Mary Aikins
March 16, 1926 ~ March 16, 2025
Mary Aikins, of Wichita KS, passed away March 16, 2025, on her 99th birthday. She was born March 16, 1926, in Wichita to Mary Govier Ainsworth and William Louis Ainsworth.
She attended Wichita schools and three years at Kansas University. Mary graduated from University of Missouri at Kansas City after her marriage to Charles "Todd" W. Aikins, Jr. After living in Independence, Missouri for one year, she and Todd moved to Wichita where they raised three children.
Mary was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority at KU and remained close to her Kappa sisters throughout her life. Mary was very active in aviation, having earned an Airline Transport Pilot license, flight instructor certificate, and was a designated FAA Pilot Examiner. She and her cousin Mary Ann Hamilton won the Powder Puff Derby (All Women's Transcontinental Air Race) twice and was also an aerobatic pilot winning many awards in aerobatic competitions. She was inducted into the Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame in 1988 and received the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award in 2023.
Mary was active in Junior League, Garden Club, Thursday Afternoon Cooking Club, Kansas Academy of Oil Painters, Midwest Artists, PEO, and DAR. She was a member of Eastminster Presbyterian Church for many years. She moved to Larksfield Place in 2009 and lived in independent living until late 2024 when she moved to long term care.
She is predeceased by her parents, brother, William L. Ainsworth, Jr., daughter Mary Ann Knollenberg (Dale) and ex-husband C.W. "Todd" Aikins, Jr. She is survived by her children; Nancy Carol Frierson (Jim), Ave Maria FL, and Charles Wesley "Todd" Aikins, III (Marlo), of Wichita, grandsons; Dustin Kyle Johnson and Patrick Woodie Johnson and three great-grandsons.
Services will be held later this spring. In lieu of flowers, friends and family are invited to make a donation in her name to the Kansas Aviation Museum, 3350 S George Washington BIvd., Wichita, KS 67210, or Mark Arts, 1307 N. Rock Rd, Wichita, KS 67206. Services in care of Downing & Lahey Mortuary - East Chapel.
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
Mary was a great mentor to everyone that she came in contact with during her life here on earth. She was a close friend of my mother (Marilyn) where they shared a love of flying. They flew many competitive air races across the country and enjoyed making a difference within the Ninety Nines as prominent women aviators representing the best of what Amelia Earhart also represented as the 1st President of that organization. Mary also was my FAA Flight Examiner that I flew with to earn my Private Pilots License. Wichita and many people that she made contact with are better because of her kind, classy and generous life. Mary, thank you!
A great friend of Marguerite Lawrence (Deceased) She influenced so many life’s in many ways.