Phyllis Morrison Baer

1925 – 2015

Phyllis Elizabeth Morrison Baer took flight into eternal life on Sunday, August 30, 2015. Her spirit is carried on by her four children, seven grandchildren, her brother, James Morrison, and an extended family of friends from all walks of life.

Always eager to learn more and live more, Phyllis was a lover, a fighter, a student and a teacher who radiated a brilliant light.

Born May 20, 1925, Phyllis was put on this earth to fly. The middle child of five, she grew up on a farm in Lynden, WA. She began dreaming of becoming a pilot at a very young age, received her first pilot’s license at the age of 17 and, including parachuting, took every opportunity to be in the air.

Smart as a whip and always quick to stand her ground, she attended Washington State University in Pullman. Her great interests were physics and music.

After joining the US Army, where she worked as a link trainer, she became a stewardess for Pan American Airlines. Her preferred mode of transportation to the airport was her Harley Davidson motorcycle. She continued to fly privately. During this period of time, she and fellow stewardess, Dottie Simpson, navigated a small boat down the Yukon River.

At Pan Am she met pilot Charles Royal Baer, whom she married in 1951. Together they had four children, Jaimi, Stevan, Kimberly and Michele.

After having raised her children, Phyllis returned to the world of aviation with a vengeance. She became a flight instructor and a test pilot, competed in air races and had numerous cross-country adventures, both solo and with her many pilot friends.

In 2002, she met her dear friend, Arnold Brotman. Together they shared great senses of humor and wonderful travels.

Known amongst her grandchildren for her famous homemade juice and jams, Phyllis was an ever-present light in their lives. Whether she was teaching them to swim or play tennis, bribing them with peanut butter and ice cream or flying them to Bellingham for a breakfast adventure, she never failed to put a smile on their faces or a sweet treat in their grubby paws.

As an Army veteran, an accomplished pilot, an acclaimed flight instructor, an avid tennis player and, most importantly, a fiercely devoted mother, she was never one to say, “my work is done.”

She is at peace now that she has taken flight once again, leaving us all with a piece of her heart, her courage, her strength and her wings.

A celebration of her life will be held at the Museum of Flight on Sunday, October 4, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Museum of Flight in memory of Phyllis Morrison Baer.