03/06/2026
The Kelch Aviation Museum recently debuted a new exhibit highlighting women in aviation. During Women’s History Month, we’re excited to shine a spotlight on some remarkable women pilots you may have never heard of.
At the same time, we are proud to be running the Rudy Kopp $9,999 Matching Campaign, which helps support the museum’s mission to preserve and share aviation history. Once the matching campaign is released, we will also debut the newest episode of History with Hannah, celebrating the stories that make aviation history so meaningful.
While many people are familiar with famous pioneers like Amelia Earhart, countless women closer to home also made extraordinary contributions to aviation—often with little recognition. Some of these trailblazers came from small Midwestern communities and quietly made their mark during some of the most important moments in aviation history.
One of those women was Maryalice Henderson of Monroe, Wisconsin. She obtained her private pilot’s license in 1937, at age 20, in nearby Freeport, Illinois. In 1939, Maryalice—who stood only 4’11”—qualified for a commercial license and served as a flight instructor. During World War II, she served in the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program and flew a variety of aircraft, her favorite being the North American T-6 Texan.
Maryalice later married a World War II veteran, Robert Ford, and spent the remainder of her life in Idaho. She took her final flight in 2019, just months before her death at age 102.
