Elizabeth was born in Maryland, most likely Baltimore to her father Elizabeth McKinley, a coal mine foreman and mother Janet McDonnell, a housewife. As a youth, Elizabeth was active in her church and performed in many church musicals. Her interests turned to flying and she became a member of the University of Baltimore Flying Club. She also joined a group called the "Amelia Earhart Flying Corps" in June of 1940, a group dedicated to learning to fly airplanes "so it may aid the nation in event of an emergency." She received her private pilots license in July of 1940 and became the first woman in Maryland to solo a plane after passing the Civil Aeronautics Authority Training Course. In 1942, Elizabeth applied for and was accepted into the WASP, (Womens Airforce Service Pilots.) Officially part of the 319th Army Airforce Flight training Detachment, Class 43-W-1, the first class of women tasked with the duty of freeing male pilots for combat duty by ferrying military planes all over the country where they were needed including from the factories. After 7 long months of grueling training, Elizabeth was among the women who graduated on April 24, 1943 at Ellington Field Texas. After WASP was disbanded in late 1944, Elizabeth took up residence in Los Angeles California where her best friend from WASP training Marjorie Kumler (Find A Grave 129150241) was living. The two were roommates for many years. On January 2, 1961, Elizabeth married Ernst Matray, a man 26 years her senior. Mr. Ernst was famous in Hollywood as a writer, director, choreographer and film consultant. He passed away in 1978. Elizabeth continued living in Hollywood until her death in 1984 of pancreatic cancer.
Elizabeth was born in Maryland, most likely Baltimore to her father Elizabeth McKinley, a coal mine foreman and mother Janet McDonnell, a housewife. As a youth, Elizabeth was active in her church and performed in many church musicals. Her interests turned to flying and she became a member of the University of Baltimore Flying Club. She also joined a group called the "Amelia Earhart Flying Corps" in June of 1940, a group dedicated to learning to fly airplanes "so it may aid the nation in event of an emergency." She received her private pilots license in July of 1940 and became the first woman in Maryland to solo a plane after passing the Civil Aeronautics Authority Training Course. In 1942, Elizabeth applied for and was accepted into the WASP, (Womens Airforce Service Pilots.) Officially part of the 319th Army Airforce Flight training Detachment, Class 43-W-1, the first class of women tasked with the duty of freeing male pilots for combat duty by ferrying military planes all over the country where they were needed including from the factories. After 7 long months of grueling training, Elizabeth was among the women who graduated on April 24, 1943 at Ellington Field Texas. After WASP was disbanded in late 1944, Elizabeth took up residence in Los Angeles California where her best friend from WASP training Marjorie Kumler (Find A Grave 129150241) was living. The two were roommates for many years. On January 2, 1961, Elizabeth married Ernst Matray, a man 26 years her senior. Mr. Ernst was famous in Hollywood as a writer, director, choreographer and film consultant. He passed away in 1978. Elizabeth continued living in Hollywood until her death in 1984 of pancreatic cancer.
