Mildred FERREE

FERREE, Mildred Mildred "Hut" House Ferree died February 1, 2011 at the age of 87. Hut was born in Houston, TX, on July 21, 1923 to George Lloyd and Louise Williams House. On the morning of her 16th birthday she got her pilot's license and that afternoon she got her driver's license. She graduated from San Jacinto High School in 1940 and attended University of Houston for two years before moving to California to attend University of Southern California (USC). She did not complete college as she was accepted into the Women's Air Force Service Pilots. This elite group of just over 1,000 women pilots, who were honored last year with a Congressional Medal of Honor, served their country in World War II by test piloting repaired bombers and transporting them to bases where they were needed. It was while she was serving with the WASP that she met her husband, Charles Edward Ferree, Jr. who was an officer in the US Marine Corps. They married 6 weeks after they met and were married for 62 years until Ted died in 2007. Following the war they moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where they started their family. They also lived for several years in Pittsfield, MA and Wellesley, MA. Hut was involved in many community activities while she raised her three children, including the Junior League, PTA, her church and the YWCA. Once her children were launched, she worked in Boston, took up flying again, and got actively involved in the New England Ninety Niners, a group of avid women pilots. When they retired, Ted and Hut moved to Mancester, VT, where they pursued their love of fly fishing and gardening. They moved to Kimball Farms Retirement Community in Lenox, MA in 2002 and spent five wonderful years back in the Berkshires before Ted passed away. Hut is survived by her three children-- Cathy of Charlotte, VT, Beth of Lafayette, CA, and Charles of South Hero, VT. She had five grandchildren-- Triona Marno Ferree (now deceased), Linden Marno Ferree, Charles Stephens Eaton, Matthew Ferree Eaton, and Christopher House Eaton. She was a woman of courage, intelligence, and independence and will be missed enormously. Services will be private at the convenience of the family. The Roche Funderal Home of Lenox is entrusted with the arrangements.