Achsa Barnwell Peacock Holfelder Donnels
May 23, 1904 - August 12, 2003

Achsa Barnwell was born in Fresno, California to Robert William and Arah Holcomb Barnwell and grew up on the family's rural San Joaquin Valley 40-acre ranch.
An only child, she was taught to believe she could accomplish anything she set out to do and proved it many times throughout her ninety-nine years.

An accomplished musician, who trained from age 4 in piano, she had hoped to be an organist in silent movie theaters, but talkies came out before she could accomplish that goal. Instead, she turned her eyes to the sky. She began taking flying lessons in 1923, when she was 19 and a student at Fresno State, in an open-cockpit "Jenny" (JN4-D) biplane. Licensing requirements in those days were optional and she had been flying for five years before she received her pilot's license on March 16, 1928. She bought her first airplane that same week.

In March of 1929, Achsa married Ross Peacock and moved to Bakersfield, California. They owned and operated an airline based at Kern County Airport (now Bakersfield's Meadows Field), and several flight schools, and Achsa was one of the instructors. That same year, as one of only 117 licensed women pilots in the U.S. she joined in the formation of a new aviation organization. Ninety-nine women responded, forming what has now become The Ninety-Nines. Achsa remained active in the organization, becoming a familiar and beloved figure at Section and International meetings and at the time of her death was one of only a few remaining charter members.

Achsa lived most of her life in Bakersfield, though she and Ross lived for a time aboard their boat, "The Four Winds," and in Mexico, Canada, San Diego, San Gabriel, and Hemet, California. Ross, who was working as a test pilot in 1956 died in an accident while flying to Switzerland. Achsa then married long-time family friend Joe Holfelder, in La Jolla, California in 1959. Joe passed away in 1967. Achsa married Al Donnels in 1975. Al passed away in 1984. Ross Peacock and Al Donnels were on the crew team together at U.C. Davis.

Achsa received a number of aviation awards and honors over her lifetime, the most recent in May of 2003, when an aviation scholarship in her name was established by The Ninety-Nines in celebration of her ninety-ninth birthday. She had the first Transport Pilot's license held by a woman in California and received the third Catherine B. Wright Memorial Award for her efforts in the advancement of aviation, joining pioneers Catherine Wright and Mrs. Leer. She was friends with a number of other aviation pioneers, including such notables as Jimmy Doolittle and Pancho Barnes.

In 1998, her autobiography, Achsa, was published. It is the story of an amazing woman whose life exemplifies the daring and sense of adventure to carry out her dreams and the ability to triumph over tragedy with courage and grace. Her grandson, Joseph Peacock Hill, said "Grandmother was the person I compared everyone to in terms of ability."

Achsa's son, Harrison Peacock, preceded her in death in December, 1964 and her daughter, Susan Peacock Hill, in June, 1990. She is survived by her six grandchildren, Joseph Peacock Hill, Cameron Hill, Ross Peacock, Ronald Peacock, Robert Peacock, and Cheryl Peacock Cates, 13 great grandchildren, and three great, great grandchildren.

The family requests that those wishing to remember Achsa may make donations to the Achsa Donnels Perpetual Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Lois Erickson, 3577 Bridger Drive, Redding, California 96002. Net proceeds from the sale of her book, Achsa, will also be donated to the fund.