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Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Melancholy discovery

I've been busy inputting the names in The Powder Puff Derby commemorative annual. There's a name label on the inner front page - Betty Wharton.

I thought the name sounded familiar when I first glanced at it...but I didn't think much of it.

Today of course I realize, Betty Wharton participated in the Powder Puff Derby, from 1969 to 1971, and she would have been in the 1977 one, which was postponed.

So I've got a book which actually belonged to an air racer. I am so jazzed!

And sad, of course, because obviously she wouldn't have given this book up. It must have come from her estate.

It's a great book, I'm really enjoying it.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Cathy,

I started racing with my Mom, famed race pilot Marion Jayne, Pioneer Aviation Hall of Famer and Centennial 100 Aviation hero when I was 22 in 1972. Most racers were 2-4 decades older than me. Now, I rarely go to a gathering of women pilots today where I don't hear that one of these fine women are airborne again where the skies are always blue and the tailwinds are always good.

I used to mourn, now I celebrate by dedicating my next flight to them and smiling because I know that hangar flying in heaven just got a new recruit. Hope this gives you a new view.

Wishing you Blue Skies and Tailwinds,

Patricia Jayne (Pat) Keefer

Unknown said...

Cathy,

I started racing with my Mom, famed race pilot Marion Jayne, Pioneer Aviation Hall of Famer and Centennial 100 Aviation hero when I was 22 in 1972. Most racers were 2-4 decades older than me. Now, I rarely go to a gathering of women pilots today where I don't hear that one of these fine women are airborne again where the skies are always blue and the tailwinds are always good.

I used to mourn, now I celebrate by dedicating my next flight to them and smiling because I know that hangar flying in heaven just got a new recruit. Hope this gives you a new view.

Wishing you Blue Skies and Tailwinds,

Patricia Jayne (Pat) Keefer

Unknown said...

Cathy
We bought a trunk from Betty's estate. I have her pilots license, her high school diploma, etc. Not much to do with her flying. Several photos of Betty and lots of her Mother Alice Dixon, who apparently also flew and wore a bathing suit most of the time. ha! ha!.
Any interest?
Karen