History

Mike Stimac: Science Teacher With an Early Connection to Wings of Hope
On Aug. 30, 2024, a visionary teacher and pilot who played an integral role in Wings of Hope’s history peacefully passed away at the age of 101. We were fortunate to speak with Mike Stimac a few weeks before his…
Bud Donovan & Jerry Fay
The Story of Two Pilots Who Delivered Wings of Hope’s First Plane to Kenya Thank you to Elizabeth Donovan (Bud Donovan’s widow), Courtney Lemus (Bud Donovan’s daughter) and Marianna Scheller (Jerry Fay’s daughter) for sharing their recollections of Bud Donovan…
Sister Michael Therese Ryan
Did you know Wings of Hope’s claim to fame is enlisting the original “Flying Nun” as a volunteer pilot in the 1960s? In 1963 — before we were even called Wings of Hope — our founders raised money to send…
History of Hope: Captain Clarence “Clancy” Hess
In each issue of LIFT, we use the History of Hope feature to share a little about the individuals who have been formative in the history and growth of Wings of Hope.After her dad passed away in 2014, Sue Miller…
Anniversary Founders Series: Joe Fabick
Joe Fabick, whose father founded the John Fabick Tractor Company in 1917, was one of the Wings of Hope founders. It started in the summer of 1963 when a St. Louis businessman named Bill Edwards invited Joe to his home…
Anniversary Founders Series: George Haddaway
George Haddaway was an aviation historian who is in the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame at the Lone Star Flight Museum in Houston, and is credited with founding the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Dallas-Love Field Airport. He used his…






