EAA, Warbirds of America Mourn Loss of Suzanne Parish
Suzanne DeLano Parish, who was the first woman inducted into the EAA Warbirds of America Hall of Fame, passed away May 12 in Palm Springs, California. She was 87.
A lifelong resident of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Parish was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal for her service with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) earlier this year. She is co-founder and vice chairwoman of the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum - the “Air Zoo” - and was also a member of the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame. Parish was inducted into the EAA Warbirds Hall of Fame in 1997.
“EAA Warbirds of America is saddened by the loss of Suzanne Parish,” said executive director Bill Fischer. “She was an outstanding ambassador for the warbird community, always smiling and eager to interact with the air show public. She will be dearly missed.”
Parish was long identified with her pink Curtiss P-40 Warhawk that she flew in numerous air shows for more than a quarter-century, including many AirVenture Oshkosh fly-ins. Today the airplane hangs from the ceiling at the main entrance to the Air Zoo.
She flew the P-40 into her 60s, and then continued flying in her Beechcraft T-34, which she also had painted pink.
