New Horizons

Aviation and business entrepreneur Velda King Mapelli, 83 was killed by a cyclist while walking on a trail near her home in Renton, Washington. Both the cyclist and Mapelli were knocked unconscious. Mapelli succumbed to her catastrophic injuries on Monday, April 19. 2010.

Mapellie was best known for her record setting 7-year Presidency of The Air Race Classic.

With respect to her flying accomplishments, Velda became the corporate pilot to facilitate the family meat-packing business. With only six percent of the pilots being women, she soon joined The Ninety-Nines, the women’s pilot organization and discovered pilot-skilled cross country speed air racing. Racing brought her a lifelong friendship with Marion Jayne, ATP, Hall of Fame enshrinee and 100 Aviation Hero for the First Century of Flight.

Mapelli, together with Jayne and five other pilots, founded the Air Race Classic, the all-women cross country speed race which replaced the 1929-1976 All Women Transcontinental Air Race a.k.a. the Powder Puff Derby - although, anyone who has competed in a transcontinental race of any variety would call powder-puff a misnomer.

Her elegant, polished style was complimented by her athletic grace and consummate organizational skills. Her business talent brought the women’s race its first and still the most lucrative corporate sponsor with the years the event was known as the Hughes Airwest Air Race Classic.

Mapelli’s personal plane started out as a 260 Comanche N9071P that echoed her owner’s stellar style with meticulous maintenance. Sadly, the 260 was lost when the shop it was in while it waited for the overhauled engine burned. A classy Cessna 414 replaced the vibrant Comanche until Velda hung up her headset for the last time.

2009

Onita Winfrey was an adventuresome person, which explains her motivation to learn to fly during the early barnstorming days. She obtained her private pilot certificate flying in J3 Cubs, Champs and similar aircraft. She was very disappointed when she wasn’t chosen to join the WASP during WWII.

From that point, her life took a different direction, and she focused on earning a living doing secretarial work. A government job brought her to Colorado Springs where she lived until her death. As a senior citizen, she became a model and was in demand for television, newspaper and magazine ads. It was during this time that she discovered the Pikes Peak Chapter and made inquiries about joining. She was 82 years old. From that moment, Onita found a place where she could be among other women pilots.

As long as she was able, she flew with us, attended meetings and helped in any way she could. One of her favorite contributions was a freshly baked batch of brownies. In her home she had a wall decorated with photos of her aviation experiences and of members of the Pikes Peak Chapter. Several 99s worked together to finish a quilt that had been started by her mother in the 1930s. That quilt was always on Onita’s bed.

Onita was a respected member of our Chapter. At 97, she was our oldest member. — Phyllis Wells

Joye (Smith) Baker passed away suddenly while at home in Northglenn, Colorado on Friday May 29, 2009. She was born in Springfield, Ohio on March 7, 1940. She spent most of her life enjoying adventures in Colorado . She graduated from Canon City High School in Colorado 1958 and was involved in ROTC and band. She married Dr. John C. Baker on Oct. 14, 1960 and they had two children, Jill (Baker) Lafferty and John A. Baker. She was the business manager for her husband’s family practice for many years.

In the 70’s she earned her private pilots license and quickly received her instrument and commercial licenses as well. She joined the 99s in 1972 and was very active for many years and was the Colorado Chapter’s Chairman in the 70’s. She flew several air races and learned to fly aerobatics. Throughout her flying history she flew more than 30 different types of aircraft from a tiny Mooney Mite to a large DeHavilland Beaver and everything in between.

In 1980 they moved to Ouray, Colorado and she received her real estate license and sold property in the area for several years. Later they returned to Denver and bought a 27’ Norsea sailboat and sailed it down the inland waterway and across to the Bahamas , quite a feat for her as she was really afraid of water. She overcame that fear and took her night watches on the pitch black ocean. She also enjoyed driving their 1915 Model T Ford. She was an avid skier and loved to ski with her grandchildren. She was always curious, adventurous and kind, she’ll leave a huge void in our lives. As per her wishes, there was no funeral or services. A celebration will be held to celebrate her life.

