Miami Chapter Gallery

A fun filled installation of officers toke place at our ‘Spring Luncheon’ on Wednesday May 18th at the popular ‘Pampered Chef’ restaurant in Miami Lakes. 12 members and one guest (Gunilla’s grandson) attended.

Yvonne Marlett- Garcia, our ‘Sunshine Chair,’ served as mistress of ceremonies and presented each officer with a gift of appreciation for their time and dedication to lead our chapter into the future. As you can tell by the photos, she had us all in stiches with her great sense of humor. All present officers volunteered to serve another 3 years and Renate Van Kempema is joining us as Recording Secretary. We are committed to keep the Miami Chapter vibrant into the future and honor our Pan Am legacy.

Thank you to all members who contributed some very nice prizes for our charity drawing to support the JJCCF- Jessica June Children’s Cancer Foundation and Mercy Mobile Clinic!

Since we were a small group, everyone won prizes and went home smiling! All of us were happy to be together again in person and celebrated the occasion with a champagne toast!

On Saturday, April 9th, to honor the 95th anniversary of the founding of Pan American World Airways, Orchestra Miami presented “Airborne: Discover Miami Through Music.“ The concert offered two rarely performed, important compositions about flight- Kurt Weill’s Der Lindberghflug (Lindbergh’s Flight) and Marc Blitzstein’s Airborne Symphony, at the only remaining original Coast Guard airplane hangar in Coconut Grove, built in 1932- now home to Shake-A-Leg Miami.

Seven uniformed members of the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale chapters were present to support the event. Thank you to our volunteers: Renate Van Kempema, Harry Frahm, Diana Wiggins, Soraya Moghany, Melanie Camp and Gail Jennings. The vintage Pan Am uniforms have not lost their luster and were very popular with all the patrons attending the concert.

On February 22, 2020 Renate Van Kempema hosted the Pan Am First Class Dinner at her home!

Senior purser and Miami Chapter VP Harry Frahm served 6 passengers on this special flight into the past with all the trimmings. Alina Lopez placed the winning bid of $1000 for this Pan Am Dinner, which Renate has offered for several years now, at our annual Holiday Party! Everyone had a good flight with great service by an experienced crew!

Thank you all again for your generous contribution to our World Wings International Miami chapter charities.

On December 6. we celebrated the start of the Holiday Season with our Luncheon at the 94th Aero Squadron restaurant beside the runway at Miami International Airport. Sixty guests attended the festive event and Dezhon Fields (a Sammy Davis Impersonator) entertained us with some classic tunes.

The room was decorated in Pan Am blue and white colors. Special thanks to June and Stu Archer for the beautiful Orchid centerpieces with lights and silver bells. Many participated in our charity drawing and won great prizes. Renate Van Kempema offered to cook the Pan Am First Class dinner for six lucky passengers again at her home, with senior purser Harry Frahm serving a mock Miami – London Flight. Alina Monnar- Startari and her friends bid $1000 for the special Pan Am experience and won. Thank you to all the members and friends who donated prizes, Pan Am Brands for the beautiful retro bags, and the AWARE Store.

All of Santa’s Miami elves worked together to make it a memorable occasion for all! A special thank you to Sybille Holder (our dedicated Treasurer), VP Harry Frahm (in charge of visual entertainment) and Heike Greenwood (for selling all those drawing tickets). Proceeds to benefit our charities came to over $2500.

Wishing everyone a peaceful holiday, good health, and happiness in the New Year!

On August 21, 2019 your Miami Chapter Board held another planning and brainstorming meeting.
We would all like to thank Ann Thayer for hosting the meeting at her house in Miami Lakes.

L to R standing: Harry, Irene, Renate, Joan Nell, Betsy, Ann with “Lula” and Sonnie.
Seated Gunilla, Lilian, Yvonne and Sybille.

On April 15th, the Miami chapter gathered for the spring luncheon at the Aero Squadron Restaurant to celebrate camaraderie, friendship and memories of Pan Am. A fun drawing was held to benefit the Miami chapter charities, with Pan Am Brands providing beautiful travel bags and members contributing wonderful prizes.

