Last Updated: Wednesday, 12 August 2015 04:28 Nick Spark Hits: 1050
Pat Thaden Webb, the daughter of Louise Thaden (the aviatrix who won the 1929 Powder Puff Derby) recently wrote to me about her mother's friendship with Pancho. It's quite poignant so I thought it best to share... Here's what she wrote: "Yes, Mom and Pancho were friends, and Mom thought the world of her. I remember one time when Mom and I were driving somewhere and the conversation came up about some of Mom's early flying friends that had met such tragic deaths, which made a lasting impact on my mother that she maybe could have done more than she had to change things. I asked her how in the world she could have been friends with Pancho when Pancho was so wild and Mom was just the opposite. Mom replied with great feeling that the crazy things Pancho did was just for effect, and that she was one of the most good hearted persons she had ever known, and had done more to help people all during her life than most people knew...and for me not to forget that. Pancho was at the top of the list of the people Mom admired, respected and loved."