Flying through her latter days

Everybody who knows Beverly Boling just calls her “Bev.” And Bev

Boling knows a lot of people.

The 78-year-old, longtime Costa Mesa resident, spends her

retirement years greeting guests at the Costa Mesa Senior Center.

After leaving her hometown of Indianapolis in 1946, Boling moved

to California with her family. With the exception of a short stint in

Alaska, Boling has been a California girl ever since.

Since her retirement four years ago from a 56-year career in

aerospace, the mother of five has used her free time to give back to

the community. A volunteer at the center, Boling also donates her

time at Hoag Memorial Hospital and St. Mark Presbyterian Church.

She recently sat down with the Daily Pilot’s Leslie Bruce to talk

about life as a retiree and an employee of Howard Hughes.

What did having a career mean to you?

Well, I retired four years ago. I enjoyed working, but it was part

necessity. Having five children is difficult. I was a pioneer in my

family. My mother or grandmother never worked.

What career did you pursue?

I was in aerospace for about 60 years. I was with Hughes

[Aircraft] Corp., Learjet Inc. and Collins [Radio] Co., each for

about five years. I was also an administrative assistant at St. Mark

Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach for 25 years.

Did you ever get to meet Howard Hughes?

I worked with Howard Hughes; I met Howard Hughes many times. He

was very casual, white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He never

wore a tie. Actually, I went in the mock-up of the cockpit of the

Spruce Goose. When I saw it in [“The Aviator,”] I could remember

walking in there.

You once considered a career in journalism?

Yes, when I was younger. Actually, I was a reporter for my high

school paper, The Arsenal Technical in Indiana.

Since moving here as a teenager, have you ever lived anywhere

else?

I lived in Anchorage, Alaska, for two years. We moved there in

1966 for my husband’s work. It was a year after they had a real big

earthquake there, and when we got there, the company put us up at a

hotel that overlooked Earthquake Park while we looked for a home.

What’s Earthquake Park?

It was an old landfill there that was not properly filled in

before homes were built on top of it. So, during the earthquake,

three blocks of homes fell in.

So how have you been filling your time post-retirement?

I’ve been busy all my life, so when I retired, I was bored. I

started doing Meals on Wheels with Hoag Hospital, and I work the

front desk here. I also still keep records at the church. Also, one

of my fortes is letter writing. Two years ago, I started compiling

all my personal letters. I have 25 volumes of personal letters in

three-ring binders, all the way back to 1956. It chronicles my

children’s lives. It will really be a treasure to them when I’m gone.

What has been your most memorable memory?

The day that Kennedy was shot. I grieved over that death more than

any death in my family. It has always been a day filled with mixed

emotions for me, because two years later on Nov. 22, my daughter was

born. That was the most memorable day of my 78 years.

What things do you still want to see or do in life?

You know, I’m really pretty satisfied with my life.