In Memoriam

Ann Younger

WG #91, Ann Younger, was born July 9, 1932 in Berkeley, California.  She started flying in 1959 and earned her helicopter rating June 1965.   She was a commercial airplane pilot and worked for Lockheed and De Thurmond Flight Service in San Jose CA. Later she worked for Viking Air Service, Inc. as the Director of Marketing. Ann passed away in April 2009. 

Joe Davenport

Joe Davenport was the love of my life but he was so much more. Nobody loved aviation more than that man did, in all its forms. May he fly forever in the heavens where he was happiest. He lived big and he went out brave. No one who knew him will ever forget him. Thank you to all you Whirly Girls who sent your kind cards and e-mails. He admired you all.

My best to you all,
Maryann Davenport

Lorna deBlicquy, WG #131

Pioneering aviator Lorna deBlicquy, WG #131, died peacefully of Alzheimer's Disease at age 77 on Saturday, March 21, 2009. Her daughter, Elaine deBlicquy, reported that “she had been doing quite well recently and was reading, as she usually did, voraciously. She had dinner...and sat down in a chair overlooking Lake Simcoe where she just ‘went to sleep’.”

Lorna deBlicquy was a trailblazer, one of Canada’s best-known women pilots and one of the most experienced. She overcame many barriers and was tireless in her efforts to advance the cause for women in Canadian aviation. She spent her life flying and fighting for women’s rights, particularly in the field of aviation. She learned to fly in Ottawa, Ont., and soloed a J-3 Cub at age 15. She became Canada’s first woman parachutist a year later and, at the same time, the youngest person to parachute jump.

She found flying jobs hard to come by in the 1950's in Canada as most employers would not hire “girl pilots,” but through perseverance she earned licenses for private glider, commercial helicopter, and single, multi, land, sea, DC-3 and Canadian Airline Transport Canada as the first female Civil Aviation Flight Test Inspector. She was Canada's first "high latitude pilot," becoming the first woman to reach the North Pole.

Lorna DeBlicquy wrote a guest editorial in 1974 in "Canadian Flight" protesting the discrimination against women pilots by Crown Corporation Air Transit. The article attracted national comment in the media and contributed to the improved climate which now ensures women a place in the cockpits of Canada's major airlines. When Canada endorsed ICAO's position that pregnancy is a disease, and thus automatically downgraded a pilot's medical category, DeBlicquy served on a Canadian committee on pregnancy related to pilots' medical standards. As a result, some leniency on the loss of a category I medical classification during pregnancy has been granted to working women pilots. She had a total of 10,000 flying hours, more than half of them earned through flight instructing. She inspired and guided many female aviators, and she will be missed.

Barbara Lynn Krauss Robinson, WG #385

Barbara Krauss Robinson was born on October 7, 1955 in Los Angeles and grew up in Southern California. In recent years, her homes in Hermosa Beach and in Hawaii brought her tranquility. She graduated from Rolling Hills High School in 1973. Barbara went to work and became an integral part of the early success of Robinson Helicopter Company. She worked devotedly as an executive for many years, and became a licensed helicopter pilot. She and Frank Robinson married in 1983 and were later divorced in 2003.

After retiring, she devoted herself to her family and enjoyed planning adventures and world travels for her family and friends. Her son Mark and daughter Cindy were her greatest joy. Because of her experience with breast cancer, Barbara founded the Barbara K. Robinson Breast Cancer Research Foundation and generously supported other cancer organizations. Barbara opened a women's clothing store in Hermosa Beach and named it p.i.n.k., an acronym for "People inspiring new knowledge," with the hope of mining positivity from her cancer battle. All profits from the store went to cancer research. The store later closed in 2008, but her efforts in preserving the 1920s Craftsman-style home at 238 Pier Ave. earned Robinson commendations from the city as well as the Hermosa Beach Historical Society.

On August 13, 2009, Barbara passed peacefully in her home surrounded by the love and care of her family./p>

Carolyn Pilaar, WG #237

Carolyn Pilaar, 61, passed away on October 2, 2007. She taught aviation courses at Greenville Tech and Furman University, and flew for Pan Am and DHL. She raced in the Powder Puff Derby, Angel Derby, and Air Race Classic events.

