Ellen Smith

Meadville's pioneer woman pilot, Mrs. Ellen Smith, of Meadville, wife of J. Floyd Smith, died Monday, October 25, 1971, en route to City Hospital.

Mrs. Smith had been in poor health for several years, but she and her husband had started on a trip to Florida.  They stopped at Arlington, VA, to visit friends when her condition worsened Sunday.  Early Monday, they decided to return home.  Death occurred within a half hour of reaching Meadville, after her husband had checked her condition.

Mrs. Smith was the first woman pilot in Meadville, receiving her certificate in June 1930.  She was the first pilot to land at Port Meadville Airport, doing so while it was under construction in 1931.  She took first-place in a precision landing contest in 1934 at a women's national air meet at Dayton, OH.  In the early 1930's, she did commercial piloting, barnstorming and stunt flying.  She was a member of the "Ninety-Nines" an international women pilot's organization founded by Amelia Earhart.

She was born in Meadville, January 18, 1911, a daughter of Charles and Sadie Hoover.  She married Mr. Smith April 19, 1928.  She was a member of Stone United Methodist Church.

Surviving, in addition to her husband, is a son, J. Floyd, Jr. of Erie.

Services were held at Waid Funeral Home.

Interment was in Roselawn Memorial Gardens.