2008

Sondra was the immediate past chairman of the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum Trust. She also served as the Vice-Chairman for the Northeast Kansas Chapter. She passed away on October from complications of cancer.

High Country Co-Chair Jessica McMillan passed on to new horizons on May 10, 2008, at peace and surrounded by her loving family, after waging a courageous battle against an aggressive cancer.

Jessica joined the Colorado Chapter of The Ninety-Nines in 1984 and was an active participant in chapter activities and served as secretary, vice-chair and chapter chair. In 1997, she transferred to the High Country Chapter and was most recently membership chair and chapter co-chair. Jessica had amassed over 4,000 hours of flight time, most of it doing what she loved most - teaching others to fly. She had won two Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarships, one for her CFI and the other for her MEI. A woman of many interests and talents, she was an accomplished artist and graphic designer, an EMT; on the National Ski Patrol, taught skiing and toboggoing; enjoyed river rafting, boating and travel; managed a FBO and ran two flight schools. Jessica is survived by her husband Bruce, two sisters and five nieces. We will miss her radiant ever-present smile and constant encouragement.

Margie Richison, Chair of the Board of Trustees for the 99s Museum of Women Pilots developed serious complications following surgery on February 29, 2008. She never recovered and passed away quietly at 12:27 pm on Sunday, April 6, 2008. Her family was at her side.

Marjorie Jane (Wilson) Richison, was born September 1, 1941, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Robert and Emily Wilson. She graduated from Nebraska City High School in 1959 and the University of Nebraska College of Nursing in Omaha in 1963. She learned to fly at the University of Oklahoma Department of Aviation and became a Ground School and Flight Instructor for Oklahoma University. She joined The 99s, an International Organization of Women Pilots and was very active in the Oklahoma Chapter. She loved to race and won first place in two Okie Derby Air Races, and flew in the last two Air Race Classic races. She has been Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the 99s Museum of Women Pilots in Oklahoma City for the past four years. She has taught many people to fly and encouraged many more to learn to fly.

Elinor Reay Johnson was a Life member of the Dallas chapter who passed away on February 11, 2008 in Emory, Texas. She joined The 99s on September 11, 1961.

Born in Bisbee, Arizona on March 9, 1924, Elinor graduated from the University of California with a B.S. in Public Health in 1945. Elinor relocated to Dallas in 1957 with her husband and four children. She learned to fly in 1960 and achieved private pilot, commercial, instrument and instructor certifications, and was a flight instructor at Highland Park and Addison airports for many years. She was an active member of the Dallas and Redbird Chapters of The Ninety-Nines, a women's flying club. Elinor flew in the All-Women's cross-country air races, the Powder Puff Derby and the Air Race Classic, placing in the top 10 four times and taking first place in 1980 as co-pilot of a two-woman racing team. In addition to her love of flying, Elinor enjoyed quilting and gardening. She worked as a mechanical draftsman and a laboratory technician, and volunteered as a docent at the Frontiers of Flight Museum.

2006

A Life member who belonged to the now-defunct Dallas-Redbird Chapter, and a South Central Section member at the time of her death, Kathy was born December 28, 1921and passed away June 6, 2006. She learned to fly in 1959, along with husband, L. K. Long, beginning a lifelong love and passion for flying. She traveled the world in her Bellanca aircraft, participating and racing in many Powder Puff Derbies and International Angel Derbies, along with other races. She was a judge for many flying competitions, including college competitions. She was the Dallas area dealer for Bellanca aircraft for many years.

