Helen Elizabeth “Betty” McLaughlin, 96, of Coal Valley, Illinois, died Thursday, February 23, 2017, at home, with her children by her side.
A hospitality gathering to celebrate Betty’s life is 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, March 17, 2017, in the Horizon Room at Trimble Funeral Home at Trimble Pointe, 701 12th Street, Moline. Prior to services, cremation will take Place at Trimble Crematory, with private burial at Rock Island National Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Clipped Wings, the American Red Cross, or the Rock Island County Animal Care & Control.
Helen Elizabeth Bailey was born June 27, 1920, in Denver, Colorado, the daughter of Dr. E. E. and Grace (Reddock) Bailey. She graduated from East Denver High School with the class of 1938 and earned a bachelors degree in sociology and credentials to teach elementary education from Colorado College in 1942.
After a brief stint teaching school, Betty fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming an air hostess when Continental Air Lines hired her in 1943. She completed the rigorous three-week training in five days, earning her the title "Five Day Wonder." In 1946, she became a stewardess for United Air Lines, where she met a dashing co-pilot by the name of Burl (Mac) McLaughlin. The couple married on July 9, 1947--"united by United," as Betty said of their whirlwind, six-month courtship.
The newlyweds resigned from the airline and began their life together in the service of our nation in the United States Air Force. Being an Air Force wife was a source of pride for Betty, and she was an active member and leader of Officers Wives Club. She also helped to organize a CHAMPUS program for dependents with disabilities. Betty brought four children into the world, and the family moved 23 times during active service. She found time to be a Girl Scout leader and Den Mother, a Red Cross volunteer, Avon Lady, and cookie baker. Betty's effervescent personality also helped her make lasting friendships everywhere she went. After a distinguished 31-year career, Mac retired as a Major General, but Betty always retained the dignity and poise of a general's wife.
Upon retirement in 1971, Mac and Betty began a new chapter when Mac became vice-president of Eastern Airlines. Betty relished the return to the airline industry, which allowed her to pursue her passion for aviation, travel, and the study of people. They traveled extensively domestically and abroad, filling their passports with stamps from many exotic destinations.
Betty also began to use her teaching credentials and became a substitute teacher with certification in 8 states, updating her qualifications with additional coursework at Tampa University. She also taught Sunday School for more than two decades for several Methodist and Presbyterian churches throughout the years.
In 1981, Mac became president of Mississippi Valley Airlines, and Betty made their final home in Coal Valley. She became an active member of PEO BL Chapter, AAUW, and Rock Island Arsenal Wives Club. She also maintained the special bonds with her airline friends and aviation historians through membership in Continental's Golden Penguins and United's Clipped Wings, which kept her informed of the vast changes in inflight service throughout the decades and involved in philanthropic activities, such as Special Olympics, to help the less fortunate.
Betty's life-long interest in inflight service led her to become a noted aviation author. Betty wrote two books chronicling the history of inflight service and her remarkable experiences: Walking on Air (1986) and Footsteps in the Sky: An Informal Review of U.S. Airlines' Inflight Service (1994). She personally marketed her books at the World Aviation Historical Society annual convention, where she was considered a celebrity. To honor her "exceptional contributions to aviation," a permanent stone inscribed with her name was placed in Memory Lane in The International Forest of Friendship in 2003.
Her life was full of achievements, but Betty's greatest accomplishments were being a loving and devoted wife to her husband of 60 years and a loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.
Betty is survived by four children, Becky Beryl Hobart (David) of Marstons Mills, Massachusetts, Kathleen McLaughlin of Coal Valley, Patricia McLaughlin, PhD (Trish Hepner), of Moline, and William McLaughlin (Bill Short) of Washington, DC; a grandson, Brent Eberhart (Abigail Swanson); great-grandchildren, Zachary Eberhart and Ashlyn Rose Eberhart; and a great-great-granddaughter, Zoey Eberhart.
Betty was preceded in death by her beloved parents and a brother, Robert Glenn Bailey, and his wife, Ruth.
Betty was truly a force of nature--a dynamo with an extraordinary abundance of energy well into her nineties. She was a guiding light to her children and an illuminating presence to the legions of people who were fortunate to call her a friend.
