Toodie Marshall, born in Los Angeles, CA, flew for the first time at age 2 with her Dad.  He started her flying in her very early teens.  Her Dad was an instructor during the War at Wickenburg, AZ, for the Government glider program for the European Invasion using troop gliders. In 1948, Toodie moved to San Leandro.  Her Dad designed the Hummingbird Motorglider in the early ‘50’s, which was the reason for moving to the Bay Area.  The Hummingbird was the first successful self-launching sailplane in the early ‘50’s.  Toodie was the second woman motorglider pilot in the US, Margaret Downsborough was the first.  Toodie, a teenager at the time, attained her glider rating at age 17.  She achieved her power license in 1971 flying from Livermore Municipal Airport, and went on to become a tow pilot for gliders at Hummingbird Haven.  She attended Chico State, married, divorced, has 2 grown daughters both living in Reno, NV, and, is now married to Bob, also a pilot, who has just completed building a Harmon Rocket.

 

     Her scariest moment was on her first solo cross-country power flight from Livermore to Sacramento, Modesto and back to Livermore.  As she tells it:

“I was turning onto base, descending for landing when I thought I had pulled the carb heat----instead I pulled the mixture!  Cough, Cough, over a residential area -- gave me quite a start.  I realized what I had done, corrected the problem and the faithful Cessna 150 zoomed to life and onto the runway.  Thank goodness!!  I was so scared that I forgot to tell the tower I was making a touch and go.  They asked what my intentions were ---- (I felt like saying I was going home to Mother!)  My Dad was right—he said I should sit in the 150 and close my eyes, put my hand on the mixture, and carb heat controls, remember what they feel like.  Dad was usually right!  I never did that again!  Most fun has been soaring all these years; it has been the most exhilarating experience of my life.  I also raced Porsche’s in several ‘Historic Cars Race’, but that’s another story!”

    

     Toodie has twice been President of the Northern California Soaring Assn., located at Hummingbird Haven, Livermore, CA.  Past 4-H Community Leader,  with an   Aviation Project for the Tassajara Valley 4-H Club.  In 1992 she moved from Pleasanton, CA to Truckee. 

 

     Toodie is currently our President/Founder of the Truckee Tahoe Airmen’s Assoc.  Also a past Chapter Chairman, of the Lake Tahoe Ninety-Nines.  She is currently a Realtor with Tahoe Resort Properties.