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This is the story of Walter and Olive Ann Beech, the remarkable couple whose careers spanned virtually the entire history of American aviation. It is also the story of a marriage of opposites. Walter was a charming rascal, a hard-living barnstormer. Olive Ann was a shy small-town Kansas girl who hid that shyness behind an imperious manner and a backbone of steel.

Together they founded Beech Aircraft Corp. in the teeth of the Great Depression and guided their company to fame and fortune. Their lives intersected with the giants of aviation: Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, Jimmy Doolittle, and many others. Their customers ranged from Arthur Godfrey to Lyndon B. Johnson, from Hollywood stars to Pentagon generals.

Their company did much to transform Wichita, Kansas, from a dusty cow town to today’s Aircraft Capital of the World.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Pitt lives in Wichita, Kansas, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Pepperdine University and a master’s in psychology from Emporia State University. She is an active supporter of the Kansas Humane Society and is passionate about community and legacy.

Jennifer is the granddaughter of aviation pioneers Walter and Olive Ann Beech. Through this book and other projects, she seeks to preserve their extraordinary story and ensure that their impact continues to inspire future generations.

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MEET DENNIS FARNEY

The Barnstormer and the Lady, written by former Wall Street Journal reporter Dennis Farney, begins with an era when pilots still wore scarves and leather helmets and to fly was, quite literally, to defy death. It ends with aviation as a multi-billion-dollar industry. Bridging this colorful history were Walter and Olive Ann Beech, aristocrats of the air.

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“IT WAS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH A WOMAN WHO WAS RUNNING A HIGH-POWERED COMPANY. TO ME, THAT WAS SOMETHING. THAT WAS HIGH CLASS.”

– Bob Dole, former U.S. senator from Kansas and 1996 Republican nominee for president, talking about his first meeting with Olive Ann.

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