"When you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with eyes turned upward. For there you have been, and there you long to return." --Unknown
A hospitality gathering to celebrate Betty’s life is 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, March 17, 2017, in the Horizon Room at Trimble Funeral Home at Trimble Pointe, 701 12th Street, Moline. Prior to services, cremation will take Place at Trimble Crematory, with private burial at Rock Island National Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Clipped Wings, the American Red Cross, or the Rock Island County Animal Care & Control.
Helen Elizabeth Bailey was born June 27, 1920, in Denver, Colorado, the daughter of Dr. E. E. and Grace (Reddock) Bailey. She graduated from East Denver High School with the class of 1938 and earned a bachelors degree in sociology and credentials to teach elementary education from Colorado College in 1942.
After a brief stint teaching school, Betty fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming an air hostess when Continental Air Lines hired her in 1943. She completed the rigorous three-week training in five days, earning her the title "Five Day Wonder." In 1946, she became a stewardess for United Air Lines, where she met a dashing co-pilot by the name of Burl (Mac) McLaughlin. The couple married on July 9, 1947--"united by United," as Betty said of their whirlwind, six-month courtship.
The newlyweds resigned from the airline and began their life together in the service of our nation in the United States Air Force. Being an Air Force wife was a source of pride for Betty, and she was an active member and leader of Officers Wives Club. She also helped to organize a CHAMPUS program for dependents with disabilities. Betty brought four children into the world, and the family moved 23 times during active service. She found time to be a Girl Scout leader and Den Mother, a Red Cross volunteer, Avon Lady, and cookie baker. Betty's effervescent personality also helped her make lasting friendships everywhere she went. After a distinguished 31-year career, Mac retired as a Major General, but Betty always retained the dignity and poise of a general's wife.
Upon retirement in 1971, Mac and Betty began a new chapter when Mac became vice-president of Eastern Airlines. Betty relished the return to the airline industry, which allowed her to pursue her passion for aviation, travel, and the study of people. They traveled extensively domestically and abroad, filling their passports with stamps from many exotic destinations.
Betty also began to use her teaching credentials and became a substitute teacher with certification in 8 states, updating her qualifications with additional coursework at Tampa University. She also taught Sunday School for more than two decades for several Methodist and Presbyterian churches throughout the years.
In 1981, Mac became president of Mississippi Valley Airlines, and Betty made their final home in Coal Valley. She became an active member of PEO BL Chapter, AAUW, and Rock Island Arsenal Wives Club. She also maintained the special bonds with her airline friends and aviation historians through membership in Continental's Golden Penguins and United's Clipped Wings, which kept her informed of the vast changes in inflight service throughout the decades and involved in philanthropic activities, such as Special Olympics, to help the less fortunate.
Betty's life-long interest in inflight service led her to become a noted aviation author. Betty wrote two books chronicling the history of inflight service and her remarkable experiences: Walking on Air (1986) and Footsteps in the Sky: An Informal Review of U.S. Airlines' Inflight Service (1994). She personally marketed her books at the World Aviation Historical Society annual convention, where she was considered a celebrity. To honor her "exceptional contributions to aviation," a permanent stone inscribed with her name was placed in Memory Lane in The International Forest of Friendship in 2003.
Her life was full of achievements, but Betty's greatest accomplishments were being a loving and devoted wife to her husband of 60 years and a loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.
Betty is survived by four children, Becky Beryl Hobart (David) of Marstons Mills, Massachusetts, Kathleen McLaughlin of Coal Valley, Patricia McLaughlin, PhD (Trish Hepner), of Moline, and William McLaughlin (Bill Short) of Washington, DC; a grandson, Brent Eberhart (Abigail Swanson); great-grandchildren, Zachary Eberhart and Ashlyn Rose Eberhart; and a great-great-granddaughter, Zoey Eberhart.
Betty was preceded in death by her beloved parents and a brother, Robert Glenn Bailey, and his wife, Ruth.
Betty was truly a force of nature--a dynamo with an extraordinary abundance of energy well into her nineties. She was a guiding light to her children and an illuminating presence to the legions of people who were fortunate to call her a friend.
