A member of the last class of WASP, Catherine "Sis" McGrath became interested in flying when her friend Pam Carr's father told her--along with her friend Gayle Snell--about the women's flying program.

The 3 California girls all went to work at the Lockheed Aircraft Company to earn enough money to learn to fly.

She was eventually accepted, and entered training as a member of class 44-W-10. After training, she was stationed for 13 days at Goodfellow Field in San Angelo, Texas as part of the Training Command. Had the WASP not been disbanded, she would have completed instrument instructor training.

However, after deactivation, she moved home to Lake Forest, California and went to work for the War Assets Administraion, selling used instruments and aircraft.

In 1949, Sis married Jim Henze and, as she says, "raised one great husband, three wonderful, productive children, quarter horses, Australia Shepherd dogs, and many other four-footed critters.

After her children were out of the house, she went back to college, majoring in Fine Arts. Her passion became Ceramics and, for many years she worked as a potter.

Jim died in 1995 after a 10-year battle with Alzheimer's. She lived in California, playing tennis, fishing, gardening, and boating.

Catherine died on February 8, 2003, leaving a rich legacy of a full life and quality time spent with her children and grandchildren.

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