Dawn Seymour passes
Stars & Stripes reports the sad news that Dawn Seymour has passed at the tender age of 100 years.
Seymour was one of the 1,102 women who served as a WASP during World War II and among a small number of Women’s Airforce Service Pilots to complete training on the four-engine B-17 bomber. Seymour and her fellow WASPs flew bombers and other warplanes in the U.S. to free up male pilots for combat service overseas.
“There were two motivations of the WASPs,” Seymour told the Daily Messenger in 2015 from her home above Canandaigua Lake. “To serve our country and to help win the war.”
Ms. Seymour was from my neck of the woods in the Finger Lakes area of New York, and she’s been featured in several venues related to her war-time service as she worked tirelessly to remember those women who served with her. According to S&S, she was honored just last week at the National Warplane Museum air show in Geneseo, NY.
A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held Monday, July 24, at 4:30 p.m. at Third Presbyterian Church, corner of Meigs St. & East Ave., Rochester. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National WASP WWII Museum, P.O. Box 456, Sweetwater, TX 79556. Arrangements are by Johnson-Kennedy Funeral Home, Inc., Canandaigua. Condolences may be offered at www.johnsonkennedy.com.
Category: We Remember
BZ Ms. Seymour, on a job well done, and a life well lived
Rising winds ahead, Ms. Seymour. Straight on ’til morning.
Into the heavens on wings of your own.
Seeing her face just caused me to remember a guy I served with back in A School(?), who I swear looked just like her. It’s the smile.
Regardless, 100 is a helluva run. Good show.
She reminds me of “Sam” in Foyle’s War.
Honeysuckle Weeks photo:
http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/95b3fcf78946e1a38b7b0629f36cf81a
Thank You Ma’am for your service. The 1102 WASPs who served have my profound thanks and admiration for stepping up when called back in a time when women were regulated to the kitchen. They were badasses in every sense of the word. I owe them and those who came directly after a debt I can never repay for opening the door to the best 21 years of my personal and professional life.
RIP ma’am, you done good.
My granddaughter will be reading all she can about you, forthwith. You will not be forgotten is not a mere saying……
Rest in Peace, Dawn Seymour. Well done.
Another example of America’s finest and greatest generation…
She deserves the fullest Military Honors that exist. She probably saved thousands of lives with her work…
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, –and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of –Wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air…
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark or even eagle flew —
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
Rest in Peace, Dawn Seymour – and thank you for your service…
What a pretty woman! Great attitude, great smile on her face ! So glad you got to live your dream, Dawn! I’m sure it was not easy to pursue but you did so anyway. RIP!
So many of these AMAZING WOMEN never got the recognition for their efforts on behalf of our GREAT COUNTRY that they deserved. It is encouraging and awesome that she was recognized for her service and efforts to remind us all of the efforts the WASPs put forth to support the country while at war. B-17s !!!!
REST IN PEACE DAWN.