Two Women

Last week's obituaries included two women who challenged gender roles of their time. Each was a daredevil who managed to live to old age. Betty Skelton earned the nickname "fastest woman on earth". Faye Blackstone moved at a slower pace but her skill on a horse was beyond questions.

I'm always intrigued by stories like theirs. Each managed to find a unique niche at a time when the only place for a woman was as a housewife and mother. They may not have consciously been out to blaze a trail--each just seemed to be doing what she wanted to do--but their achievements pointed the way for future generations of women.

Godspeed, Betty and Faye.