"Cokie" Greenwood Overstreet Cocanougher, a native of Fayette County, KY, became involved with aviation in a most unusual way. On a Sunday afternoon in September 1938, Greenwood's 20-year-old son, Archie, convinced her to accompany him to a grass-field airport on the outskirts of Lexington, KY. As a divorced single parent with one child, Cokie was a fair but strong-willed individual, and she had been against her son's flying for a long time. He persisted, received her required approval to begin flight school, and obtained his private pilot license. That Sunday, he said to her, "Mother, why don't you take up flying? I believe you'll like it." Cokie was sure her son was more interested in her buying an airplane for him to fly than to see her at the controls. However, she had an idea. As she always had trouble getting the lad to attend Sunday school, she said: "All right, son, I'll do it if you'll go to Sunday school with me next Sunday." She took her first lesson that Sunday afternoon, and her aviation career began.

Since that day in 1938, Cokie accumulated more than 5000 hours of flying time. By 1942, she had obtained commercial pilot and instructor pilot ratings. During WW II, she trained Army and Navy pilots under the War Training Service program, soloing more than 250 students during her war and peacetime instructorship. During that time, Cokie and her students were the subjects of several Fox Movietone movies, which depicted how this mother of a serviceman was doing her part to help win the war.

Cokie was only the second woman (the first was Anne Lindbergh in 1931) permitted to land on an Army airfield when she flew into Brooks Field, Texas, in 1941 to pin wings on her son at his graduation from Army Air Corps Flight School, the first woman to have this honor.

Although Cokie dropped out of high school to marry and start a family, her determination to finish her education never wavered. She attended the University of Kentucky, where in 1947, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce.

In addition to Cokie's contributions to the war effort, she was a leader in aviation and professional organizations, including the Civil Air Patrol and the Aero Club of Louisville. She also served as President of the Credit Manager's Club of Lexington and the Business and Professional Women's Club (BPWC) of Lexington (she served as president of the last two organizations). She toured Europe in 1947 as the BPWC representative and was a delegate at the International Congress, which met in Paris, France, that same year. Her career also included eight years of service as secretary of the UK Athletic Department. Cokie served eight years as chairman of the Kentucky Chapter of the Ninety-Nines, an International Organization of Women Pilots. She flew her Stinson Voyager in five International All-Women Air Races, competing with pilots young enough to be her daughters. She placed fifth in a 1,500-mile race from Montreal to Miami race, despite adverse weather conditions. As one of the few flying grandmothers in the United States, she and 27 other women competed in the 1950 Ninety-Nines Powder Puff and Beaux Derby's 660-mile race from Columbus, Ohio, to Boston. Cokie won the race, only 3 minutes off her estimated flight time and only .7 of a gallon off her estimated fuel consumption. For this accomplishment, she was awarded the "Jane Lausche Air Safety Trophy."

Between 1947-1948, she flew her airplane across Kentucky to perform her duties as the Executive Director of the Associated Women's Department of the Kentucky Farm Bureau. In this capacity, she helped to organize and direct Farm Bureau activities for thousands of Kentucky farm women. In one 10-month period, Cokie traveled 25,000 miles and delivered 64 speeches. During her extensive travels throughout 40 states, she seized the opportunity to distribute air maps and publicity about Kentucky. As a result, she was named an unofficial "goodwill ambassador" for KY.

Though not a politician, Cokie's friends urged her to run for the position of Kentucky Secretary of State because of her outstanding experience in business and government, she campaigned across Kentucky in her Stinson as the Republican candidate for Secretary of State. She used her plane to fly air streamers advertising her campaign and that of her running mates and used an aerial loudspeaker to urge Kentuckians to vote. She lost her first bid for election in November 1951. In December of that year--and less than two years after winning the Powder Puff Derby-- this courageous woman died in front of her own house by slipping on ice and hitting her head on the concrete porch steps.

Although Greenwood Cocanougher's untimely death ended her promising career in aviation and public service, her influence on the world of aviation continued. Her son continued his military career, retiring as an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Command Pilot, who served in both World War II and the Korean War. One grandson is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and Master Aviator who flew two tours in Vietnam. Another grandson has spent the last few years restoring a Stinson Voyager 150, identical to Cokie's airplane, which he still flies on a regular basis. Both are multi-rated commercial pilots. Cokie's oldest granddaughter retired from Eastern Airlines as a flight attendant.