First Deaf Female Pilot By: Sierra Marler Nellie Zabel Willhite First Deaf Female Pilot By: Sierra Marler

Table of contents Slide 1. Childhood and Education Slide 2. Personal Life Slide 3. Career in Aviation Slide 4. Retirement and Death Slide 5. Accomplishments Slide 6. Video Slide 7. Work Cited

Childhood and Education Eleanor “Nellie” Zabel was born hearing on November 22, 1892 to Lillian and Charles Zabel Nellie was an only child growing up on a ranch in Box Elder, South Dakota At the age of two, Nellie catches the measles and becomes permanently deaf After her mother died, her father enrolled her at the State School for the Deaf in Sioux Falls at the age of seven She stayed and lived with foster parents, Dr. Leonard C and Dollie Mead of Yankton Her foster parents tutored her while attending school and taught her how to read lips

Personal Life Met Dr. Frank V. Willhite at school. Was married for a short lived amount of time After school, worked in Pierre and Sioux Falls as a Stenographer at the airfield At work, she met an aviation instructor who suggested she attend aviation school and learn to fly In 1927, at the age of 34, Nellie began her pursuit to fly After her first solo flight, her father bought her a OX- 5 Eaglerock biplane for $2700. She named the plane “PARD” after her father “Even though I couldn’t hear the engine roar, I could tell right away if anything was wrong – just from the vibrations” –Nellie Copyright 1993 by the S. Dakota State Historical Society.

Career Once receiving her pilot’s license, Nellie earned her living as a Barnstormer doing air shows, races, and tours Frequently made headlines as the only woman participating in shows and for her tight, fast maneuvering techniques Worked at Renner Air Service in Sioux Falls were she flew passengers, as well as managed the office In 1934, while working at Renner Air Service, Nellie received a commercial pilot’s license on top of her private license Became the first and only deaf person to carry airmail after receiving her commercial pilot license Finishing her career as airmail carrier, Nellie retired her wings in 1944 at the age of 52 South Dakota Magazine

Retirement and Death Even in retirement, Nellie put her aviation knowledge to work She would help plan national air races for woman flyers With the advent of WWII, Nellie became a ground school instructor and propeller inspector at Hill Field in Ogden, Utah After the war, Nellie returned to Sioux Falls to live out her retirement Nellie was happy to share her story with anyone that asked Nellie Zabel Willhite passed away at the age of 99 in 1991. Just shortly after she was inaugurated into the South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame Nellie with her memorabilia from flying “99 New Magazine”

Accomplishments Nellie Zabel Willhite broke gender barriers within the male dominated aviation field, as well as broke barriers between the hearing and deaf worlds Refused to be seen as “disabled” from a young age When receiving her pilot’s license, she became the first woman pilot in South Dakota and the first deaf pilot licensed to fly in the United States With many superstitions in the aviation field, Nellie scoffed at the idea and took her first solo flight on Friday the 13th Was the co-founder of the group “Ninety-Nine” along with her colleague, Amelia Earhart. This was a national organization for licensed female pilots Founded the South Dakota chapter of the Ninety Nine Club in 1942 Was inducted in the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 1978 and the South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame in 1991 Her airplane “Pard” can be seen displayed at the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham, Alabama

Video Besides articles and museum displays, very little has been done to show the history and accomplishments of Nellie Zabel Willhite, which include any kind of video. Instead, here is a video of Southwest Airlines giving an internship to a deaf applicant, Jordan Livingston As you watch, try to find the similarities between Nellie and Jordan with the age of hearing loss, the passion for flying, the support of an instructor and the support of parents. https://youtu.be/3nj-rHMB4KA

Work Cited Buffington, Glenn. "Early Bird Vignette. " Ninety-Nine News Work Cited Buffington, Glenn. "Early Bird Vignette." Ninety-Nine News. Ninety-Nine News, Sept. 1976. Web. 20 Mar. 2017. <https://www.ninety-nines.org/pdf/newsmagazine/197509.pdf>. Pitlick, Wendy. "An Extraordinary Woman." Black Hills Pioneer. Black Hills Pioneer, 17 Sept. 2008. Web. 20 Mar. 2017. <http://www.bhpioneer.com/news/an-extraordinary-woman/article_c56f934e-5470-560e-851a-10aad52cb6dc.html>. Smith, Clayton F. "Dakota Images." South Dakota State Historical Society, 1993. Web. 18 Mar. 2017. Weinstein , Dorene. "A Pioneer of Flight." Nellie Willhite. South Dakota Magazine, May & june 1989. Web. 20 Mar. 2017. <http://www.southdakotamagazine.com/nellie-willhite>.