civilians to
Locka, Fla, got interested, read a bunch
Durham, where she has a government job
of books, caught up on new regulations and
and he is re-enrolled at Duke for his seis back at the controls having a b~ll.
nior year. Lots of fun, but mother is
Only thing that threw her was communicapooper~ Son,Rob, is on a Navy Nuclear
tions-couldn't get used to the lingo and
Tender in Sardinia for a two year stint
drove the Tower up the wall~! Funny, we
and is having a time for himself-mostly
never thought her "big mouth" would do her
gallivanting about on his Honda. We have
in. Since the "Petunia Patch" in Pa. is
sort of gotten ourselves involved in 10running without her, she will stay in Fla.
cal politics and with our usual lack of
until the funds run out. Nice going, Bag!
ta~t, are on a good many (expletive deFLORENE MILLER WATSON writes that she is
Ieted) lists.
still teaching college girls who are pre- 43-1 Secretary:
GERRY NYMAN
paring for secretarial careers, boys work600 E. Cottonwood Lane, Apt. 117
ing towards degrees in business and is alCasa Grande, Ariz. 85222
so a student herself taking more hours above a ~ast~r's Degree. Dr: Flore~e? Says The most exciting news for the' Phoenix,Ariz.
and.Chrls wl~l be celebratlng th~lr 30th
WASP has been a series of reunions every
annlversasy ln a few mont~s. W~W. ~nd have
4 or 5 months. 43-1 was really in evidence
recently returned from ~ p~ay tr~p to
and we have had a delightful time:
Na~sa~. They ar~.enthuslastlc boatlng,.
BETTY TACKABERRY BLAKE looks great and is
sWlmmlng and ~kllng buffs. Daughter Ga~l
about the busiest gal in Phoenix with her
and.hus~and 11~e n~arby and are expectlng
real-estate business. She has 3 fine boys
thelr flrst.chl1~ ln Ja~. Jea~, her other
and the lasttime I saw her she was being
daughter, 11ves ln Amarl110 tlh her hustaken out to a fancy Mother's Day dinner
band, 5 year old son and,2 ~ear ol~ da~ghby all 3 boys.
ter. Florene says wouldn t.lt be nlc~ lf BROWNIE KINDIG has a beautiful big mobile
the WAFS could ~ave a reunlon ~f thelr
home in a lovely setting on the desert noown? Name the tlme and.plac~....
rth of Phoenix. She keeps busy working in
BARBARA ERICKSON LOND6N lS stl11 seillng
a law office and at the time of writing
airplanes and flying quite a bit which,as
she is vacationing in the East.
'
she says, is helping her to make the many GERRY NYMAN and husband Van spent the 4th of
adjustments si~ce the loss of her husband
July at their place on Coeur d'Alene Lake
last July. Agaln, we send one of our own
in N. Idaho. It was a great reunion with
our most heartfel~ s~pathy.
Her older
all our boys, their wives, and grandchildaughter, Terry, lS :n ~er ~ast year a~
dren there for the holidays. While vacaSan Jose State U. m~Jorl~g ln ~eronau~lcs.
tioning at Canyon de Chelly
over Labor
She has all the ratlngs l~clu~lng.hell-.
Day, Gerry ran across a former student of
copter, does a lot of flYlng 2nd lS hoplng
BYRD HOWELL GRANGER. This stud~nt described
for an airline job some day. Bravo~.Terry~
Byrd's classes at the U. of Ariz. as the
Kris, #2 daughter, moved ~rom Hawall to
most outstanding there and Byrd as one of
Sun Valley, where she contlnues to do her
the most outstanding teachers. Byrd is an
thing with horses and dogs, no planes.
expert on folklore and has simply overB.J. is going to stay "put" since the
flowing crowds waiting to get in.
house is large enough to accommodate the MAGDA TACKE and husband George are retiring
kids and all their friends who keep
to a great retirement community at Mystic
coming home.
