Lear, Moya Olsen, 1915-2001
Person
Dates
- Existence: 1915 March 27 - 2001 December 5
Biographical Note
Moya Marie Olsen Lear was a philanthropist, businesswoman, and the wife of aviation pioneer William P. Lear.
Moya Marie Olsen was born on March 27, 1915 in Chicago, Illinois to John Sigvard “Ole” Olsen (1892-1963), a famous vaudevillian, and Lillian Louise (Clem) Olsen (1890-1990). She attended Ohio State University for a single year and then completed Pace Institute in New York for shorthand and typing. In her own words, Olsen worked as a “Girl Friday” (office assistant) for her father on his Broadway show, Hellzapoppin’. It was here, through her father's show, she met Bill Lear.
Moya and Bill's first meeting had been brief; Lear had come backstage at the 46th Street Theater one night, in September 1938, to offer his regards to Olsen for the evening's show and her father introduced the two. Moya wrote, "No angels sang. No bells chimed. No fireworks went off." It was just a quick greeting and they parted. However, on their second meeting on December 24th, 1938 Bill invited Moya out for a drink and their relationship took off.
Olsen married Bill Lear in 1942, becoming his fourth wife. In spite of Bill's infidelities, Moya "loved Bill with an intense, unconditional love" and the couple had four children together (John, Shanda, David, and Tina) in addition to Lear’s children from previous marriages (Mary Louise, Bill, Jr., and Patti). Although Bill gave Moya a place as a board member for his various companies, she remained mostly only tangentially involved in his work during his lifetime, primarily acting as a welcoming, stable, and supportive presence to Lear and his partners, employees, and contacts. Various positions she held included serving on the Board of Directors for Lear Jet Corporation and as Vice-President.
After Lear’s death, she was made Chairman of the Board of LearAvia Corporation, the parent company of Lear Fan, and attempted to take his final project, the Lear Fan, through completion and FAA certification, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
Moya was active in many philanthropic causes, particularly in the Reno, Nevada area where the Lears lived near the end of their lives, including serving on the boards of the Nevada Opera Association, the Nevada Festival Ballet and the Sierra Arts Foundation. She established the Bill and Moya Lear Foundation Scholarship Fund and used her Amelia Earhart Pioneering Achievement Award to fund scholarships for women majoring in aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where she also established the Moya and Bill Lear Endowed Scholarship.
Additional honors include her inductions into the halls of fame of such organizations as the Women in Aviation Pioneers, the United States Achievement Academy, Nevada Business Leaders and the Nevada Women’s Fund and six honorary doctorates: Doctor of Humane Letters from National University, San Diego and University of Nevada, Reno; Doctor of Laws from Northrop University, Los Angeles, Pepperdine University, Los Angeles, and Clemson University, South Carolina; and Doctor of Aviation Management from Embry-Riddle, Daytona Beach. She was also the first winner of the Katherine Wright Memorial Award in 1981.
Moya Olsen Lear died on December 5, 2001 in Nevada.
Sources:
Lear, Moya. An Unforgettable Flight. Reno: Jack Bacon and Company, 1996.
"Memorializing Aviation Pioneer and Philanthropist Moya Lear." Nevada Legislature. March 26, 2003. Accessed November 18, 2020. https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/72nd2003/Journal/Senate/Final/sj052.html.
"Philanthropist widow of Learjet developer dies at 86." Napa Valley Register. December 7, 2001. Accessed November 18, 2020. hhttps://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/obituaries/philanthropist-widow-of-learjet-developer-dies-at-86/article_7ec9325e-a668-51c1-b877-82d1289d7aeb.html.
Rashke, Richard. Stormy Genius: The Life of Aviation's Maverick, Bill Lear. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1985.
Moya Marie Olsen was born on March 27, 1915 in Chicago, Illinois to John Sigvard “Ole” Olsen (1892-1963), a famous vaudevillian, and Lillian Louise (Clem) Olsen (1890-1990). She attended Ohio State University for a single year and then completed Pace Institute in New York for shorthand and typing. In her own words, Olsen worked as a “Girl Friday” (office assistant) for her father on his Broadway show, Hellzapoppin’. It was here, through her father's show, she met Bill Lear.
Moya and Bill's first meeting had been brief; Lear had come backstage at the 46th Street Theater one night, in September 1938, to offer his regards to Olsen for the evening's show and her father introduced the two. Moya wrote, "No angels sang. No bells chimed. No fireworks went off." It was just a quick greeting and they parted. However, on their second meeting on December 24th, 1938 Bill invited Moya out for a drink and their relationship took off.
Olsen married Bill Lear in 1942, becoming his fourth wife. In spite of Bill's infidelities, Moya "loved Bill with an intense, unconditional love" and the couple had four children together (John, Shanda, David, and Tina) in addition to Lear’s children from previous marriages (Mary Louise, Bill, Jr., and Patti). Although Bill gave Moya a place as a board member for his various companies, she remained mostly only tangentially involved in his work during his lifetime, primarily acting as a welcoming, stable, and supportive presence to Lear and his partners, employees, and contacts. Various positions she held included serving on the Board of Directors for Lear Jet Corporation and as Vice-President.