"When you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with eyes turned upward. For there you have been, and there you long to return." --Unknown
Helen Elizabeth “Betty” McLaughlin, 96, of Coal Valley, Illinois, died Thursday, February 23, 2017, at home, with her children by her side.
A hospitality gathering to celebrate Betty’s life is 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, March 17, 2017, in the Horizon Room at Trimble Funeral Home at Trimble Pointe, 701 12th Street, Moline. Prior to services, cremation will take Place at Trimble Crematory, with private burial at Rock Island National Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Clipped Wings, the American Red Cross, or the Rock Island County Animal Care & Control.
Helen Elizabeth Bailey was born June 27, 1920, in Denver, Colorado, the daughter of Dr. E. E. and Grace (Reddock) Bailey. She graduated from East Denver High School with the class of 1938 and earned a bachelors degree in sociology and credentials to teach elementary education from Colorado College in 1942.
After a brief stint teaching school, Betty fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming an air hostess when Continental Air Lines hired her in 1943. She completed the rigorous three-week training in five days, earning her the title "Five Day Wonder." In 1946, she became a stewardess for United Air Lines, where she met a dashing co-pilot by the name of Burl (Mac) McLaughlin. The couple married on July 9, 1947--"united by United," as Betty said of their whirlwind, six-month courtship.
The newlyweds resigned from the airline and began their life together in the service of our nation in the United States Air Force. Being an Air Force wife was a source of pride for Betty, and she was an active member and leader of Officers Wives Club. She also helped to organize a CHAMPUS program for dependents with disabilities. Betty brought four children into the world, and the family moved 23 times during active service. She found time to be a Girl Scout leader and Den Mother, a Red Cross volunteer, Avon Lady, and cookie baker. Betty's effervescent personality also helped her make lasting friendships everywhere she went. After a distinguished 31-year career, Mac retired as a Major General, but Betty always retained the dignity and poise of a general's wife.
Upon retirement in 1971, Mac and Betty began a new chapter when Mac became vice-president of Eastern Airlines. Betty relished the return to the airline industry, which allowed her to pursue her passion for aviation, travel, and the study of people. They traveled extensively domestically and abroad, filling their passports with stamps from many exotic destinations.
Betty also began to use her teaching credentials and became a substitute teacher with certification in 8 states, updating her qualifications with additional coursework at Tampa University. She also taught Sunday School for more than two decades for several Methodist and Presbyterian churches throughout the years.
In 1981, Mac became president of Mississippi Valley Airlines, and Betty made their final home in Coal Valley. She became an active member of PEO BL Chapter, AAUW, and Rock Island Arsenal Wives Club. She also maintained the special bonds with her airline friends and aviation historians through membership in Continental's Golden Penguins and United's Clipped Wings, which kept her informed of the vast changes in inflight service throughout the decades and involved in philanthropic activities, such as Special Olympics, to help the less fortunate.
Betty's life-long interest in inflight service led her to become a noted aviation author. Betty wrote two books chronicling the history of inflight service and her remarkable experiences: Walking on Air (1986) and Footsteps in the Sky: An Informal Review of U.S. Airlines' Inflight Service (1994). She personally marketed her books at the World Aviation Historical Society annual convention, where she was considered a celebrity. To honor her "exceptional contributions to aviation," a permanent stone inscribed with her name was placed in Memory Lane in The International Forest of Friendship in 2003.
Her life was full of achievements, but Betty's greatest accomplishments were being a loving and devoted wife to her husband of 60 years and a loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.
Betty is survived by four children, Becky Beryl Hobart (David) of Marstons Mills, Massachusetts, Kathleen McLaughlin of Coal Valley, Patricia McLaughlin, PhD (Trish Hepner), of Moline, and William McLaughlin (Bill Short) of Washington, DC; a grandson, Brent Eberhart (Abigail Swanson); great-grandchildren, Zachary Eberhart and Ashlyn Rose Eberhart; and a great-great-granddaughter, Zoey Eberhart.
Betty was preceded in death by her beloved parents and a brother, Robert Glenn Bailey, and his wife, Ruth.
Betty was truly a force of nature--a dynamo with an extraordinary abundance of energy well into her nineties. She was a guiding light to her children and an illuminating presence to the legions of people who were fortunate to call her a friend.
