Mary Rawlinson Creason facts for kids

Mary Rawlinson Creason (born November 20, 1924, died March 26, 2021) was an amazing American pilot. She made history as the first woman pilot to work for the Michigan state government. The United States government honored her for her special aviation lessons for schools. They also recognized her for her fantastic work as a pilot. Even when she was over 90 years old, she kept flying! This was true even though she had a pacemaker to help her heart.

Early Life and Flying Dreams

Mary Creason was born in Greenwood, Delaware on November 20, 1924. She loved airplanes from a young age. In 1943, she flew a plane by herself for the very first time. She learned to fly from her friends. One of her teachers was Eloise Smith, a flight instructor from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Her sister, Mabel Rawlinson, also taught her to fly.

Sadly, her sister Mabel died in 1943. Mabel was flying a plane at Camp Davis. She was volunteering for the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) at the time.

Education and Pilot Licenses

In 1944, Mary Creason finished her studies at Western Michigan College. She continued to follow her passion for flying. In 1946, she earned her commercial pilot's license. This license allowed her to fly planes for business. After that, she earned even more special pilot ratings. These ratings showed she could fly different types of planes.

Aviation Career and Teaching

Mary Creason started her own business in 1967. It was called Ottawa Air Training and Transport. She also spent 13 years teaching others how to fly. She taught aviation at Grand Haven High School. She also taught at Muskegon Community College.

Mary loved to race planes too! She took part in the Women's Air Derby, also known as the Powder Puff Derby. She raced in this event in 1972. Her fifth and final race was in 1983.

First Woman Pilot for Michigan

In 1977, Mary Creason made history again. She became the first woman pilot to work for the Michigan state government. She joined the Aeronautics Bureau of Michigan. Her job was an aviation safety specialist. She worked hard to make flying safer for everyone. She stayed with the Aeronautics Bureau until she retired in 1989.

Awards and Recognition

Mary Creason created a special program for schools. It was called "Come Fly With Me." This program taught students about aviation. In 1987, the Federal Aviation Administration honored her for this work. She received their "Administrator's Award for Excellence."

Her amazing achievements were recognized many times. In 1995, she was added to the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame. This honor celebrates people who have done great things in aviation in Michigan. In 2006, she was also inducted into the Michigan Transportation Hall of Honor.

Flying into Her Nineties

Even as a senior citizen, Mary Creason kept flying her own plane. She would fly it all the way down to her summer home in Florida. She once said she liked to fly "every day."

She had a small heart problem and needed a pacemaker. For a short time, she couldn't fly. But in 2015, she passed all the tests. She was allowed to fly again! She even planned to land her plane in all 48 states in the continental U.S.

Mary Creason passed away on March 26, 2021. She was 96 years old.