First Woman Master Plumber Passes Away
Lillian Baumbach Jacobs, 70, said to be the first woman in the country to hold her master plumbing license, died Jan. 31 from complications of Leukemia at a hospital in North Carolina.
Originally from Arlington, Va., Lillian helped make the family plumbing business, Baumbach Plumbers of Arlington, well known. In 1951 at age 21 she received her masters license in plumbing. She also became the pen-pal of more than 250 men in the United States and overseas ¿ 75 letters from Korea alone included election as pin-up girl for an infantry company.
Lillian wrote a magazine article, "Helpful Plumbing Hints For Housewives," and she appeared on local TV programs, including the game show "What's My Line?" But one of her favorite experiences was an interview with Walter Cronkite.
She is survived by her mother Louise Carter Baumbach, daughters Wendy Stafford and Lydia North, sister Mary Hubbard, brothers William Baumbach II and Andrew Baumbach, and five grandchildren.
More of her life story and copies of newspaper articles from 1951 can be found at www.Baumbach.com/History/Lillian.htm.
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