1947 – 1969

1947 – 1950 Some former Braniff hostesses organized a club for the purpose of seeing old friends and discussing past carefree days on the airline. The charter members of this group were Audreen Southwell Cox, Jean Fraser-Mergendoller Foree, Kitty Burge Wilson and June Dismukes Termin.

1950 Twenty-seven members met for lunch at the Melrose. Eve Henger was elected president. Eve’s suggestion of “The Clipped Bs” was voted upon and became the official club name. Dues were five cents per member!

1951 It was decided the Clipped Bs should have a charity project and Hope Cottage became the first recipient.

1952 Monthly meetings were held and designated to be the first Wednesday of each month.

1953 Braniff hosted the June meeting with a luncheon and a Convair flight to Fort Worth.

1954 A donation was made to the Tom Braniff Memorial Fund. A Convair 340 took the members to the new Fort Worth Airport (Amon Carter Field) for lunch.

1955 The first bank account was established for the club and debts were paid from this account, rather than in cash. One meeting previewed the new DC-7C soon to be in operation. Our constitution and by-laws were written.

1956 Monthly programs were initiated. The County Juvenile Home was chosen as a project, and rummage sales raised money for that purpose.

1957 Social meetings were held throughout the year and a thrift sale raised project money.

1958 A donation was made in memory of hostess Dorothy Rickenshrud to the Cancer Society. The handicraft course at West Dallas Social Center benefited from a successful rummage sale.

1959 In April the club was treated to a luncheon in the new Braniff hangar and each of the 71 Bs received a BNF lighter and silver souvenir from LIM. A retirement luncheon was held honoring Dorothy Brindley Richards who retired as Chief Hostess after 19 years with Braniff. A scenic flight on an Electra was the highlight of the luncheon.

1960 The club sponsored a thrift sale at the George Loving Center and proceeds went to provide a milk fund for the children’s nursery at the Community Center.

1960 – 1961 The majority of the meetings were held in the Braniff Tower with approximately six members.

1961 – 1962 A membership drive was undertaken and the fall luncheon was held in the home of Peggy Stinnett. Our dues went up to $5.00.

1962 – 1963 Membership increased to thirty and dues were $5.00. A yearbook was printed by Braniff and a champagne luncheon was hosted by Braniff in May.

1963 – 1964 Membership increased to 57. Proceeds of a book review were given to The Juvenile Home for Girls along with needed items. The Christmas party was held at the Statler Hilton.

1964 – 1965 A membership drive was kicked off with a champagne luncheon at the home of B.J. Fain. The proceeds of a book review were given to the Juvenile Home for Girls.

1965 – 1966 Membership has now climbed to 79. In September a poolside champagne luau was held at the home of Beverly Halt. Braniff delighted us with a trip on the new BAC-111. A combined meeting with the AA Kiwis was held and proceeds from a book review were donated to the Juvenile Home for Girls. In May, Braniff once again hosted our champagne luncheon.

1966 – MSP The MSP Clipped B Chapter was officially organized in 1966. During the years Braniff was a viable airline the MSP Bs were called upon to perform many functions to promote Braniff in the local market. Such functions included counting passengers who boarded our competitors’ planes going to BI’s destinations; we served coffee to BI passengers in boarding areas; assisted in travel shows; assisted in observing customer service skills of flight attendants while check riding. We participated, and often hosted the MSP annual All Airline Luncheon which was comprised of ex-flight attendants of all airline carriers.

Our emphasis now is primarily maintaining the wonderful friendships made over the last thirty years. We continue to meet three times a year as a group, continue to support our designated charities, and strive to keep the spirit of Braniff alive.

Our numerous charities over the years have included: Our Lady of Good Counsel Home, a hospice for terminally ill patients; Sister Perone Marie, who provided layettes for newborn babies of poor families; local Crisis Center; Make a Wish Foundation; Grace House, a hospice for Aids patients; and St. Joseph Children’s “Home, Animal Arc”. These are but a few of the charities we’ve supported. Our means for fund raising contributions varied from sponsoring a theater night to bake sales, craft sales and auctions, and everything in between. (Nancy Wegland, President, 1996 – 1997).

1966 – 1967 Braniff feted the Clipped Bs with a champagne luncheon at BrookHollow Golf Club. Braniff hostesses modeled the new Emilio Pucci flight uniforms. The new Clipped B emblem was introduced on the luncheon invitation. The club held a bargain and bake sale to benefit The Special Care School for Handicapped Children. Our membership has now climbed to 112.

1967 – MKC (Contributed by Mary Lou Immenschuh) The first chapter of our group (MKC Bs) was called The Clipped Wings (not associated with TWA) which Beth Ingram and Jacquie Coen organized in 1959. The first President was Marie Pittman. We met once a month and this Chapter was made up of former Mid-Continent Airlines flight attendants.

This group evolved into our first chapter of Clipped Bs in 1967 with Helena Houston as President.

The newly organized club immediately became involved in helping Braniff in exchange for hours toward earning passes. We did some of the darndest things! Some of us vacuumed the jetways at the airport, made and served coffee to enplaning passengers and signed them up for frequent flyer programs. We also solicited business sales door to door, called delinquent accounts, and assisted at travel shows. Not to be forgotten were the check flying and style shows wearing the Braniff uniforms over the years.

We also did a lot of fund raising to support our various philanthropies. We sold a book called “The Best of Helpful Hints”; made and sold Braniff aprons; held raffles; garage sales; collected Campbell soup labels; sponsored a night at a dinner theatre and designed and made a beautiful quilt that was raffled off and won by our own Beth Ingram. We even served as hostesses on a chartered bus taking business people to a convention at Tan-Tar-A at Lake of the Ozarks, and if you think serving meals on a rough flight was tough, try it on a bus sometime!

Some of the philanthropies we supported were: The Spofford Home, Rosebrook Center, Crittendon Home, The Salvation Army, The Children’s Place, De Lasalle, one of Braniff’s flight attendants who was battling cancer, The MS Society, Human Growth, The Epileptic Foundation, and Sunshine Schools.

But the main thing we did was to continue our friendships and have fun. Our Christmas parties and summer pool parties when we invite spouses and friends are always anticipated and well attended. We are all proud to be part of a very special group of women.

1967 – 1968 Members received gold “BEE” pins, compliments of Braniff. A record 135 members raised $700 for the Special Care School with a fashion show at SMU. New Clipped B chapters of MCI and MSP were launched at the Braniff-sponsored champagne luncheon at BrookHollow Golf Club. We participated in the dedication of the new Hostess College with our gift of sculpture, “The Tree of Life”, from Mexico. Our increased growth called for a new Constitution and Bylaws.

1968 – 1969 BI was host to the Dallas Clipped Bs and sister chapter officers at a champagne luncheon at BrookHollow Golf Club. Several of the meetings were held in the new Hostess College. A fashion show at Prestonwood Country Club, with members modeling, and a sale of boutique items which members created, generously benefited The Special Care School.

1969 – 1970 BI hosted a Hawaiian luau for Dallas Clipped Bs and other chapter officers at BrookHollow Golf Club. Meetings were held at the College and in member’s homes, with members bringing homemade cookies for Love Field USO and items for the Indian Mission. Liz Wahlquist and Jean Maynard hosted a benefit premiere of “Goodbye Mr. Chips” in March with proceeds going to Granville C. Morton Cancer and Research Center.