Shores in Tuckerton, N.J. They will have
HELEN MARY CLARK. We're certain ev~ryone
golf and also ocean fishing right at. the.ir
knows about the horrendous experlen~e
doorstep. It all sounds like the ultlmate
that befell H.M. and Gerry when thelr
in retirement living.
magnifient home burned to the ground sev- JANE STRAUGHN is, at this writing, flat on
eral years ago. We recently spoke to H.M.
her back recuperating from too much fun
who is now living in a darling house on
at the beach. It seems her disintegrating
four acres by a beautiful lake in Sloatsdisc just wouldn't take lifting the sailburg, N.Y. and loving it. She is carrying
boat and painting the house, but our bet
on in her own inimitable way and says Hi
is that she will be right back out there
to everyone-Ditto- and good luck H.M.
with that sailboat again soon.
from all of us.
MARY LOU COLBERT NEALE reports that altho
KATHRYN BERNHEIM (SIS) FINE Ou~ most memor-.
one left for college to the north and the
able moment this year cam~ when Gillies
JERRY HILL (MRS.) wishes to thank all of the Charter work and the usual variety. I am
WASP who made the Sweetwater Reunion such
an FAA Flight Examiner for single and multi
a success and sends her dearest wishes to
engine and instrument, and Air Taxi check
those of her very dear friends who were
pilot. Please drop in to say "hi"
unable to attend. She regrets that she,
GERALDINE HARDMAN JORDAN reports that she is
Ruth Gamber, and Hazel Wolfe had to cancel practically childless now. She is down to
their trip to Reno. She says that 6 months
3 and oldest one at home will be 18 in a
ago she had 2 cataract operations and that few days and ready to try her wings alone.
she is impossible to live with. However
That would leave BetsY,15,and Lissa 8+ and
her sister and brother-in-law still plan
2 cats and a puppy. Daughter Mary was marto take her on a Caribbean cruise come
ried last March to a young man from Italy.
Oct. Good luck, Jer.ry, have fun, and SEE
They drove to N.J. for the wedding. Her
a lot:
Id es t d aughter Kathy had a boy on his dads
o.
MARION (SCARLET) STEGEMAN HODGSON writes she blrthd~y. Now they are grandparents 3 times.
and son John went to London, Paris and
All thlS and celebrating their 30th Wedding
Rome for his 13th birthday present. HusAnni. This past summer she borrowed her
band Ned had to stay home and "mind the
daughter's Motor Home and drove from Okla.
shop", having. just received another prothru Colo, Wyo to Utah where she left her
motion. Marion and John traveled in alhusband for a Tour at Hill AFB. Then on to
most every way possible except submarine
Ore, Idaho, Nev and back home-she liked the
namely: jet, subway, horse-drawn carrio~~
airconditioning, but prefers tent-campingtrain, car", boat, hydrofoil and hovercr~ft. especially with the cost of gas and the
Marion's "College Kid's Cookbook" is now
p.allons used by the Motor Home.
over the 100,000-in-print mark, and her
"Bride's Survival Kit" is gaining on it.
JULIE LEDBETTER (LTC USA-Ret) reports she
Her third cookbook "What's Your Beef?" has
instructed and operated Airports in S.C.
gone into a new printing. This past year
N.Y. & N.J. after leaving the WASP until
Marion collaborated with an Atlanta psyshe entered the WAC in Oct. 1948. She did
ch~atrist on an article about marriage,
continue to instruct in the Army for a
whlle her Gothic novel still awaits a comnumber of years, off-duty, but has not
plete rewrite, as does her old WASP book
been at the controls for the last 6 years.
which has been gathering mothballs and h~s
She may start again at the nearby Ft.
never been submitted to a publisher. "There' Eustis Flying Club, since she retired 30
just ought to be more than 24 hours in a
April 1974. She didn't have to move
as
day," she moans. The summer has sped by,
she planned ahead and bought a house near
with trips to married children. (Incidently
her last station. She reports it is on a
daughter Marjorie-now Mrs. Joe Parker, Jr.
river and she has a boat docked inthe
maybe
on the cover of REDBOOK one of these
side yard. Her favorite past time is crabdays. Look for a blonde cowgirl holding a
bing. A nice thing happened just before
newborn calf, or feeding her horse:) Marion
she retired, GINNY ARCHER WILLIAM's handhas had visits from MARJORIE SANFORD THOMPsome son called on her in her office.
