Iris Cummings Critchell | |
---|---|
Born | Los Angeles, California, U.S. | December 21, 1920
Died | January 24, 2025 Carlsbad, California, U.S. | (aged 104)
Nationality | American |
Occupation(s) | Competitive swimmer, aviator |
Known for | Last Living Participant at 1936 Summer Olympics, co-founder and director of Bates Aeronautics Program at Harvey Mudd College |
Height | 5 ft 4.5 in (164 cm) |
Iris C. Cummings (December 21, 1920 - January 24, 2025), also known by her married name Iris Critchell, was an American aviator and former competition swimmer. She represented the United States at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.[1]
She was accepted into the University of Southern California's first Civilian Pilot Training Program in 1939. During World War II, she was a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs).
As of 2025, Cummings was the last-known surviving participant of the 1936 Olympics and pre-war Olympics.[2] She died in Carlsbad, California on January 24, 2025, at the age of 104.[3][4]