Anne Bridge (Bridge) Baddour

Anne Bridge Baddour died peacefully on January 12, 2025. She was a loving and devoted daughter, wife, mother and grandmother.

Anne was born in Oak Park, Michigan on May 22, 1930.  She spent her youth in Oak Park and Latrobe, PA, arriving in Boston at age 20 as a flight attendant for Eastern Airlines. Anne had a lifelong passion for airplanes and aeronautics ever since her first flight with her father at age 8 in a rented Ford trimotor.  From that day on, she knew flying was for her. 

Anne began her career in aviation as an instructor in Aerodynamics at the John R. Powers Aerospace School in Boston; continued as an aviation consultant and corporate pilot; became a manager and pilot for Baltimore Airways; and flew as     the first female Experimental Research Pilot for MIT Lincoln Laboratory Flight Test Facility in Bedford, doing airborne research for the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Anne was a great fan of air races and a contestant in 16, including single-engine Transatlantic flying. She established five national and international world speed records in Class C-1c in a single engine Mooney 252;  one national and one international world speed record in a Class C-1 pressurized Beechcraft Baron 58, and 11 national and international world speed records with another woman pilot in a single-engine Beechcraft Sierra.

In 1988 Anne received the Clifford B. Harmon Trophy, awarded annually to the world’s outstanding aviator, aviatrix and aeronaut. Anne served on the Board of Directors of the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, Friends of the Libraries (Boston University), Daniel Webster College, Aero Club of New England, Viscaya Preservation, and Miami Dade Historical Maritime Museum. She was a committed member of the DAR.

Anne was appointed a MA Aeronautics Commissioner by Governor Edward King and Chairman of the FAA New England Regional Women’s Advisory Committee. She was a strong believer in and supporter of women in aviation, founding and sponsoring scholarships in the Aero Club of New England, Women in Aviation, and Eastern New England Ninety Nines.

In 1954 Anne married her husband of 64 years, now deceased, Raymond Baddour, Sc.D., Lammot du Pont Professor Emeritus, Chemical Engineering Department, MIT.  They had a wonderful life together.

Anne leaves behind her sister, Nancy (Bill) Todd , and was predeceased by her brother Bill (May) Bridge; her three children: Lily Baddour (Chris Ryan) of Harvard, MA, Frederick Baddour (Sophia) of Pinecrest, FL, and Bean Nardi (Ed) of Concord, MA; seven grandchildren, Frederick Baddour (Megan), Miles Ryan (Vanessa), Serena Ryan, Hannah Nardi, and Ned Nardi, Evan Zheng, Nancy Zheng; and two great-grandchildren, Sage Ryan and Enzo Baddour. The family wishes to acknowledge the excellent caregivers at Waterstone Assisted Living in Lexington, Excelled Care of Lexington, and most especially the decades of help and friendship from Maryann Heller.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Women in Aviation, 1864 Dayton Germantown Pike, Unit 4, Germantown, OH 45327 or to St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital, 501 St Jude’s Pl, Memphis, TN 38105.      

A funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, January 18 at 10:30, at Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted, 920 Trapelo Rd., Waltham MA. Immediately following the Mass a Reception will be held at the Belmont Hill Club, 825 Concord Avenue, Belmont MA.

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