Thanks to Betty

Mary Ellen Sutherland · March 14, 2013, 01:11:27 PM

Dear Betty -

Thank you for your considerable contribution to TIGHAR's efforts to determine the fate of Amelia and Fred. You were an extremely resourceful teenager to not only understand the importance of what you heard that day so long ago, but also to document it and keep the notebook on hand until one day it would go to an organization that would acknowledge it as another clue to help solve the mystery. I have heard your interview on public radio and was moved by your determination to become a pilot yourself to honor Amelia's legacy. God bless and good health and thank you again.

Mary Ellen Sutherland

Dave Potratz · March 15, 2013, 08:15:22 AM

Dear Betty,

Though we've never met, I feel that we've been introduced by the same woman: Amelia. The difference, of course being that I've followed with deepest interest for only a short time that which you have known so very well for so very long.

Steadfastly preserving your testimony for so many years, you now know that the record of your diligent and copius observations back then . . . have now become nothing less than a cornerstone in the pursuit of the solution to the enduring mystery of the epic tragedy you witnessed. Can the truth help put two deserving spirits to rest? And quench our own thirst to understand?

Betty, what IS known is that Your spirit is most honorable and honored.

Yours is an unquenchable conviction that guides us in our pursuit of nothing less than the evidence of our own cultural history.

Your personal diligence in The Past . . . and in The Present . . . is a Beacon that will cast a knowing light on The Future.

For that we celebrate you this day with appreciation and gratitude.

With warm regards,

David Potratz
humble TIGHAR member

Ted G Campbell · March 15, 2013, 09:47:54 PM

March 15, 2013

Dear Betty,

I am only a guy who grew up in the '40s and '50s but I think I can relate to your situation in the late '30s regarding Amelia Earhart.

Like they said in my time you were too old to be Brownie and too young to be a Bunny (Playboy type).

You sat at home listening to the radio for your favorite music only to dream of the day your first date would ask you out for a dance. However, it didn't happen in that period of July 1937. Instead you listened and recorded in your notebook a dialog with a truly heroic woman Amelia Earhart.

Her words-according to your transcript- were very much the same as a very lonely and frustrated human being knowing that if help didn't come soon things would come to an end in a very unpleasant matter. Detailed descriptions of circumstances lead into pleas of understanding and remorsefulness.

Betty, your recording of the last words that Amelia uttered is laced with compassion, understanding, curiosity and lastly a sense of hopefulness that can not be disputed if one was not there with you on that day in July, 1937.

The fact that you held onto your note book (far into your later years) tells us all that you believed and treasured your time as a young teen. There was no apprehension in what you recorded or what future generations may value your work.

Betty, I personally believe that when TIGHAR finally gets all the puzzle pieces together your recorded Amelia narrative will fill in the many, many gaps of what happened on that faithful day in July 1937.

Thank You Honey,

Ted Campbell

Randy Conrad · March 16, 2013, 10:11:29 AM

Dear Betty....Greetings from Western Kansas!!!! I just wanted to stop and say thank you for this outstanding contribution to TIGHAR and what it means to a lost page in history! The notebook you gave Ric will someday (if not already) be a significant piece of history that only you could have told. As I think about my recent visit to the Smithsonian Institution, I'm reminded about all those little gals who gathered around her exhibit to learn more about her. It tells me that even today, her legacy still exists, and its totally incredible. We may never know exactly what happened to the Electra...but we have a major piece of evidence that we can preserve for furture generations to come. Thank you for taking the initiative to write down something on paper that will definately be an impact in this expedition! Thanks a Amelia....nnn and God Bless!!!

Chuck Lynch · March 17, 2013, 10:28:16 AM

From what all I have read, I think Betty's contribution to the project is the most significant find of them all. The term "New York City" similar to "Norwich City" is probably the key to finding Miss Earhart.

Thank you, Betty!

John Balderston · March 18, 2013, 12:15:57 PM

Dear Betty,

Thank you for writing down what you heard that day in 1937, for keeping your notebook over the days, weeks, months and years, and for having the courage to reach out Ric at TIGHAR. It is easy to see your pages as a centerpiece of the "Finding Amelia" exhibit we are bound to see soon!

And on a different note (please excuse pun), I LOVE your taste in music. I'm listening to Billie Holiday's "Carelessly" as I write this note. It doesn't get better than this!