She was also active in a variety of organizations: the Whirly-Girls; the Ninety Nines; Zonta, a professional women’s organization; and Speedy Paws Agility with her toy poodle, Misty. Carolyn received the Achievement Award from the Ninety Nines, Inc. (1970), Outstanding Young Woman of the Year (1976), S.C. Flight Instructor of the Year (1976), Top Woman Pilot, World Precision Flying Championship (1990 and 1992), and in 1997 Carolyn was inducted into the South Carolina Aviation Hall of Fame. You can read more about here life here. 

Maria Elena Sanchez Keran, WG #285

Maria Elena Sanchez Keran, 53, of Round Hill, Virginia, died August 25, 2008. Maria was valedictorian of her high school Class of '72, receiving the Bank of America Achievement Award in Mathematics and honors from the California Scholarship Federation. She was the recipient of the 1973 George Van Vliet Aero Scholarship (from the College of San Mateo).

She soloed at age 16 on July 11, 1971 and quickly went on to earn several ratings including C, I, CFI, SMEL, ATP, CFII-R-H, Glider, type in BO105, and ground instructor ratings. She also obtained an airframe and powerplant mechanic's license. Maria received the 12th annual Doris Mullen Whirly-Girl scholarship. In 1977 she was also the recipient of the Fall Aerospace/Rotor Wing International Magazine Helicopter Scholarship for a helicopter maintenance school.

She worked in various aviation positions throughout her career, beginning with an internship to the NASA Ames Research Center near Mountainview, California, in 1976. As a mechanic she worked for Western Airlines in San Francisco as part of a B-720, B-727, and B-737 service check crew. From February of 1979 to June of 1979 she worked as a technical writer for the Vought Corporation in Dallas, Texas, writing flight manuals for the A-7II Corsair; from June of 1979 to January of 1981 she worked as an instrument flight instructor and ATP ground instructor for the Jet Fleet Corporation in Dallas, Texas; and from February of 1981 to 1985 she worked as an instrument instructor and helicopter pilot for Tenneco, Inc., in Houston, Texas. Her other aviation teaching experiences included giving vocational-training aviation lectures for Sterling High School in Houston, Texas, and providing helicopter ATP/IFR ground schools for the Helicopter Operators of Texas.

She provided helicopter ATP/IFR ground/flight instruction and IFR refresher training for several corporations and agencies including the Augusta Aviation Corporation (Pennsylvania), MBB Helicopter Corporation (Pennsylvania), Executive Air Fleet (New Jersey), Allison Gas Turbine Flight Test (Indiana), Medi-Flight Operations (California), the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Maryland State Police. She was also a member of the Helicopter Association International (HAI) faculty for the annual HAI-CFI Refresher Clinics from 1984 through 1989.

Following her marriage to Gary Keran in 1985, her teaching took on yet another scope - home schooling her four children. She continued to keep her pilot ratings current in addition to enjoying her many hobbies, some of which included golf, cooking, gardening, pencil sketching, calligraphy, and ham radio - all of which she passed on to her family. An avid supporter of music, she was a board member of the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra from 2006 to 2008.

Charlotte K. Kelley, WG #21

Charlotte K. Kelley, a member of the Whirly Girls since 1955, and very good friend of Jean Howard, passed away at the end of August 2008. Memorial services were held in Phoenix, Arizona shortly after Labor Day and in Boston, Massachusetts.

She first soloed a fixed-wing aircraft in 1945 and received her helicopter rating in 1947. She was the first Woman in the U.S. to be appointed Commissioner of Aeronautics, (Commonwealth of Massachusetts) in the '50s and was a founding Member of the “Ninety Nines," founded by Emilia Earhart. Charlotte was on the United States Helicopter Team in World Competition, beginning in Russia in 1978 and three additional Competitions. She went on to become a Judge of the FAI in World Competition, and most recently, she had been actively involved in the Scholarship Program for the Whirly Girls Organization.

She will be missed by those in aeronautics, as well as her family, Brian, her son, Melanie, her daughter, and her four grandchildren.

Keiko Minakata, WG #1339

Keiko passed away Aug. 2 in a helicopter crash in the Cascade Mountains just south of Easton, Wash. She was flying a Robinson R44 on a charter flight, carrying three passengers. The NTSB is investigating and no cause has been named at this time. She was flying for her employer, Classic Helicopter Corporation of Seattle, Wash.

