SYLVIA GALLAGHER (1936- 2024)
Sylvia*1983, (41 years a member) was the perfect example of an American Association of University Woman who believed in gender equity, economic security and equal rights for women. She raised, along with her husband Ed, two daughters, Amy and Sara, to be educated and independent women who are now passing those values onto their four children.
Sylvia & Ed were founding members of the Couples Potluck Dinners and Sylvia chaired the Evening Book Club from 1986-2006, with Margaret Atwood being one of her favorite authors.,She,also,led the AAUW EF/LAF fundraiser that sold Entertainment Books, loved to set up cultural events.and hosted in 2007, at her beautiful new home with gorgeous gardens, the annual AAUW Garden Party with over 50 ladies attending. Sylvia was passionate about bridge and a longtime member of the AAUW Bridge Club. We will remember this outstanding woman with love in our hearts. She will be dearly missed by all of us!
The Women of AAUW-Rochester
Kathy Brain*2016 (d. March 17, ’24)
Kathy Brain joined Rochester AAUW, already belonging to the Oxford Women Club, to further help women and girls advance through equity and education. She was a member of the Encore Book Club, the Pinochle and Euchre Card Clubs and loved to travel with her husband Bob. Kathy enjoyed attending the branch luncheons and meetings. She was a lovely person and will be dearly missed by her children and AAUW friends. A memorial service will be held at a later time.
Gladys McKenney*2002 (Jan.5, 1928-May 17, 2023)
Gladys McKenney was a member of Rochester AAUW for over 21 years encouraging women and girls to pursue higher education. She is best known for her collection of “Fabulous Foremothers” china dolls depicting famous suffragists like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Sojourner Truth. Gladys was awarded the Michigan (2013) and Rochester, MI (2017) Women’s Hall of Fame Awards and the AAUW-MI Martha Griffith Award (2018).
She will be missed!
IN MEMORY OF ELIZABETH “BETSEY” MCINTYRE (1926-2022)
Betsey joined AAUW-Rochester in 1999 becoming a member of the Evening Book Club, Cruising Cuisine, Great Decisions
and co-chairing for many years the Branch’s STEM project “Spring into Math and Science-A Mother and Daughter Evening”.
Betsey enjoyed interacting with her husband and family and friends and community through walking, going to movies, reading, teaching literacy classes, traveling and asking interesting and thoughtful questions.
She, also, modeled for J.L. Hudson’s, wrote an advice column for the Detroit News and worked as a social worker completing her B.S. degree from Michigan State in Psychology.
Betsey will be remembered as an independent woman with a joyous laugh, sharp wit and always fashionably attired. All her friends at AAUW will miss her.
IN MEMORY OF JOANN KRAJEWSKI (1947-2021)
JoAnn joined Rochester AAUW in 1983. She was an active participate in the branch bridge group
for 30 years, joined the Brown Bag Book Club in 2007 and enjoyed the holiday and garden parties each year.
JoAnn first worked as an English, speech and drama teacher in the Detroit schools and then as a counselor in the Clarkston schools. Her friends called her “Miss Personality Plus” as her favorite things were to polka, laugh, and read. JoAnn will be missed by them for her enthusiasm for the bridge game and her wonderful laugh.
JoAnn and her husband were also active members of the Couples Potluck group. Members have fond memories of the “The Downton Abbey Potluck” in their home where everyone came in costume- dressed as characters from the famous TV show.
As a supporter of branch activities and as a friend, she will be missed by all.
pic- Jo Ann winning a prize at the annual Rochester AAUW Holiday Party at the Royal Park Hotel.
CAROL QUINTAL MEMORIAL
Carol Quintal, an active member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) –Rochester since 2010 participated in many Branch activities. She supported education and equity for women and girls, was a member of the Page Turners Book Club, an active member of the Branch’s Board of Directors as the Education Funds Chair and made the best desserts when activities were at her beautiful condo. Since Carol had an eye for design, she always volunteered to set up the centerpieces for the holiday parties and worked on the raffle gifts, both selling and making.
Carol was known to our members at the Branch’s Middle School Mother/Daughter Science Event each year as the “Cupcake Lady”. She always volunteered to go to Krogers or Meijers grocery stores to ask for dessert donations and gift cards for the end of the night treats. The cupcakes were a big hit with both the students and the adults at the end as girls and their mothers finished the science activities each year.
Those of us who took water aerobics at the OPC knew Carol as a dedicated, caring water aerobics instructor. She was strict with her classes-no talking in class – and kept the class moving with tips about how to walk on ice to get your mail and wearing crocs in our homes so we wouldn’t slip. Carol was beautiful in body and spirit. We will all miss her as an instructor and friend.
Carol also loved traveling with her family and friends and taking her grandchildren out to lunch and shopping. She will be long remembered for her commitment to the community and to Rochester AAUW.
As a tribute to Carol, a scholarship will be awarded, through member donations, in Carol’s name, to a female undergraduate Oakland University student so that she can attend the National College Conference for Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) in May 2021.
