Bonnie Lee (Paulsen) Seymour

8/21/31 -

 

Bonnie Lee Paulsen was born in Oakland, California, August 21, 1931.  She was raised in Antioch, CA, the only child of her Danish immigrant father and his American born wife.  At the age of 18, she met her soul mate and husband of 46 years, Asa Milton Seymour, Jr.  They left Antioch in 1951 and began their married life.  Bonnie bore 3 children, a son and two daughters.  The years from 1951-1965 were filled with moving vans, lunch boxes, ballet lessons, puppies, cuts and bruises.

 

With her children in High School, Bonnie set out to get her own long awaited college education.  She set high goals, first obtaining a degree in Speech/Hearing and English, and then six months later on June 4, 1971, she received her Master of Arts in Education from San Jose State College.  In 1972, Bonnie received her Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech Pathology, and in 1974 the Board of Medical Examiners granted Bonnie Lee Seymour a license to practice as a Speech Pathologist. Bonnie obtained her teaching credential in special education, and at the age of 40, she began a 22 year career in the California school system.

 

It was during this schooling time of Bonnie's life that she first fell in love with Aviation.  She began taking her pilots instruction at the San Jose Municipal Airport where she earned her single engine private pilot's license.  Bonnie's husband followed suit.  Bonnie's enthusiasm for flying was energizing and soon, most of their neighbors and close friends had caught the flying bug.  Bonnie and Milt went on to obtain their commercial and instrument ratings.  It wasn't long before they purchased their first of two Pipers, a Cherokee 235, which they flew all over the United States, Canada, Alaska and Mexico.  When introduced to the 99's, she immediately joined.  She was first a member of the San Fernando Valley Chapter.  Bonnie embraced the 99's wholeheartedly.  It opened a whole new world of aviation and aviation contacts.

 

In 1975, Bonnie and Milt moved to Lake Tahoe, started a rental car business at the Truckee Tahoe Airport and Bonnie joined the Sacramento Chapter of the 99's.  Bonnie and her youngest daughter, Linda Seymour (who is also a 99) flew the 29th and final Powder Puff Derby July 9-12, 1976 from Sacramento, CA to Wilmington, DE and were noted as one of only a handful of Mother/Daughter flying teams to participate and finish the race.  Bonnie also had close ties to the Reno Chapter and in 1976, she fulfilled a personal goal when she founded the Lake Tahoe Chapter of 99's.  The Lake Tahoe Chapter immediately set goals to further aviation.  They set up an annual fund raiser event and began sponsoring an aviation scholarship in the Lake Tahoe area.  Bonnie was voted Woman Pilot of the Year in 1977, 1978, 1979 and for 1991-1992.

 

Bonnie's interest in the AE Scholarship program led her to become a director on the board of the Amelia Earhart Scholarship Foundation.  At the International level, Bonnie's idea to produce an informational video about the Amelia Earhart Scholarship Program led to the creation of "Soaring to New Heights", which was released in 1992.  Bonnie was the Executive Producer.  Bonnie remains an active and enthusiastic supporter of aviation and is a life member of the 99's.