Finding Her Soul Mate

On June 8, 1933, Ila Marie Fox married the love of her life, David Loetscher, at the home of her parents in Pella, Iowa. Both of the local newspapers featured the wedding announcement which included mention of Ila's aviation experience.  Following the ceremony, a dinner was served after which well-wishers were invited to congregate at the Central Park Cafe in town for ice cream cones and cigars. 

That same evening, the newlyweds left for Chicago to spend the first part of their honeymoon before continuing on to New York where David Loetscher was employed as a chemical engineer at the Food Processing Company. They quickly settled into a life of happy matrimony and made their first home together on 155th Street in Long Island where they were just a short driving distance from Ila's friend Amelia Earhart Putnam. As a fellow charter member of the women's aviation organization, the 99s, Ila and David were often invited to Amelia's parties where they socialized with other pioneer female pilots. Ila enjoyed the company of the other pilots especially since she had effectively retired from active flying after getting married. 

After a few years in New York, Ila and David came upon an old farmhouse in Somerville, New Jersey, and they immediately knew that this was where they wanted to live.  They wasted no time in purchasing the property and spent many hours fixing it up to their tastes. When they were done with all of the renovations, the house on Steele Gap Road was their idyllic castle in the countryside. Now Ila could channel her incredible energy into all kinds of pursuits in addition to her employment as a probation officer for the local school district. 

Besides joining the Somerville branch of the American Association of University Women, the Presbyterian Women's Association, the New Jersey Junior Civic League, the Somerville Dramatic Guild, and the Women's Forum of Washington Valley, she also volunteered with the Bridgewater-Raritan Local Defense Council during the war years.  In her role with the Somerville Dramatic Guild, she often produced, directed, and/or performed in a number of amateur plays which were presented to the community with proceeds donated to local charities.