After Lear’s death, she was made Chairman of the Board of LearAvia Corporation, the parent company of Lear Fan, and attempted to take his final project, the Lear Fan, through completion and FAA certification, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
Moya was active in many philanthropic causes, particularly in the Reno, Nevada area where the Lears lived near the end of their lives, including serving on the boards of the Nevada Opera Association, the Nevada Festival Ballet and the Sierra Arts Foundation. She established the Bill and Moya Lear Foundation Scholarship Fund and used her Amelia Earhart Pioneering Achievement Award to fund scholarships for women majoring in aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where she also established the Moya and Bill Lear Endowed Scholarship.
Additional honors include her inductions into the halls of fame of such organizations as the Women in Aviation Pioneers, the United States Achievement Academy, Nevada Business Leaders and the Nevada Women’s Fund and six honorary doctorates: Doctor of Humane Letters from National University, San Diego and University of Nevada, Reno; Doctor of Laws from Northrop University, Los Angeles, Pepperdine University, Los Angeles, and Clemson University, South Carolina; and Doctor of Aviation Management from Embry-Riddle, Daytona Beach. She was also the first winner of the Katherine Wright Memorial Award in 1981.
Moya Olsen Lear died on December 5, 2001 in Nevada.
Sources:
Lear, Moya. An Unforgettable Flight. Reno: Jack Bacon and Company, 1996.
"Memorializing Aviation Pioneer and Philanthropist Moya Lear." Nevada Legislature. March 26, 2003. Accessed November 18, 2020. https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/72nd2003/Journal/Senate/Final/sj052.html.
"Philanthropist widow of Learjet developer dies at 86." Napa Valley Register. December 7, 2001. Accessed November 18, 2020. hhttps://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/obituaries/philanthropist-widow-of-learjet-developer-dies-at-86/article_7ec9325e-a668-51c1-b877-82d1289d7aeb.html.
Rashke, Richard. Stormy Genius: The Life of Aviation's Maverick, Bill Lear. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1985.
Citation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moya_Lear http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no97007600.htmlFound in 8 Collections and/or Records:
Biographical Information Files - L
Sub-Group
Scope and Contents
Individuals whose names begin with L: Lacy, Clay [Pilot, businessman] Folder 1: "An Aviation Romantic," Professional Pilot, April 1985Publicity brochure for Clay Lacy AviationThree decals for ONMI 64 P-51 racer"High-Flying Retirement," Seattle Times, August 13, 1990"Omni/Lacy...Right On!," Air Progress, July 1972Pathfinder...
Bruce Campbell Lear Fan Photographs
Collection — Folder: 1
Identifier: 2019-00-00-98
Contents of the Collection
This small collection consists of 15 color snapshots taken by Bruce Campbell of the Lear Fan at a flight demonstration or show for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) circa early 1980s. The photographs depict Lear Fans N626BL and N327ML on the ground and in the air. Moya Lear is in one photograph; other spectators are unidentified.
Jane Jarvis Lear Fan Collection
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: 2018-10-07
Contents of the Collection
The Jane Jarvis Lear Fan Collection is a very small collection of materials collected by Jane Jarvis, a former Lear aerospace and aviation engineer, during her employment. Materials include a large format technical drawing of Lear Fan 2100 prototype "3", 1981; two (2) marketing documents and (2) brief articles about the Lear Fan 2100, circa 1980-1985; and a 1988 letter from Moya Olsen Lear to "Dave" reminiscing about a past reunion.
William P. and Moya Olsen Lear Papers
Collection
Identifier: 2000-06-20
Abstract
William P. “Bill” Lear was a prolific inventor with dozens of patents for a variety of machines to his name but is most famous for his work in the aviation field. Moya Marie Olsen Lear was a philanthropist, businesswoman, and the wife of aviation pioneer Bill Lear. The collection documents Bill Lear's inventions and career in the fields of radio navigation, aircraft design, the 8-track player, and his efforts at a steam-powered turbine. Materials are predominantly affiliated with Lear’s many...
Series XI. Lear Motors Corp., 1968-1976, 1984-1999, undated
Series
Scope and Contents: Lear Motors Corporation
Series XI: Lear Motors Corporation (LMC) primarily documents the efforts of LMC in the development and production of steam-powered vehicles. Although LMC was incorporated in 1968 and sold in 1976, the bulk of materials fall within 1969-1973. Note that because LMC, Leareno Development, LearAvia, and several smaller companies were all started in 1967-1968 there is some overlap between the series within some sections, such as correspondence. The series is...
Series XIV. Lear Fan Limited, 1942-1947, 1975-1999, undated
Series
Scope and Contents: Lear Fan Limited
Series XIV: Lear Fan Limited (LFL) provides a look into the development, production, flight testing, and quest for FAA certification of the Lear Fan 2100, an innovative all-composite airplane that William P. Lear and his team designed in 1976-1977. The series is arranged into eight subseries: administrative records, correspondence, financial records, legal records, photographs, publicity materials, research materials, and ...
Series XV. Personal, 1910-2002, undated
Series
Scope and Contents: Personal
The Personal series consists of materials related to WPL’s and MOL’s professional lives but which are not directly tied to any of the companies. The series is divided into four subseries: William P. Lear, Moya Olsen Lear, Lear Family, and General. Each of these has been further broken down and are clarified below. Materials are generally, but not always, arranged by date, with undated items at the...
Subseries C. Family, 1938-2001, undated
Sub-Series
Scope and Contents: Personal
The Personal series consists of materials related to WPL’s and MOL’s professional lives but which are not directly tied to any of the companies. The series is divided into four subseries: William P. Lear, Moya Olsen Lear, Lear Family, and General. Each of these has been further broken down and are clarified below. Materials are generally, but not always, arranged by date, with undated items at the...
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