Canadian Aviatrix #68 – Muriel Munn (1909-1961)

Muriel Harriet Munn was born on 9 July 1909 to John Herman Munn (laundry owner) and Emma Alvina Piton.

Muriel was involved in lots of sports, including softball and tennis, and was employed by the Department of Fisheries.

By 1934, she was already interested in aviation – helping to drive convalescent soldiers from the hospital to the Rockcliffe air pageant. She joined the Ottawa Flying Club and took her first solo flight after four and a half hours of instruction.

On 24 August 1939, Muriel passed her flying test and received her PPL, making her the 68th female pilot in Canada. She was 30 years old.

Photo: Star Phoenix (September 12, 1939)

During the war, Muriel was one of many women pilots who offered their services to the government as ferry pilots. However, by 1943, she was working in the control tower at No 10 Elementary Flying Training School near Pendleton. It’s unclear what Muriel did after the war, but she had expressed a desire to continue flying.

Muriel died in 1961, aged 52.

Note: Muriel was listed with an asterisk in No Place for a Lady – meaning the author hadn’t been able to find her. I just had her name and the date of her PPL.