Minakata, 41, joined Classic Helicopter in March 2005 as a flight instructor. During her two years at the company she’d quickly risen through the ranks to become Classic’s chief pilot for its private pilot program and one of the company’s lead charter pilots. Previous to Classic, Minakata worked in Texas as a flight instructor. She trained in California and Arizona.

Originally from Japan, Minakata came to the United States in 2001 to pursue her dream of working as a professional helicopter pilot. While in flight school she met and married her husband, an American.

In addition to living her dream as a helicopter pilot, Minakata was also very involved in volunteer efforts to encourage women to pursue aviation as a career. As a Whirly-Girl she regularly met with ladies interested in learning to fly helicopters and also volunteered her time annually at the American Heroes Air Show, a helicopter-only event held at the Museum of Flight.

Minakata was the 2007 International Whirly-Girls Scholarship winner. She intended to use to gain factory training on the Eurocopter AS350 helicopter to further her experience, skill and safety consciousness. Sadly, she did not have the opportunity to use it. The Whirly-Girls are researching a way to make the scholarship available to another member in honor of Minakata.

The memorial service for Minakata is set for 2 p.m., Friday, Aug. 10, at Boeing Field (BFI) Main Terminal in Seattle, Wash. Park in the main terminal parking lot and enter through the southern double doors.

Bob Vetter

Many Whirly-Girls know both WG #459 Bev and husband Bob Vetter. Bev has served on the Board of Directors first as Secretary, then as a Scholarship Director and is now on the ballot to serve her second term as a Scholarship Director. We are very sad to announce that Bev’s husband, friend, and companion of 60 years passed away suddenly in January, 2007.

Most of us know that Bob was a pilot of both fixed wing and helicopters. He was also a member of the Twirly Birds. He had several airplanes and a helicopter at their “Vetter’s Sky Ranch” in Acampo, California. He was also an Army Veteran from WWII.

Bob never missed a Whirly-Girl function in over 20 years. He was a WG Auxiliary member who provided love and support to his wife and her Whirly-Girl family. We remember the “quiet man” at the Whirly-Girl Scholarship Banquets and always came to him for a hug or kiss. Not many men can say that they had so many “Whirly” girlfriends. He always encouraged Bev to fly and to continue making our Banquet center pieces, which she always gives away after each Banquet.

The Board of Directors expects to dedicate our WG Add-On Flight Training Scholarship to Bob’s memory for 2008. A fund has been set up in his name and will be utilized for this purpose. Send your contributions, noted “for Vetter Scholarship”, to WGSF, WG Treasurer Lisa Pendergrass, P.O. Box 759, Tryon, NC 28782.

We will all miss our much-beloved Bob; personally, I will particularly miss his wonderful stories. We are happy that Bev will continue making our precious Scholarship Banquet center pieces and keeping her airstrip usable in California.

Dee Fulk

Dee Fulk, WG # 227, died on Dec. 4, 2006 after a long and courageous battle with ovarian cancer.

Dee and her husband Bill Fulk M.D. had a helicopter business in Illinois before moving to Sanibel, Florida, in 1993. Dee had also worked as a trauma nurse in rescue helicopters and was an active member of the Whirly Girls during that time. In Southwest Florida, Dee made a huge contribution to the environment through her work with the Sanibel and Captiva turtle conservation program, which she led for many years. She wrote a weekly column on nature for the local newspaper.

Joanna Gollin, WG#914, writes, "Dee will be missed so much by all her many friends and of course her family. Anyone who ever had the good fortune to meet her had their life enriched through the experience. She radiated goodness, caring, kindness and a love of life and wildlife which was an inspiration, and she also had a special quiet dignity that was all her own. In her obituary (Dec. 15) the newspaper the Islander wrote, 'The world and Sanibel have suffered a great loss with Dee's passing.' "

Hilaire DuBourcq

Hilaire DuBourcq, husband of WG #586 Georgina Hunter-Jones, passed away Oct. 6 in London, England of Lou Lou Gehrig's disease.