"When you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with eyes turned upward. For there you have been, and there you long to return." --Unknown
A hospitality gathering to celebrate Betty’s life is 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, March 17, 2017, in the Horizon Room at Trimble Funeral Home at Trimble Pointe, 701 12th Street, Moline. Prior to services, cremation will take Place at Trimble Crematory, with private burial at Rock Island National Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Clipped Wings, the American Red Cross, or the Rock Island County Animal Care & Control.
Helen Elizabeth Bailey was born June 27, 1920, in Denver, Colorado, the daughter of Dr. E. E. and Grace (Reddock) Bailey. She graduated from East Denver High School with the class of 1938 and earned a bachelors degree in sociology and credentials to teach elementary education from Colorado College in 1942.
After a brief stint teaching school, Betty fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming an air hostess when Continental Air Lines hired her in 1943. She completed the rigorous three-week training in five days, earning her the title "Five Day Wonder." In 1946, she became a stewardess for United Air Lines, where she met a dashing co-pilot by the name of Burl (Mac) McLaughlin. The couple married on July 9, 1947--"united by United," as Betty said of their whirlwind, six-month courtship.
The newlyweds resigned from the airline and began their life together in the service of our nation in the United States Air Force. Being an Air Force wife was a source of pride for Betty, and she was an active member and leader of Officers Wives Club. She also helped to organize a CHAMPUS program for dependents with disabilities. Betty brought four children into the world, and the family moved 23 times during active service. She found time to be a Girl Scout leader and Den Mother, a Red Cross volunteer, Avon Lady, and cookie baker. Betty's effervescent personality also helped her make lasting friendships everywhere she went. After a distinguished 31-year career, Mac retired as a Major General, but Betty always retained the dignity and poise of a general's wife.
Upon retirement in 1971, Mac and Betty began a new chapter when Mac became vice-president of Eastern Airlines. Betty relished the return to the airline industry, which allowed her to pursue her passion for aviation, travel, and the study of people. They traveled extensively domestically and abroad, filling their passports with stamps from many exotic destinations.
Betty also began to use her teaching credentials and became a substitute teacher with certification in 8 states, updating her qualifications with additional coursework at Tampa University. She also taught Sunday School for more than two decades for several Methodist and Presbyterian churches throughout the years.
In 1981, Mac became president of Mississippi Valley Airlines, and Betty made their final home in Coal Valley. She became an active member of PEO BL Chapter, AAUW, and Rock Island Arsenal Wives Club. She also maintained the special bonds with her airline friends and aviation historians through membership in Continental's Golden Penguins and United's Clipped Wings, which kept her informed of the vast changes in inflight service throughout the decades and involved in philanthropic activities, such as Special Olympics, to help the less fortunate.
Betty's life-long interest in inflight service led her to become a noted aviation author. Betty wrote two books chronicling the history of inflight service and her remarkable experiences: Walking on Air (1986) and Footsteps in the Sky: An Informal Review of U.S. Airlines' Inflight Service (1994). She personally marketed her books at the World Aviation Historical Society annual convention, where she was considered a celebrity. To honor her "exceptional contributions to aviation," a permanent stone inscribed with her name was placed in Memory Lane in The International Forest of Friendship in 2003.
Her life was full of achievements, but Betty's greatest accomplishments were being a loving and devoted wife to her husband of 60 years and a loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.
Betty is survived by four children, Becky Beryl Hobart (David) of Marstons Mills, Massachusetts, Kathleen McLaughlin of Coal Valley, Patricia McLaughlin, PhD (Trish Hepner), of Moline, and William McLaughlin (Bill Short) of Washington, DC; a grandson, Brent Eberhart (Abigail Swanson); great-grandchildren, Zachary Eberhart and Ashlyn Rose Eberhart; and a great-great-granddaughter, Zoey Eberhart.
Betty was preceded in death by her beloved parents and a brother, Robert Glenn Bailey, and his wife, Ruth.
Betty was truly a force of nature--a dynamo with an extraordinary abundance of energy well into her nineties. She was a guiding light to her children and an illuminating presence to the legions of people who were fortunate to call her a friend.
"When you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with eyes turned upward. For there you have been, and there you long to return." --Unknown
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