Westy

I know several of you here on Blogger were also active on the now defunct Journal Space, too.  If you were you are most probably familiar with Dorrie Van Cleef, whose pen name was Westy.  News has reached me that she was seriously injured in a small aircraft crash in Germany.  She was airlifted to an area hospital where she underwent surgery.  For reasons unknown she has yet (a week later) to regain consciousness.  Please join me in sending prayers and good thoughts her direction.

Dorrie was an American who as a teenager in California met a young German Luftwaffe  (air force) pilot sent to the US for pilot training.  They moved to Germany where they married and he went on to a career with Lufthansa Airlines and Dorrie raised their family.

They later divorced and Dorrie began her career with the German equivalent of our FAA.  She just retired last year and was enjoying life with a new man-friend.  It was he who was reportedly the pilot of the aircraft that crashed, although Dorrie was herself a licensed pilot.

It was because of our mutual interest in aviation that Dorrie and I became acquainted.  About 5 years ago when she was back here in the US to visit her parents she made it a point to stop here in Dallas and spend a few days with us.  She is a dear friend, and I'm hoping she makes a speedy and complete recovery.

S