In Memory of Jan (Janet) Heuerman
Our beloved friend, Jan Heuerman, passed away on February 28, 2018. Jan joined the Rochester AAUW Branch in 1972 and was Branch President from 1976-78. Jan was a teacher in Rochester Community Schools for 30 years. Besides being active in the Rochester Branch, Jan was involved in the Avon Players, the Rochester Community House, volunteering at Crittenton Hospital, Questers, Arts & Apples Committee & Meadowbrook Women’s Club. In recent years Jan was involved as co-chair in planning Rochester Branch Kaleidoscope cultural interest activities. Everywhere Jan went people came up to say “Hello”. One former parent recently told me that Jan was the only teacher to attend her son’s Boy Scout Awards Ceremony. Jan enjoyed travel, knitting, cooking & water aerobics. Jan will be sincerely missed by the Rochester Branch and by all of her friends & family.
-Jean Smetana
IN MEMORY OF JOANNE STROEBEL
Joanne joined the AAUW Rochester Branch in 1984 after being a member and president of the AAUW Romeo, MI Branch. She served on many committees in the Rochester Branch as well as being an active member of the Great Decisions discussion group. Joanne was a tireless advocate for women’s rights, peace and justice. Her legacy with the Rochester Branch was to initiate a tutoring program for Rogers Elementary School, a Pontiac School in Auburn Hills, with mentors from Heritage in the Hills, St John Fisher Chapel University Parish and Rochester AAUW Branch members for which she received the 2013 Diversity Champion Award. Joanne also established the Branch’s Teacher’s Equity Award which recognized teachers who promoted equity in the classroom. Joanne passed away February 11, 2018. Her dedication to women’s and world issues will be remembered by all.
IN MEMORY OF SANDRA EVERILL
Sandy Everill graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1962 and joined the Rochester AAUW Branch in 1975. Sandy was Co-President of the Rochester Branch from 1996-98 plus served on various committees within the Branch. Besides advocating for education and equity for women and girls, Sandy also liked reading, gardening, the natural world, sewing and knitting. In addition to supporting AAUW, Sandy was a member of the League of Women Voters, the National Organization for Women, Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve, the Rochester Hills Public Library and was music chairperson for the Rochester Hills Heritage Festival for many years. Sandy’s proudest accomplishment was serving as a role model for her three daughters. We lost Sandy on October 1, 2017 and she will be missed.
KATHRYN IRENE WATSON
September 23, 1961 – January 28, 2009
On January 28, Jody Shevin conveyed the sad news to us that Kathy Watson had died that morning. Jody has sent this comforting poem that appeared in the program at Kathy’s funeral.
God saw that she was getting tired,
And a cure was not to be,
So He put His arms around her
And whispered, “Come with Me.”
With tearful eyes we watched
her suffer and saw her fade away
Although we couldn’t bear to lose her,
We could not bid her stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
Hard-working hands were laid to rest;
God broke our hearts to prove to us –
He only takes the best.
Kathy’s family suggested that any donations in Kathy’s memory be made to AAUW or Ovarian Cancer Research.
Memories of Kathy
By now, many of you are aware of the death of our fellow branch member, Kathy Watson. She was a beloved friend to many of us and an invaluable asset to our organization. She will be sorely missed. Kathy preferred to work behind the scenes, so many of you may not realize the hours of service that she gave to AAUW. She was assistant-in-chief to Jody Shevin, for many years, on fundraising projects. She assisted me on all of the brochures, announcements, and flyers when I was Program V.P. for the branch. She was a founding member of Cuisine Cruising and Chix Flix and was always available to provide a delicious dish or a beautifully designed piece of paperwork for any occasion in our branch. More importantly, she always was a liberal dispenser of smiles, compliments, and encouragement. Kathy had a kind heart that embraced those in difficulty.
In 2005, Kathy and Jody ran the hospitality room for our state AAUW convention. They got to know one of the recipients of our Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF) funds, Charlotte McMahon, Ph.D., at this event. Kathy was very impressed with Dr. McMahon and encouraged Rochester Branch members to donate to LAF as a result. Kathy also was a supporter of education for women and felt, based on her own experience, that women needed the ability to support themselves.
FAREWELL TO OUR FRIEND ANITA GAYDOS
Memories of Anita
Anita Gaydos … a member of AAUW for 46 years and the Rochester Branch since 2002. Anita and her daughter Nancy were not only our Branch mother/daughter team but also represented two generations of strong women. Anita served on the Branch hospitality committee and participated in many of the Branch activities.
She was the wife of Dr. Leonard Gaydos, the mother of five children and a graduate of Queen of Angels School of nursing in Los Angeles and Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio. Anita also served during WWII (1942-46) as a US Navy nurse and continued to attend the reunions of the U.S.S. Solace hospital ship every year.
After raising her children, Anita continued her career by teaching nursing classes and pioneering a program at a local hospital for high school seniors interested in becoming “nurse assistants.” She also founded the Community Hospice Care Program for Seneca County, Ohio and served on countless charity boards like the Easter Seal Society and the United Way.
For fun, Anita loved to fish and took a yearly trip to Belize to catch the “big ones”! Her children, grandchildren and even a great granddaughter accompanied her. Over the years Anita traveled to Australia, China, Alaska, Italy, Mexico and many other great places with her family and friends.
Anita will long be remembered for her commitment to the community and Rochester AAUW.
A scholarship in her name will be awarded to a graduating senior at the May 19 annual dinner held at Great Oaks Country Club.
—Sharon Postnieks