William B. Wood, Auxillary Member

William Breckinridge "Breck" Wood, the beloved husband of our Whirly-Girl #1095 Deborah Cox Wood, died Sept. 20, 2006. Breck was a devoted auxilliary member and helicopter pilot who worked in the Whirly Girls booth and supported our organization throughout the years. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Richard's Friends, c/o William E. Wood and Associates, 1805 Kempsville Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23464 or the charitable organization of your choice.

Carol Forest, WG #1391

On Sunday morning, Aug. 13, WG #1391 Carol Forest passed away in a helicopter crash off Astoria, Ore. She was the co-pilot in an R44 that was retracing the steps of Lewis and Clark by air as a part of the Flight of Discovery. The other two onboard, a pilot and cameraman, also perished. Forest, 56, was a resident of San Diego and a principal of GeoSyntec Consultants. According to news reports, the area was very foggy at the time.

Scott Crossfield

On June 12, WG #435 Colleen Nevis wrote "I was honored to be able to renew acquaintances with fellow Navy Test Pilot Scott Crossfield at the NAA Awards ceremony in Arlington VA, Dec 2005. I couldn't help but tease him that he took every opportunity to kiss the young ladies as he distributed awards, and he winked, offering that old age had its privileges! Farewell to a class act, and long-time friend of the Whirly Girls, Scott Crossfield." Mr. Crossfield died in an airplane crash on April 19, 2006.

James D. Phelan Sr., Auxillary Member

On May 16, 2006, James D. Phelan Sr., the Whirly-Girls' official Den Daddy, passed away. He's pictured here with his beloved wife, Jean Ross Howard-Phalen, the Whirly-Girls' founder.

The following was written by Bev Haug-Schaffter WG#465, a close friend of the Phalens:

Ladies: I spoke to Pam, one of Jim Phelan’s three daughters this evening, Wednesday, 17 May 2006.

First of all, the family will have a memorial service for Jim in Bridgeport, Conn. within the next couple of weeks. They decided against scattering ashes out of a helicopter, but will scatter their ashes from the bridge at Rock Creek. They request that in lieu of cards or flowers, donations be sent in Jim’s name to the Whirly-Girl Scholarship fund. I told Pam that we will change the WG European FTS to include Jim’s name. They will be sorting out the household when they can all get together to do so. Pam will save and let us know what they will donate to the Museum, and any extra articles about Jean or Jim for our Whirly-Girl Archives. We will need to arrange to have them sent somewhere for the museum storage or to the TX Women’s University for the Whirly Girl Archives. (Maybe someone in the area could help with the arrangements when the time comes)?

Our Den Daddy is finally at peace, and is in heaven with Jean.

Jim was laughing and happy and had been visiting with both sons, Jim Jr. and John when he just slipped away. It was yesterday, Tuesday morning, May 16, at 10:07 am. He was in his home (his and Jean’s). Jim had three daughters and two sons, all but Jim Jr. living in Conn. Jim Jr. resides in Florida.

Jim and Jean were so much “in love”. It was so great to see them hold hands, laugh and look so lovingly at each other. It took Jean 70 years to find and marry the “love of her life”. Jim had been so unhappy after Jean left us. Jim had been married for 40 years before he was widowed. He met, fell in love and married Jean the following year. They were married for twenty years. All Jim’s children loved Jean. I know she loved them too. Most of you all know that Jim was a helicopter “Crew Chief/Mechanic” in Burma. He was our “Den Daddy” and we all loved him so much. Not many men can say that they had so many “Whirly” girlfriends. He had so much history, and he and Jean were such great role models for the rest of the Whirly-Girls. We will always remember their hospitality, the red carpet treatment for all guests, and Jeans brownies. I was fortunate enough to fly both Jean and Jim for the first time together in a helicopter in Germany in 1987. We all spent Thanksgiving and Christmas together as a family when I lived in DC.

I know that Jim did not have the desire to continue living without Jean. He missed her so much. He was so happy to receive the JRHP memorial white binder about them that our own Lisa DiGiovanna put together. Jean filled the void when Jim’s first wife passed away, and we were so lucky to have him. Somehow knowing Jim is gone makes Jean’s death more “final” in our minds. Now that the JRHP era has ended, the Whirly Girls are charting new waters without Jean and Jims influence.

We will surely miss him.

Bev Haug-Schaffter WG#465, V-P Scholarships

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