Grace Stevenson

Grace Stevenson was born and raised in Oklahoma. Grace attended Lindenwood College, a school for girls in St. Charles, Mo for two years. She then attended the University of Oklahoma where she received a B.A. in journalism in 1939.

When she applied for the Air Transport Auxiliary in Feb.1941 she was 24 years old. She had moved from her childhood home in Holdenville, OK to Tulsa, OK where she was a flight instructor with the Spartan School of Aeronautics. When she interviewed with Jackie Cochran, Grace had 950 hours of flight time.

Grace was checked out in Dorval, Canada with the second group of American women. She arrived in England on April 13, 1942 along with Hazel Raines, Sue Ford and Virginia Garst. Grace flew for the ATA until April 14, 1945. While Grace was flying for the British, her sister Margie was serving the war effort as a WASP.

Grace came back from England and continued to fly for Spartan Aeronautics in various schools throughout the United States. Her mother became ill and both Grace and Margie returned home to Holdenville, OK to help and run the family business. Patty Frase, Grace's niece received her own pilot's license and speaks fondly of having flown with Grace. She says one of Grace's prized possessions was a scarf made while in England, which was signed by many of the ATA women.

Both Grace and her sister Margie still reside in Holdenville, Oklahoma, victims of Alzheimer's disease.