Sincerely, John

Ric Gillespie · March 19, 2013, 08:44:33 PM

A short video of our visit with Betty last Friday is now up on the YouTube TIGHAR channel.

Dan Swift · March 20, 2013, 08:44:27 AM

That is awesome Ric. Thanks for posting this.

Lauren Palmer · March 20, 2013, 09:34:35 AM

Awesome!
Betty, you are such a wonderful person to have done all you did - you couldn't have done any more. We all are very grateful.
--Lauren

Ric Gillespie · March 21, 2013, 11:04:10 AM

Nice article about our visit in the local paper.

Jeffrey Pearce · March 21, 2013, 05:46:16 PM

Thanks very much, Ric, for letting all of us see your visit with Betty. I think a very well done chat with her. How I and I know alot of others would like to listen to her talk.

Jeffrey Pearce · July 05, 2013, 08:54:59 AM

We have all heard the expresssion "there is a time for everything". Well, I believe the time is now for this. Concerning the challenges TIGHAR is now dealing with, I believe it is NOW time for TIGHAR and all of us to hear from the lady herself-Betty. I know this will probably be met with explanations about why this cannot be possible. Well, I say that this is really just a roadblock in our way. It is NOW time to hear from Mrs Klenck! TIGHAR needs this and we all need this. TIGHAR is in need of help. Listening to Betty is possibly one of the best avenues to assist TIGHAR. I, myself, would be willing to go anywhere in the country to sit and listen to what she has to say. I think there are many others that would like to do the same. I don't believe it is necessary for me to suggest in what ways our hearing from Betty, possibly accompanied by her daughter, could be extremely beneficial to TIGHAR.

Ric Gillespie · July 05, 2013, 09:14:17 AM

Quote from: Jeffrey Pearce on July 05, 2013, 08:54:59 AM
Concerning the challenges TIGHAR is now dealing with, I believe it is NOW time for TIGHAR and all of us to hear from the lady herself-Betty.

You can sit and listen to Betty to your heart's content by availing yourself of the DVD of our extensive and detailed interview with Betty in November 2000. She was 78 years old at that time and much stronger than she is now at 91. Also, in 2000 she was not steeped in TIGHAR's research as she is now and her recollections much less likely to be influenced by our work. She has told us what she remembers and she has given us her notebook.
Betty's health is now fragile but she is content. She wants to live out her days in peace and has no desire to be badgered with more questions. Betty is a dear friend and I will respect her wishes.

Martin X. Moleski, SJ · July 05, 2013, 09:17:41 AM

Quote from: Jeffrey Pearce on July 05, 2013, 08:54:59 AM
We have all heard the expresssion "there is a time for everything". Well, I believe the time is now for this. Concerning the challenges TIGHAR is now dealing with, I believe it is NOW time for TIGHAR and all of us to hear from the lady herself-Betty. I know this will probably be met with explanations about why this cannot be possible. Well, I say that this is really just a roadblock in our way. It is NOW time to hear from Mrs Klenck! TIGHAR needs this and we all need this. TIGHAR is in need of help. Listening to Betty is possibly one of the best avenues to assist TIGHAR. I, myself, would be willing to go anywhere in the country to sit and listen to what she has to say. I think there are many others that would like to do the same. I don't believe it is necessary for me to suggest in what ways our hearing from Betty, possibly accompanied by her daughter, could be extremely beneficial to TIGHAR.

There was a story on American Public Media in 2007, but the podcast seems to be unavailable nowadays. The blurb reads, "On the day the movie Amelia opens in theaters, Dick Gordon has the real-life story of a woman who believes she heard Amelia Earhart's last words. An historic airplane recovery group believes she might be right." I don't know whether Betty was interviewed then or not.

Ric Gillespie · July 05, 2013, 09:53:50 AM

Quote from: Martin X. Moleski, SJ on July 05, 2013, 09:17:41 AM
There was a story on American Public Media in 2007, but the podcast seems to be unavailable nowadays. The blurb reads, "On the day the movie Amelia opens in theaters, Dick Gordon has the real-life story of a woman who believes she heard Amelia Earhart's last words. An historic airplane recovery group believes she might be right." I don't know whether Betty was interviewed then or not.

The piece aired on August 31, 2007 and was called Listening for Amelia. It ran for about 51 minutes and included interviews with Betty and with me. I have it as an mp3 file but it's too big (24 MB) to put here as an attachment or to email.