SON, who came to Fort Worth to lect~re on
YVONNE PATEMAN (LTC USAF-Ret) is a busy gal
art, and HELEN ANNE TURNER HOLLAND who
flying and writing. She's in the Quantico
leads a busy, busy life in Okla.
Flying Club at the Quantico Marine Air
HELEN TURNER HOLLAND writes son Mart graduaStat~on, Va. and checked out in a Cherokee
ted with honors this Spring from Hastings
140 ln Jan 1974 and took off for Orlando,
College, Hastings, Nebr. He's thinking of
Fla; then moved to a Cherokee 180 for a
ranching in Nebr. where we have some land.
trip to Hanscom Field, Mass in April. She
He's learning to fly up there too-right
now hopes to upgrade herself by training
where I started on Cubs. Daughter Bets, an
in ins~rument and multi-engine in Sept.
art major at Hastings, was married to a
Meanwhlle she completed an article on a
Nebran, Nelse Lundeen, and is living at
woman archeological historian (17th Cent)
Hastings. Daughter Kit is married to Jim
which she hopes to sell this fall. She is
Petersen from Alliance, Nebr., is in law
now doing lots of research to write her
school at the U. of Okla. Jim is purchasfirst historical novel on WWII. She says
ing agent for the J .H. Holland Co which
the tentative title is "Tomorrow is Past"
makes heavy road equipment invented by my
Can't quite figure that one out, Pat ...?
husband John. If you see a huge yellow
HELEN PORTER SHEFFER reports that she has
trailer of hot mix asphalt called the FLOW2 children-daughter 19 and married, and a
BOY, that's John's product. John is curson 16. She is a new grandmother. On their
rently working on an Ag. plane, feeling
farm, she and her daughter raise Appaloosa
there is much to be done in the area of
horses-as well as lots of corn and vegetenergy needs and agriculture. I'm involved
abIes. She also keeps active in aviation,
with health planning, juvenile delinquency
being a Capt in CAP where she just put in
prevention, and ETC, etc,....
70 hours on a search-rescue mission. She
RUTH CARTER JOHNSON is still operating a FIt
is still a part time free-lance flight
School, Ruth Johnson Flying Service at
insturctor and an FAA Accident Prevention
Chino Airport, Chino, Ca. It is VA approCounseler in the Harrisburg~ Pa. GADO.
ved and Piper Aircraft Sales. We also have
Muriel. A visit by HENRIETTA SPECKELS SPthe Rocketdyne Div. of Rockwell InterROAT brings a hello.
national. Their big project now is the
space shuttle engine. A long way in the RUTH KITNER JURNECKA is teaching summer
school and also attending classes.
aero-space world from the long gone days
THELMA HENCH MILLER lost her husband suddenof the PT-17.
ly in Sept. 1973. Our sympathy to you,
BETTY TURNER hus had a very quiet summer
"T.K.", and we are glad you are keeping
in a busy way. Working 2 days as a Sec.
busy flying and working on Instrument
for the parish Priest, and a day or 2 a
rating.
week playing golf. Daughter Ann presentCHARLYNE CREGER has been to Russia and says
ed them with another grandson in Dec.
it was a beautiful experience, with plenty
Still have 3 children at home. Robin a
of freedom to roam and take pictures. At
Senior is back at football practuce for
the Ballet in Moscow she and her sisters
the coming season. Susan is very busy
checked 3 coats and rented 2 pairs of opshowing her horse Crafty, and dog Sherry
era glasses, and upon departure the checkat Shows and took a few ribbons at the
er would only give them 2 coats! After
County Fair. Judy the youngest, 15, enmucH ado and a call for the police, it was
joys riding her horse, and helping Sufinally decided they only had 2 pairs of
san care for the 3 dogs, cats and their
glasses. Expensive shopping limited purhorses and pony. Husband Bill is very
chases to a fur hat. Charlynewants
a set
busy as Treas. of Meiers Wine Cellar
where they are opening a new restaurant
of golf clubs with hicHory shafts-can anythis week. A very beautiful place to
one help? Will soon be working 3 jobs, one
wine and dine.
