Estimated reading time 3 minutes, 41 seconds.
Patricia Luebke, WAI 1954 and a regular and longtime contributor to Aviation for Women and Aviation for Girls magazines, passed away on Nov. 22, 2019, after a brief illness. Luebke was a proud member of Women in Aviation International and was the creative force behind many of the organization’s key programs and events including Take Your Daughter to Conference, which became Girls in Aviation Day; the annual female group photo at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh; a WAI time capsule for WAI’s 25-year anniversary; the conference daily newsletters, the Annual Fund Pioneer Hall of Fame tote bag; and the Honor The WASP event on Memorial Day weekend.
Girls in Aviation Day, sparked by Luebke’s creativity, has resulted in approximately 56,150 kids being introduced to aviation to date, with more to come in the years that follow. Girls in Aviation Day events have been held in Australia, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada, Costa Rica, England, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Netherlands, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, United States, and Zambia. The annual WomenVenture group photo, which is in it’s 11th year, started with 700 attendees, and has grown into an event that thousands of women look forward to annually, with over 2,000 in the 2019 photo. Her ideas and creativity have impacted thousands in aviation and her legacy will live on in those she continues to inspire.
Her eloquent and creative writing in the WAI publications including her personal development column were a reader favorite and addressed a wide range of topics including the effects of social media, losing a job, asking for a promotion, and how to save money.
Luebke’s valuable insights were drawn from her decades of experience as a New York City-based freelance writer, editor, and marketing consultant. Starting her aviation career as Flying magazine’s advertising assistant, Luebke rose through the ranks and became a vice-president for the publishing company leading a team of magazine staff with her quick wit and creative inspiration. With a dedicated work ethic and attention to detail, Luebke shared her expertise with a variety of clients including Avionics News, Sporty’s, AOPA, Lightspeed Aviation, and many others. She was especially proud of her work with WAI dedicated to ensuring the development of future leaders in the field and for encouraging women of all ages and backgrounds to be strong and confident.
To continue Luebke’s legacy of candid and thorough aviation journalism, Women in Aviation International announces a 2020 scholarship in her honor to encourage WAI members to pursue their own best aviation-related personal development goal. Applications must be received via email to Donna Wallace no later than Friday, Jan. 10, 2020, midnight EDT. Requirements include: an active WAI membership through March 2020, a WAI official scholarship application form, your resume (no longer than two pages) and a 500-word essay explaining how you would use the scholarship to further your own aviation personal development goal. If any of Luebke’s stories inspired you, please include in your essay. The Pat Luebke Memorial Scholarship will be awarded at the 31st Annual International Women in Aviation Conference, March 5-7, 2020 in Orlando, Fla.
