A Personal Salute to A Pioneer Woman
In El Paso Aviation History and My Teacher and Mentor
| The following was provided by Luis Fierro on March 12, 2010, after he heard about the Congressional Gold Medal being awarded to the Women Airforce Service pilots of WWII. |
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I was one of Mrs. Hailey's orchestra students at Bowie High School class of 1966. I hold Mrs Hailey's in the highest respect as a gifted teacher, mentor and blessed human being. I can look back and say, Mrs. Hailey was unique. She was a truly independent spirit. She was highly intelligent. Like Amelia Earhart who at the El Paso History Museum shows flew into El Paso at one point in her illustrious career, I continue to regard Mrs. Hailey as an awesomely inspiring pioneer woman who played such a critical role during WWII and aviation. She deserves to be mentioned in the same breath and to be likened to Amelia Earhart and more. |
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She contributed so much as part of an elite group of women who have remained woefully unrecognized for their tremendous selfless, patriotic contribution to this great nation. I read with great pride Mrs. Hailey's name on the Honor Roll at the War Eagles Air Museum and most recently viewed photos at the El Paso Historical Museum with the same degree of pride and joyful melancholy. Therefore it was probably no coincidence that I was on the Internet this morning and read about/saw the video about Congress' recent honor to the WASPs -- but rather that I would finally learn that such a great individual such as Mrs Hailey along with her female esprit de corps comrades are being recognized in such deserving fashion. I couldn't help but become teary-eyed upon hearing "off we go into the wild blue yonder ... " tribute in their honor. A few years ago a group of her orchestra students, including myself took Mrs Hailey out to lunch -- once again like a flock of humble El Paso south-siders, but all so proud disciples of Mrs Hailey -- still so amazingly powerful in her own magical aura that she was still able to evoke. Her influence on all of us, especially myself will live on for the rest of my life. There are maybe a handful of people that have touched me like Mrs Hailey that have been able to evoke such passion and fervor for learning and spark for individual growth during my developing years in grade school through high school. Yes, Mrs Hailey was my orchestra teacher from 6th grade through High school -- who took us out of our little south side, limited environment and challenged us to do more -- to successfully participate in All-City Orchestra, to be successful Student Council Officers and even for me to be senior valedictorian. Yes, she is part of only a handful of such powerfully influential teachers that can really help to forge young minds and individual potentials -- but more importantly she sits atop that short list of such wonderful teachers and overall human beings. |
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I always enjoyed reading her skillfully worded and expressive letters to the editor of the local newspaper even after I left El Paso. All of these remain fond and non-erasable memories today just as much as the day that she took her group of violin students to visit the El Paso airport and let us step inside a parked little Cessna prop airplane inside the hangar. Perhaps just little things for anybody else, but tremendously enduring experiences for me. She always told us that we were a "special" group of musically gifted students. Mrs. Hailey, you will always remain that special and gifted single person for the rest of my life. As recently as December last year, I looked for her in the phone book and went to her home on Brookhaven in El Paso hoping to catch up with her, in the hope that perhaps "her boys" could once again treat her to lunch, but was disappointed that I did not find her and fearing perhaps that we had waited too long. |
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Luis Fierro |
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As of the posting of this tribute, Lois is 95 years old and living with her son and his family near Houston, Texas. Luis was provided a phone number to call and talk with Lois. |