Poughkeepsie AAUW and Dutchess County
Notable Women
Poughkeepsie Branch AAUW, Inc. honors women each year in several ways. Below you will find a record of these awards:
1) Woman of Year
2) Poughkeepsie AAUW Honorees
Contribution to National AAUW are given in the name of members with any length of tenure, awarded primarily for current/very recent activity. It is important to note, though, that recent activity might have a decades-long trail.
1968 Sarah Hook
1969 Patricia Cook, Virginia Torsone
1970 Catherine E. Hexel
1977 Phyllis McEnroe
1978 Eileen Drennan
1980 Harriet McGinnis
1981 Elizabeth Carter
1982 Margaret Nijhuis
1985 Joan Fay
1986 Thelma Morris
1989 Cleona Sprague
1990 Elva Kingston, Ethel Torgenson
1991 Betty Harrel
1992 Minerva Davis, Catherine Albanese
1993 Marilyn Hoe
1994 Phyllis Teasdale, Lila Mitchell
1995 Niki Saji, Dr. Kathleen Stafford
1996 Marilyn Hoe, Betty Harrel, Erin Teichman
1997 Nancy Smith
1998 Peggy Kelland, Barbara Markell
1999 Cynthia Smith, Mary Cioko
2000 Mary King
2001 Ellenora Oberhofer, Laura Graceffa
2002 Catherine Kinn, Catherine Albanese, Phyllis Teasdale
2003 Cynthia Averill, Sandy Checklick, Klara Sauer
2004 Joan Fay, Margaret Nijhuis
2005 Barbara Hespenheide, Mary Lou Davis
2006 Trudy Briggs (In Memoriam); Mariellen Pangia
2007 Jill Edmonds and Cleona Spraque (In Memoriam); Betty Harrel, Peggy Kelland
2008 Gene Botsford, Anna Buchholz and Natalie Dickstein (In Memoriam);
Lillian DePasquale, Marcine Humphrey
2009 Geeta Desai, Gloria Gibbs, Irene Keyes; Vivian Erdreich (In Memoriam)
2010 Lula Allen, Marcine Humphrey, Bergie Lebovitch, Margaret Ruggeri,
DCC – Elise Gelibtier of Lisa Libraries
2011 Eleanor Skov (In Memoriam), Linda Beyer, Gwen Higgins, Carol Loizides,
Sue Osterhoudt, Pat Luczai
2012 Mary King, Dave King, Mary Coiteux; Irene Keyes, Susan Kemp and
Elizabeth Moesel (In Memoriam)
2013 Mary Lou Davis, Geeta Desai, Cecilia Dinio-Durkin, Doris Kelly, Margaret Nijhuis, Barbara Van Itallie
2014 Jeanette Cantwell, Cathleen Kinn, Ruth Sheets, Jane Toll, Diana Gleeson, Linda Freisitzer
2015 Jacqueline Goffe-McNish, Mary Ann Ryan, Linda Ronayne, Kay Saderholm,
Ann Wade; Peggy Hansen (In Memoriam)
2016 Ellie Burch, Mary Jo Cottrell, Karen Haynes, Ann Pinna, Linda Roberts, Linda Roy
2017 Diana Babington, Mary Ann Boylan, Mary Ann Hogarty, Barbara Lemberger, Lori Scolaro, Barbara Van Itallie
2018 Pat DeLeo, Sabashnee Govender, Eileen Hayden, Sandy Lash, Judy Linville, Joanne Scolaro
2019 Lula Allen, Bonnie Auchincloss, Maria DeWald, Claudette Hennessy,
Donna Reichner, Linda Roberts
2020 Cynthia Averill, Susan Doyle, Diane Jablonski, Monique Jones, Ruth Sheets, Dick Granda
2021 Monique Jones, Marcine Humphrey, Sandy Lash, Mary Scalise-Annis, Sheila Zweifler
2022 Catherine Albanese (In Memoriam), Blanche Bergman, Catherine Kinn, Judith Longacre, Vivian Rose, Mary Ann Williams
2023 JoAnne Abraskin, Susan Doyle, Elizabeth Harrel, Claudette Hennessy, Gwendolyn Higgins, Maticia Madory
2024 Sandy Goldberg, Peggy Kelland, Linnea Masson, Margaret Nijhuis and Ann Pinna
3) Poughkeepsie Branch AAUW Emerging Leader
An Emerging Leader is either a new member who has quickly moved into a leadership position, or a member of long-standing who has finally found the time to assume a leadership role.
2008 Geeta Desai
2009 Sherre Wesley and Wendy Maragh Taylor
2010 Liz Moesel
2011 Jacqueline Goffe-McNish and Kim Butwell
2012 Cecilia Dinio-Durkin
2013 Linda Roberts
2014 Susie Blecker
2015 Christie VanHorne
2016 Katherine Friedman
2017 Sheila Zweifler
2018 Monique Jones
2019 Sabashnee Govender
2020 Alyssa Covelli
2021 Barbara Durniak
2022 Celia Serotsky
2024 Beth DeFiglio
4) Cornerstone Award
The Cornerstone Award is given to a more experienced member who is always supportive but never in the limelight. This new award was presented the first time in June 2016.
2016 Margaret Nijhuis
2017 Gloria Gibbs
2018 Mary Coiteux
2020 Barbara Van Itallie
2022 Diane Jablonski
2023 Patricia Luczai
2024 Bonnie Auchincloss
Other Notable Women
There are many women in New York State who have made a difference in our lives. The accomplishments of some of these women have been documented and preserved for future generations, a project launched by AAUW-NYS History Consultant committee, Helen Engel and Marilyn Smiley. The project resulted in the publication of the book “Remarkable Women in New York State History” which was edited by Ms Engel and Ms Smiley. See below for a link to purchase the book.
AAUW is uniquely qualified to undertake a project to identify women who through their courage, convictions, expertise and perseverance made a difference in so many lives. Many thanks to the women in our AAUW Poughkeepsie Branch who volunteered to do the research and to write about these notable women. The biographies listed have been submitted for the project and are a part of the book “Remarkable Women in New York State History”:
- Jane Bolin
- Catharyna Brett
- Anna Buchholz
- Helen Kenyon
- Lucille Pattison
- Ruth Stafford Peale
- Eleanor Roosevelt
- Marie Tarver
- Sojourner Truth
Read more about great woman in the National Women’s Hall of Fame Seneca Falls, NY
Historical Journey Of Remarkable Women In The Hudson Valley
On March 12, 2015 Poughkeepsie Branch AAUW joined with Poughkeepsie Public Library District in the celebration of Women’s History Month. We heard stories of Maria Mitchell from Rita Alterman. Wendy Maragh Taylor gave glimpses of Madame Catharyna Brett and Poughkeepsie native, Jane Bolin. Mary Louise Van Winkle reminded us of the contributions of Eleanor Roosevelt. Barbara Mindel gave a very personal story of Anna Buchholtz for whom she was the Executive Assistant. Lastly, we were treated to a rare look at Lucille Pattison through the eyes of her daughter Elise. It was a most inspirational event.
To purchase Remarkable Women in New York State History go to Amazon.com