The Nominating Committee of the Miami Chapter, Berit Fournier, Yvonne Garcia and Lilian Walby presented the following slate of Officers for the Miami Chapter 2019 – 2022:
President: Irene Schwarz
Vice President: Harry Frahm
Recording Secretary: Gunilla Crawford
Corresponding Secretary: Daniela Perez-Venero
Treasurer: Sybille Holder

Members present voted and approved the new slate of officers. Yvonne Garcia and Heike Greenwood installed the officers in a humorous way with undertones to their European background. Irene, Harry & Sybille from Germany, Daniele from France, and Gunilla from Sweden. Each brave soul was given a small token of appreciation for promising to keep the Miami chapter vibrant into the future.

Click the picture to view the video.

Irene Schwarz acted was a guest speaker for the ‘ZONTA Club of Miami Lakes’ at their Amelia Earhart meeting. The event took place at Curtiss Mansion, home of famous aviator and inventor Glenn Curtiss. Amelia Earhart is the ZONTA Ladies’ patron saint and they awarded a scholarship to an FIU Mechanical Engineering Student.

Gunilla Crawford wrote a role play interaction for women in aviation from different parts of the world. ZONTA President Maria Crowley played Amelia Earhart with stories of her aviation career. Gunilla talked about her childhood in Sweden and her experience working for several airlines, including Pan Am. I shared the story of my youth in Germany and what let up to my becoming a Pan Am Stewardess in 1973. There were questions and answers from the group and everyone enjoyed a nice picnic lunch.

Click the picture to view the video.

On September 16, 2018, the Miami chapter celebrated its 50th year as a chapter in World Wings International!

The MIA Chapter board met on July 25, 2018.

34 Miami Chapter members and friends (including Stu and June Archer of Pan Am Clipper Pioneers and World Wings International) celebrated Oktoberfest on Saturday, September 30th, at the German-American Society of Hollywood, Florida. Everyone enjoyed a good old Bavarian time! Thank you to Harry for getting the group together, and the beer! Prost!

Our Miami Chapter crew of 10 in their vintage uniforms was welcomed by the Florida Aviation Council Congress on July 24th at the Lowes Hotel in Miami Beach and in the evening at the Port of Miami. Miami airport director Emilio Gonzales invited us to greet the 800+ guests as they arrived for their meeting at the hotel, and the party continued into the evening. A heartfelt thank you to the FACC for their donation to our charities.

For the fourth year in a row, at the WWI-Miami Christmas Silent Auction, Renate Van Kempema donated a Pan Am “President’s Special” dinner–raising $800. The event took place on June 21, 2017 and was authentically presented, from caviar to black forest cake, on Pan Am china by uniformed crew.

On June 16th, 2017 our International President Julie Watson and Miami Chapter President Irene Schwarz presented the WWI Grant check to Dr. Adelina Oana Stefan at the University of Miami – Otto Richter Library. We enjoyed her presentation about her ongoing research of the Pan Am and World Wings archives.

The Miami Chapter held its annual spring luncheon on March 18, 2017, at the 94th Aero Squadron. The restaurant overlooks Runway 9 at Miami International Airport.

The Miami Chapter joined the Coco Plum Women’s Club on August 12, 2015 for their annual English Tea Fundraiser to benefit Canine Companions for Veterans.

August 19, 2015

Miami’s Community Newspapers shine a spotlight on Harry Frahm Harry Frahm

The Miami Chapter welcomed the WWII Veterans returning to MIA. The Veterans were honored for their service and visited war memorials in Washington, D.C.

On July 11th, the Miami Chapter honored Mary Goshgarian’s efforts managing the AWARE store that sells Pan Am memorabilia.

The Miami Chapter supported the 2014 Fundraiser Tea at the Coco Plum on August 20.

On July 27th, the Miami Chapter welcomed Amelia Rose Earhart during a stopover on her around-the-world flight … piloting a single-engine aircraft.

2013 Jr. Orange Bowl Parade – Pan Am Float December 1, 2013.

Miami Chapter Members at University of Miami by Irene Schwartz
Pan Am Collections at Richter Library 2013

Miami Chapter visit to the MIA Control Tower and the Opa-Locka airport 2013

Miami Chapter Members on the winning float at the Junior Orange Bowl Parade

The Miami Chapter held a viewing party for the premier of the Pan Am TV series on 9/25/11.