Fascinated with aircraft since childhood, she would spend her free time on the factory floor, admiring the C-54 Skymasters being produced there.

[3] Once the United States committed its involvement in World War II and male pilots were being called to serve, the WASP program was created for domestic support.

Despite not having a license and, initially, only eight of the 35 required hours of flight time, she was accepted for training two weeks later via telegram from the Department of the Army.

[3] Zillner began six months of classroom and flight training in September 1943 at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas.

She relocated to the original grounds of Mount Vernon in Alexandria, Virginia,[3] and lived there until her death at age 97 on July 3, 2018.