By Rosalyn Queen
First the details of how the book came to be in the possession of Sharon Twentier. The book was in a book sale and it came from Connie Lilliette who gave it to Twentier. Sera Merandi had attended an event on April 10, 1984, which was sponsored by the women’s Club of Clarksburg and was in conjunction with the W. V. Bicentennial Celebration. She purchased the book from Smith who was the keynote speaker for the event and it as autographed to Sers Mirandi. A program for the event states that then Secretary of State, A. J. Manchin gave remarks and Betty Henry served as the General chairman. This gathering was held at the Sheraton Inn.
Elinor Smith was born in 1911 and passed on 2010. She took her first plane ride at the age of six and the rest of her life found her flying high. Her first solo flight was at the age of 16. After she married in 1933 she kept flying and setting records but once she had a child she retired from flying. After her husband Tim Sullivan died on 1956 she returned to flying. She became the third person and first woman to be pictured on a Wheaties box.
Abiatrix is a warm and loving memoir of an exciting time in aviation. This is an enthralling piece of history especially about women’s contribution to early aviation.
