Obituary – Mary Elizabeth (Chance) VanScyoc

The lady recognized by most accounts as the first woman controller in the US has passed away.

VanScyoc, Mary Elizabeth (Chance), 91, passed away Wednesday, February 9, 2011. Mary was born on Dec 26, 1919 to Gerald and Lois Chance in Wichita. She obtained her pilots license at age 20, graduated from Wichita University and became the first female air traffic controller in the United States in June of 1942. Mary married Evart Breece VanScyoc on October 10, 1947 in Wichita. She taught girls P.E. and started an aviation class in Augusta from 1961-1974. Mary wrote a book entitled “A Lifetime of Chances” and was inducted into the Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame in 2002. Survivors include her daughters Betty Carson of Wichita and Martha Shaw and her husband Mark of Gainesville, Florida; five grandchildren Danny (Tifyne) Carter, Paula (Sam) Holland; David (Kira) Carter; Ronda (Robert) Thomas and Gina (Curtis) Baxter and 14 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; spouse; son Gary; brother Richard Harold Chance and a sister Geraldine Chance. Visitation will be held Sunday, February 13, from 3-5 p.m. at the funeral home. Funeral service will be at Faith Christian Church, 2110 West 45th Street, South in Wichita on Tuesday, February 15, at 1:00 p.m. Interment to follow in Elmwood Cemetery in Augusta. A memorial has been established with the Kansas Aviation Museum, 3350 South George Washington Blvd, Wichita, Kansas 67210 or in care of the funeral home. Dunsford-Zeiner Funeral Home 201 East Fifth Avenue, Augusta, Kansas (316) 775-6363.