300 miles from home base.
Prior to the Sweetwater reunion notes were
We are still looking for these "lost" gals.
sent out to various WASP buddies in an atCan you help us? ANN C. BARON BELLIVEAU,
tempt to stimulate interest and rehash old
ALICE L. KIERSTEAD, WILMA L. MILLER, DORtimes. One was sent to PAT BRAUN O'BANNON,
OTHY C. PICTURE, JEAN B. REIMER, SARAH Go
Eagle Lake, Texas. As a "wash-back" thru
REWEY, FRANCES D. STROUD, JANET E. WAYNE,
44-8 & 44-9, I probably shared more primary
and MARY F. WOODWARD. If anyone knows of
experiences and people than any other traitheir whereabouts we'd appreciate any innee. The note to Pat was returned marked
formaton whatsoever. Thank you!
"expired". I had always planned to go to
Eagle Lake in an attempt to learn more a44-10 Secretary:
SARA PAYNE HAYDEN
bout Pat's "demise". I procrastinated
22 Stadium Road
hearing the bad news until early this yr.
Methuen, Mass. 01844
I wrote to the Postmaste~ there stating
Pat was a member of this elite ~lying gpo
FRANCIE MEISNER PARK says she is short on
weekend flying students. Seems if they cafr and if it were permissible please forward
any information concerning the cause and
afford to fly they can fly during the week
date of death. An immediate reply supplied
when she is grounded on job. Son Steve has
a new address and an explanation of why my
left the nest and is a patrolman in Indenote had been returned with the word "expendence, Mo.,working on his B.A. in Crimpired" - her forwarding address had exinology. She is still trying to get her
book "Parlor Pilot" published, and some of pired - not Pat. No time was wasted, and
Pat replied immediately, but her news was
the nice rejections are even encouraging~
sad. She was diagnosed in July 1973, and
"CAPPY" MORRISON tore herself away from her
was under treatment for leukemia. I was in
Kailua, Hawaii.paradise long enuf for an
Seabrook, Texas, soon thereafter, and we
extended vacation trip on the mainland.
talked 7 solid hours. We went to the yacht
With friend Pat Leach, she dropped in on
basin the next morning and I got a few
Dallas WASP, cre~ting some instant reunpictures of her. Since her disease was
ions. ANN "ROONEY" ATKEISON, with friend
Frances Withers, hosted a pool party at
progressing so rapidly she was a patient
their Fort Worth home. Story swapping
in the research dept. of John-Sealy Hoswaxed hot with Faith "Bucky" Richards,43-4
pital, Galveston, Tex. I knew Dedie's
and friend Nancy Hoing, Jewel Estes and
brother was Dr. Lee Clark, Anderson FounZiggy Hunter.
dation for Cancer Research, Houston. I
MILLICENT PETERSON YOUNG sends hello to all.
immediately called her. She in turn got
DOROTHY NAGEL IRELAND wrote while in the
busy, arranged for M.D.Anderson facilihospital with a bout of colitis. She is
ties which Pat never was able to use. In
hoping for speedy recovery as she is planearly May I again went thru Seabrook.
ning several short golfing trips up and
Pat was with her daughter in Houston, so
down the Calif. coast. She is on the golf
I only spoke to her over the phone. She
team of her country club, plays bricge,
told me of Dedie's efforts, but she said
belongs to 2 hospital guilds, and works
she became so very ill that she was afor the Arts Council at Calif. U. She and
fraiB of even losing the time it would
Brick are new grandparents, thanks to a
take for new doctors to familiarize themdaughter in Anchorage. Christmas in Hawaii
selves with her history and treatment.
should renew friendships with Cappy and
She expired May 29. I regret the time
TRAINING DAZE
contributed by
Peggy D. Trego 44-8,9,10.
Betty H. Gillies, WAFS, at the console of her station W6QPI. She works
the South Pole, McMurdo Sound, Pole
Station--and patches calls thru from
the guys down there to friends and
relatives up here.
HAVE AN EXPERIENCE
TO CONTRIBUTE?