When Gail Walker moved to Wind Crest, the Erickson Senior Living community in Highlands Ranch, Colo., she already knew people living there--they'd met at the Denver chapter of Clipped Wings, a group of former stewardesses and flight attendants who once worked for national and international carriers.
Soon after settling into her apartment home, Gail decided to plan a monthly dinner where they could gather and talk about their days flying the blue skies.
"By word of mouth, it spread we were having these dinners, and it seemed like every month, we had a new person," says Gail. The gatherings blossomed from there, she adds.
Today, the group of former fliers has expanded to 16 members!
'Great stories to tell'
The gatherings, held on the third Wednesday of every month in a large private dining room in Wind Crest's Fireside restaurant, have attracted former workers from airlines such as United, American, Pan Am, Western, and Pacific Southwest.
"Even though we worked for different airlines, we've still got so much in common and have these great stories to tell. We talk about all our adventures," says Gail.
Phyllis Jack, who worked for United for 45 years, is the only former flight attendant in the group, as the term "stewardess" was dropped at the end of the 1970s.
"I love remembering all the past experiences, the people and celebrities whom we got to know, and all the places we traveled to," says Phyllis. "It's fun to reflect back over the times we had."
The group has fun comparing where their first bases were, where they've lived, how long they flew, what kind of airplanes they flew in, and if they flew with famous people--and what they were like.
Friends in high places
For example, Ann Andersen once flew with former president Harry Truman.
"He was a nice guy. He was quiet," Ann recalls.
And Gail knew the rules when she served Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. "You don't bother them. You don't talk to them. And you make sure other passengers didn't bug them," she recalls, with a laugh.
Phyllis flew with Frank Sinatra and Danny Thomas, as well as the Rev. Norman Vincent Peale, who wrote a number of books including The Power of Positive Thinking.
In-flight surprise
They also share stories about the craziest experiences they had.
Phyllis had a passenger who was flying alone--and seven and a half months pregnant--call her over and say that she was going to have her baby right then!
"My first aid class didn't teach anything about childbirth, so I calmed her down, got her something to drink, and told her it was too soon--that she needed to wait to get home to people who loved her and could care for her for the rest of her pregnancy," she recalls. "I don't know what I did, but, by golly, she made it home, and I made it through the trip."
Changes in atmosphere
Back when these women were in the air, there were many rules that wouldn't stand today--rules that they often talk about.
Women wore uniforms with white gloves, a hat they referred to as a "sugar scoop" because of its shape, spectator shoes they had to keep polished, and girdles.
Ann remembers that they had to be a certain height and weight, and Gail adds that they would have surprise weight checks.
"The stewardess supervisor would turn up at the airport before your flight, and it would be a surprise," recalls Gail. "If you weighed too much, they'd give you a warning. They'd weigh you again a week later, and you couldn't be overweight, or they would lay you off for a while."
Up until 1968, stewardesses who married were required to quit. One member of their group shared that she hid her marriage so that she could continue working. "It was hard for her because she couldn't let her husband answer their phone," says Ann.
Making connections
Since many of the women have become close, they often get together outside of the monthly meetings.
"A lot of them don't have stewardess friends anymore because everyone moved to different parts of the country--or even different parts of the world--after they stopped working. But there are a bunch of us here!" says Gail.
She adds, "There's so much camaraderie. A couple of the gals and I go to concerts and Saturday night movies here at Wind Crest. We enjoy each other's company."
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