Fen Waters
Fen Waters | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Born | July 21, 1901 | ||
| Nationality | American | ||
| Citizenship | United States of America | ||
| Occupation | Aviation Pioneer | ||
Fenelon “Fen” Ashley Fly Waters was born on July 21, 1901. A second-generation son of Galveston, Fen was the third son of James and Violet Waters of Church Street.
His father, James Stephen Waters, was elected Galveston County treasurer for 16 years after founding American Fire and Marine Insurance Company, also based on the island.
Aviation Pioneer
Galveston's first known pilot, Fen started flying about 1920 at the age of 19. Most of his early flying involved barnstorming around Texas and Louisiana, operating off of East Beach in Galveston, Texas. During an interview in 1980, Fen was quoted saying he had crashed no fewer than 16 times.
In 1926 he received the 75th "letter of authorization" from the CAA which certified him to fly “Anything heavier than air”.
One may visit an installation in tribute to Fen's contributions to Texas aviation at the Lone Star Flight Museum and the Corsicana Field Aviation Heritage Foundation.
Airport Founder
In the early 1920s the present Scholes International Airport at Galveston airport location began to be used for aircraft operations, by Bob Scholes and Fen Waters, among others, who were some of the earliest aircraft operators in Texas (both of whom were flying before the issuance of pilot licenses. Soon after, the City of Galveston ordered them to cease providing rides and aerobatic demonstrations, in their Hisso-Suiza converted, former OX-5 powered Standard for which they were using East Beach as a runway surface. After surveying the island for suitable locations, Fen Waters was offered the use of what is the present airport property, by a friend whose family operated a cattle ranch and watermelon farm.
Aviation Career
In the 1930's he was a lead instructor for "Air Activities of Texas", a WW2 effort to train as many as 8,000 civilian pilots in short order.
After the war, Fen went on to fly at what is now Hobby Airport in Houston (HOU) as a crop duster for Curtiss-Wright. "Air Activities of Texas" went on to become "Trans-Texas Airlines" which became "Texas International Airlines" which eventually purchased Continental Airlines and adopted the "Continental" name. —Now known as United Airlines.
During World War II, Fen served his country as a CPT squadron commander/instructor at Corsicana, Texas.
Family Life
He married Constance Pearl Rea of Wills Point, Texas on May 2, 1932, in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Eventually, they moved back to his home of Galveston where they raised their 3 children, Rae, Patty, and Ashley. Connie worked for many years as a nurse at John Sealy Hospital.
Fen was a member of the Freemasonry.
Later Life
In his later years, Fen was recognized with awards recognizing his contributions to aviation including museum installations in his honor at the Lone Star Flight Museum and Corsicana Field Aviation Heritage Foundation.
Fen and his wife Connie purchased the home at 1509 Sealy from the estate of his mother’s sister, Nellie League. They lived there until his death, June 22, 1992 at the age of 90 after a brief hospitalization in John Sealy Hospital. Fen and Connie are buried in Galveston Memorial Park, Hitchcock, Texas.
He was the oldest living pilot in Texas at the time of his death.
References
- ↑ "Galveston Daily News". Galveston Daily News. 24 June 1992. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
External links
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