29.07.2008 : Gayle Brown wrote Sometime in the 1990's I had the privelege of sitting next to Margaret Ringenberg on a plane trip returning to Fort Wayne from California. I had attended a retreat and Margaret had attended an awards cermony honoring her and other women pilots. At the time I was taking flight lessons in Kendallville, Indiana, so was thrilled to talk about women pilots to Margaret. The very next weekend I met Margaret's daughter Marsha Wright at the Grabill Missionary Church and on that Sunday ran into Margaret, Morris, Marsha and family having breakfast at the Grabill Inn. What a happy coincidence! Margaret was able to give me an autographed copy of her book "Girls Can't Be Pilots" which I thoroughly enjoyed and have treasured.

My deepest sympathies to Margaret's family.
She was a wonderful woman and a great inspiration to many!

Gayle Brown
Fort Wayne, IN

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31.07.2008 : Mac Hayes wrote I worked in the control tower at Baer Field, Fort Wayne, from 1962 through 1973. Margaret was one of the first local pilots I heard about from the old-timer controllers there, and I was impressed by the respect they all had for Margaret. I soon met her in person on one of her frequent visits to the tower. Later, through my own growth as a pilot, I had many flights with her, and she expanded my knowledge of flying considerably. Margaret is unforgettable.

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17.12.2009 : R. A. Jackson wrote As a Captain for American Eagle, the regional arm of American Airlines, I had occasion back around 2001 or 2002 to have Margaret Ringenberger on my flight from DFW to FWA. As she entered the aircraft cabin she noticed who was sitting up front and commented that we looked "seasoned" enough to be safe. We started a conversation, and she mentioned some of her past and that in Tom Brokaw's book, she was mentioned. She brought this up casually and very modestly. It was a real privilege to transport her to her hometown city, and I often thought of that flight. Had I had the privilege, I would have invited her to the cockpit to observe some of how far aircraft had come in the last several years. Sad, but resolute, I discovered of her passing. We have truly lost a pioneer, who lived and breathed her passion--let us all be an example of her undying loyalty to our country and the precepts on which it was built.

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16.02.2010 : Ben Keirn wrote I had the welcome opportunity to meet Margaret back in 1999 when I was training for my private pilot certificate. She just dropped in at the ground school up on the North end of Baer Field the one day, and I got into a conversation with her and Kathy who ran the place back then. It was a great time and we were regaled with stories of her past exploits in racing and the WASP. I got a chance to see her on another occasion shortly thereafter when she came to an SAE meeting as the guest speaker; this was some time after her book Girls Can’t Be Pilots came out. Over the years I ran into her one or two more times up at the ground school when we’d both happen to drop by, and it was always a great time. A real classy lady, and one heck of a pilot. Oh, checked out her Air Race Classic record just for fun. First in 1988 and in the top ten most of the twenty years after that…including, with Carolyn Van Newkirk, the year she passed away! An outstanding pilot til the end…I’ll miss our chance meetings at the airfield.

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