Ruth Deerman - El Paso Chapter, May 6, 2006 - International 99s President 1963-1965

Ruth Deerman was born June 17, 1905. A pioneer aviatrix, Ruth Deerman got her pilot’s license in 1944 in El Paso, Texas. That fulfilled her early childhood aim to fly, but that was only the beginning of encouraging women to fly and for all people to appreciate aviation. Musing about jumping off the barn roof with an umbrella at age seven, she often told people that she nearly broke her neck but was determined to someday fly. She was a charter member of the El Paso Ninety-Nines and also helped found the El Paso Aviation Association.Spot landing champ, navagation czar, you-name-it, she liked being first and filled her house with trophies. She, along with co-pilot Ruby Hays, won the 1954 All-Women Transcontinental Air Race (Powder Puff Derby) flying from Long Beach CA to Knoxville TN. As International President she introduced the term for the “significant others” of Ninety-Nines as 49&1/2s. She also coined the term for pilots in training as 66s but is now termed FWPs. The song that captured her spirit goes “Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above, don’t fence me in. Let me ride through the wide open country that I love, don’t fence me in…”

REMEMBERING RUTH

There's a memory
There's a memory
A vision in the sky---
There's a twinkle
A twinkle from her eye.
There's a smile,
invincible----
just like her style.
There's a tenderness, a caring
A presence of honor-bearing.

In the memory, light clouds roll away
revealing Ruth's face: radiant as day!
With propellers awhirling---
She could be flying or even whirlybirding.
We know it is she---
why, she's as shoeless as can be!
With Cotton Clipper Cutie
she climbs majestically---
away from earth and on to victory.
An aviator of extraordinary degree,
Our Ruth has departed for a destination heavenly.
So open up those pearly gates---
Ruth's arrival all heaven awaits!
By Trish Shaw, El Paso 99s

A Dallas Chapter member, Hazel was born on May 17, 1916 and passed away April 10, 2006. She joined The 99s July 27, 1959 and was a life member. She and her husband operated a flight school and general operation at Highland Park Airport before it was replaced by a " high-rise". She also ran a flight school on Addison Airport in a building now located behind the Addison Police Department. She was always ready to help with any projects in which the chapter was involved. She did not do much race flying or set any records but was a genuine friend to everyone she knew.

2005

Dorothy A. Martin - Northeast Kansas Chapter - December 30, 2005

Dorothy Martin died Friday, Dec. 30, 2005, at her home. She was born July 1, 1936, in Evanston, Ill. Mrs. Martin worked as a certified operating room nurse at Lawrence Memorial Hospital for 25 years. She was a member of the church, the Association of Operating Nurses, the Northeast Kansas Chapter of The 99s, Kansas Pilots Assn., Aircraft Owners and Pilots Assn., American Yankee Assn. and Bosom Buddies, a breast cancer support group.

Vivian "Penny" White - Golden Triangle Chapter - October 23, 2005
Penny learned to fly a Cessna 172 in Manhattan, KS, at age 40 while teaching kindergarten and writing and composing songs and stories for a children's program called "Pennys' Pardners." Her first passenger was 99 Helen Simmons, who upon landing on a ranch and being greeted by Marilyn Copeland, Gene Nora Jenson and Pat McEwen asked her to join the Kansas Chapter of the 99s. The highlights of her career were: chartering then Golden Triangle Chapter with Brenda Strickler in 1969; teaching first grade for 25 years with an abundant dose of aviation as well as basics; receiving "Outstanding Senior Citizen" of Arlington, TX in 1990. Penny was born July 11, 1921.

Mary Doris Weller - Dallas Chapter - February 14, 2005
Doris was born December 26, 1915. She joined The 99s in October 1950 and was a life member. She was one of the founding members of the Dallas chapter. Mary worked for the FAA for many years as an Air Traffic Controller and was active in the Ninety-Nines and the Civil Air Patrol.She had approximately 1,500 hours of flight time. At the time of her death, Doris was living in Lincoln, NE.

Mary Ann Rhine Hennessey - Dallas Chapter - August 25, 2004
Mary Ann was a 40+ year member of the 99s and an active member of the Dallas chapter. Although no longer actively flying, Mary Ann loved flying and being involved with the 99s. She could always be counted on to be present at every chapter activity - be it airmarkings, pancake breakfasts, Poker Runs or chapter meetings. She was 72.