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Helen was born on January 15, 1906, in Ohio, but soon came to live with her parents, Annie and Fred Bendelari, and siblings at The Olivia Apartments.  Her uncle, Arthur Bendelari built the Olivia and lived there with his wife Frances.  Her father and uncle were associated with the Consolidated Mining Company and Eagle Picher Lead Company, respectively.  Both families made a very comfortable living in Joplin which enabled Helen and sisters Olivia and Mary, and brother George, to travel and study in the United States, Canada, and abroad.  Therefore, it is no surprise that Helen’s first marriage in London on September 19, 1927, was to a British subject, Mr. Egerton Boughton-Leigh.

Competitive Snow Skiing

Helen began her skiing career in 1928 and competed as a British Subject (by marriage) as a member of the British International Ski Federation  teams of 1932, 1933, and 1934.  Helen was the first American woman to race on the European continent in international competition, skiing for the Ski Club of Great Britain.  She chose to be a member of the British team because U.S. women’s skiing had not yet reached international status.

In 1935, Helen was released from the British ski team so that she could return to her homeland to assist in organizing the first United States Women’s Ski Team. Helen was captain of the team and placed seventh in the International Ski Federation World Championships.

• First American Woman to Race on the European Continent in International Competition in 1932

• Elected to the U. S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 1968

• Helen assisted with the early period of development of American women skiers and was an important ingredient that made the U.S. Olympic Ski Team gel.

Helen and Egerton divorced in 1934—but not to worry—while competing in the Olympic games in Germany in 1936, she met Malcom McAlpin, a member of the U.S. Hockey Team.  She and Malcom eloped by dog team from Sun Valley and were married in Ketchum, Idaho!  Through the ensuing years, the couple lived in New York, New Jersey, and California.  Helen continued to be an enthusiastic skier and was co-founder of the Snow Chaser’s Ski Club in Morristown, New Jersey.  The McAlpin’s owned airplanes and in August of 1937, Helen piloted her first solo flight.  

Helen’s beloved husband died in 1985.  Helen died on December 28, 1999, in a Palm Springs, California hospital at the age of 93.  She lived in Convent Station, New Jersey and her memorial service was in Morristown, New Jersey.  Malcom and Helen had two children.

Olivia was born on December 11, 1910 in Ohio, but soon came to live with her parents, Annie and Fred Bendelari at the Olivia Apartments.  It must have been a constant source of pride and need for explanation for the young Olivia to live at the Olivia that was named for her grandmother, “Minnie” Mary Olivia.  Her uncle, Arthur Bendelari also lived at the Olivia and had it built in 1906.  Her father and uncle were associated with the Consolidated Mining Company and Eagle Picher Lead Company, respectively.

One of her many Civic Activities in Joplin included the Women’s Club.  In February 1935 she was one of seven models at “A Dressmaking Show” at Christman’s in Joplin.  The dresses were “… made by dressmakers who were on ‘relief,’ but who are endeavoring to secure dressmaking employment at a most reasonable figure.”

Formal Art Training: Florence, Italy; Paris, France; Vienna Academy, Austria; Lausanne, Switzerland; Art Students League in New York; and School of Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

Art Studio Locations: Greenwich Village in New York; Washington D.C.; Kansas City, Missouri; and Joplin.

While working in Kansas City, she was considered an “internationally known portrait painter” and executed life-size portrait sketches at the Sarachek Studio for $15.

Olivia Becomes Interested in Aviation both as a student pilot, and as an artist.  It helped that her sister, Helen and brother-in-law owned planes that Olivia used as models for her painting.  Helen was also a student pilot. 

Following are some of her paintings and installations:

• A commissioned mural entitled Civil Aviation for Rockefeller Center, New York City
• Pan-American ‘Douglas’ Over the Andes
• China Clipper Over Hawaii
• Beechcraft Over California
• German Dive Bombers
• S. Army Pursuits Coming Down Through a Hole in the Clouds
• A group of murals (titles unknown) in Kansas City
• Murals at the Children’s Hospital located inside the Children’s Home in Joplin
• A mural on three panels (title unknown) at the United States building at the New York World’s Fair

In 1939, Olivia’s exhibits were at the College Park Airport in Maryland and the Aircraft Building of the Smithsonian Institution.  Her 27 watercolors and a photo portrayed various types of army, navy, and commercial aircrafts in flight.  Planes in action included bombers, attack planes, pursuit planes, transports, etc.  At the time, she was believed to be the only female artist specializing in aviation themes.

Olivia Marries a Naval Aviator

In 1940, Olivia married Woodward Burke.  Tragically, she was widowed just five years later when Mr. Burke was killed in a plane crash while test flying a new plane at Lambert Field in St. Louis.  She later marries Mr. Alex Stein in 1957 and the couple made their home in Los Angeles.  It is believed that Olivia had no children.  She passed away in L.A. on February 22, 1996 at age 86.