Age: 58 Hometown: East Windsor, New Jersey Occupation: Flight Attendant, United Airlines
Philadelphia native Lorraine G. Bay loved her job as a United Airlines flight attendant. For 37 years, Bay’s sparkling smile and caring ways put passengers at ease. Although she was one of United’s most senior flight attendants, Bay preferred to work in the coach section. She mentored younger flight attendants and never failed to remember her co-workers and family with special cards and unique gifts. Two of Bay’s colleagues received cards postmarked September 11, 2001. Bay and her husband of 22 years made their home in East Windsor, New Jersey.
Erich Bay
Erich Bay, husband of Flight Attendant Lorraine G. Bay, shares moments of their 22 years together.
This is a brief audio segment from an oral history.
Credit / Author:
Oral History 15, Bay. 8-5-05. Collection of Flight 93 National Memorial, National Park Service.
Erich Bay interviewed by Barbara Black.
BB: But she loved people?
EB: Oh, yes. Always did. Had, had a lot of friends. It was so bad that she had to pay the phone bill [laughs]. She’d be on the phone for sixty minutes, ninety minutes, staying in touch with friends. And she did this continuously. Also, she, she forever wrote cards to friends. Always ready to give advice. And, what else shall I tell about that, that gorgeous woman?
She was a very, very proud American. Was very proud of her airline, of her uniform, or her Chevys, until I changed her into different cars. But, she was a typical, hot dog-Chevy-American woman, never really changed that. As a matter of fact, she was so proud of her automobiles, we, we always set together for debriefings on Friday night. Friday nights at the same, I called it a diner, she called it a restaurant, but it’s big. It’s a landmark in Bordentown, New Jersey. It’s called “Mastoris.” And we, every Friday night we’d go there and sit there for about three hours, eat and then have a drink. And then, debrief each other - her flights, her experience on the flights and myself at work. I,
I worked pretty long hours and that was, that was actually my, my real relaxation to, to talk to her about the week, and then her week. And that we did until, until the end.
