Mary Ann Lippitt (June 29, 1918 – June 18, 2006) was an American pilot and philanthropist, who founded an aviation business after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Early life

Lippitt was born as Mary Ann Lippitt in Beverly Farms, Massachusetts, the daughter of Senator Henry F. Lippitt and golfer Lucy Hayes Herron Lippitt. Her aunt was

Helen Herron Taft Helen Louise Taft (née Herron; June 2, 1861 – May 22, 1943) was First Lady of the United States from 1909 to 1913 as the wife of President William Howard Taft. Born to a politically well-connected Ohio family, she took an early interest ...

, the wife of President

William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) served as the 27th president of the United States from 1909 to 1913 and the tenth chief justice of the United States from 1921 to 1930. He is the only person to have held both offices. ...

. Her uncle was Charles W. Lippitt, Governor of Rhode Island. Her paternal grandparents were Henry Lippitt, who also served as Governor of Rhode Island, and Mary Ann Balch Lippitt, for whom she was named. Her brother was military officer and politician

Frederick Lippitt Frederick Lippitt (December 29, 1916 – May 11, 2005) was an American military officer, attorney, politician, public servant and philanthropist. He served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives He was the scion of a distinguished Rhode ...

. As a young teen in 1931, she played in the national girls' lawn tennis championships. During World War II, she learned to fly planes.

Career

Lippitt worked as a flying instructor in Virginia and flew for the postal service during World War II. In 1946, Lippitt formed Lippitt Aviation Services, a charter, repair, and instructional service with a fleet of four planes, based at

T. F. Green Airport Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport is a public international airport in Warwick, Rhode Island, United States, south of the state's capital and largest city of Providence. Opened in 1931, the airport was named for former Rhode Is ...

(formerly Hillgrove Airport) in

Warwick, Rhode Island Warwick ( or ) is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States, and is the third-largest city in the state, with a population of 82,823 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Warwick is located approximately south of downtown Pr ...

. Lippitt became as one of the first women business owners in Rhode Island. In 1972, Lippitt sold her business. She flew in the International Women's Air Race in 1956, but had to make an emergency landing in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...

, in difficult weather. In 2001, Lippitt donated $1 million to the

Providence Public Library Providence Public Library of Providence, Rhode Island was founded in 1875. The central library building at 225 Washington Street opened in 1900 and was constructed in a Renaissance style with private donations including a large donation from ...

, where she had been a member of the Board of Trustees from 1985 to 1993. A branch of the library was later named for Lippitt. In 2004, she and her brother were awarded the President's Medal from

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

for their philanthropy.

Personal life

Lippitt lived with her brother until his death in 2005. In 2006, Lippitt died in

Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...

. She was 87. Lippitt is buried in

Swan Point Cemetery Swan Point Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Established in 1846 on a 60-acre (0.24 km2) plot of land, it has approximately 40,000 interments. History The cemetery was first organize ...

, with her brother's. The home she shared with Frederick Lippitt was donated to Brown University after her death. The Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America at Brown University is located in the Frederick Lippitt and Mary Ann Lippitt House. In 2013 she was inducted into the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lippitt, Mary Ann 1918 births 2006 deaths American women aviators Lippitt family People from Providence, Rhode Island 20th-century American women Burials at Swan Point Cemetery People from Beverly, Massachusetts