Garden of Memories
We are pleased to announce that Altrusa House has added a Garden of Memories to our award winning gardens. The Garden of Memories is constructed of engraved commemorative brick pavers. The bricks are contributed in honor of special clients, families, friends, and supporters of Altrusa House. Donors can contact Altrusa House to donate as little as $150 per brick to help support Altrusa House’s mission.
Remembering & Honoring
In Memory of Grace Dayton Hargrave Family
Grace M. Dayton, daughter of Fred and Doris Mudgett, was born on December 5, 1921, in Manchester, New Hampshire. She attended Keene State Teachers College in Keene, New Hampshire. Before completing her degree, she taught in a one room school in Bow, New Hampshire. At Keene, she met Daniel F. Dayton, and they were married in 1942.
It was then to Orlando, Florida where Dan was stationed for 4 years in the US Airforce. Daughters Doris and Carolyn were born in Orlando. Following the Airforce, and a master’s degree for Dan in New Hampshire, the family moved to Urbana, Illinois, where grace completed remaining hours for her degree and Dan obtained his PhD.Grace taught for 20 years at Wiley Elementary, where she was science team and language arts teacher. Daughters Kay and Elizabeth were born in Urbana.
In 2013, she moved permanently to Venice, Florida, where she lived until her death July 2, 2019. She enjoyed swimming, golf, gardening, summers at the cabin in Wisconsin, and traveling. She traveled in Europe and China; she and Dan stayed in Pakistan for several months while Dan consulted. While in Illinois, she was active in the University of Illinois Women’s Club, University Club, ballroom dancing, and numerous PTA’s.
However, her best times were when she was with family. She is survived by daughters Doris (Paul), Carolyn, Kay (Joe), Elizabeth (Tom), 6
grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren.
Remembering Dan & Dana Dugger
Dan was born in February 1923 in Macclenny, Florida. He graduated high school in Hawthorne, Florida. Dan served our country in WWII in the 8th Army Air Corp, 381st Bomb Squad and was a German POW for six months. After his discharge, Dan worked for Brownlee Seed and Feed until his retirement in 1988. In his retirement years, Dan farmed and traveled. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Hawthorne.
Dana was born in May 1924 in Macclenny, Florida and graduated from Baker County High School. Dana was a stay-at-home mom until her youngest child entered middle school. She had various careers in her lifetime, working for Belk Lindsey when it was located in downtown and then the Credit Bureau of Gainesville. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Hawthorne.
Dan and Dana were married for 62 years. Together they raised 3 children. Now that family has grown to 8 grandchildren, 3 grands-in-law and 3 great-grandchildren.
In Memory of Francis VanBussum
‘Frankie’ Van Bussum became an Altrusan in 1962 and was an active member until her death in 2017. She served in several leadership roles as a member of Altrusa International of Gainesville in her fifty-five years as a member.
Frankie exemplified one of the most important Altrusa Principles: ‘Altrusa is practical idealism. Its service consists, not in saying great things, but in the daily earnest practice of its principles’
Frankie was a graduate of P.K.Yonge Laboratory School and Florida State College for Women. She served for 27 years with the University of Florida Information and Publications Division and won awards as Editor of the Florida Alumnus Magazine. She was active in many community and church organizations. Frankie was preceded in death by her husband, Lyle G. ‘Squeaky’ Van Bussum, with whom she owned Melrose Bay Ornamental Nursery in Melrose.
Frankie was easily recognized. You simply looked for the woman in the room with the biggest smile and her glasses hanging round her neck. As an outstanding editor she was frequently asked to edit Altrusa’s award submissions and review yearbook content prior to publication.
Remembering Grace C. Clark
Mrs. Clark was born January 19, 1932 in Union County, Illinois. She received her B.S. degree in English and History in 1952; her M.S. in Instructional Supervision in 1957; and work beyond her master’s degree in Guidance and Educational Psychology from 1962-1983 at Southern Illinois University. Her positions included being a teacher and counselor in Illinois for 34 years. She moved to Gainesville in 1986 and continued her career in education. For 13 years, she worked as a counselor at Trenton High School and MIS Director of Data Systems for Gilchrist County.
Mrs. Clark worked to improve education nationally by participating on accreditation visits through the North Central Association. She was a 40-year member of the Delta Kappa Gamma serving in numerous offices. She was president of the Southern Division of the Illinois Education Association in 1963-1964 and president of the Southern Illinois Association of Teachers of English in 1964-1965. She was awarded the Gilchrist County teacher of the year in 1991. Also, she served for six years as the chairperson of the North East Florida Educational Consortium.
Mrs. Clark was awarded the outstanding Caregiver Award by Easter Seals Altrusa House in 2003 for her love and commitment to her husband’s care
Remembering George A. Gerencser, Ph.D.
George was a professor and research physiologist at the University of Florida for over thirty years. He taught renal and digestive physiology to hundreds of first year medical and dental students. He truly loved teaching and relating to these students over the many years he taught.
George grew up in South Bend, Indiana where he was a proud graduate of South Bend Reilly. He attended Murray State University in Kentucky, Marion University in Indianapolis and received his Ph.D. from Indiana University. There he met and married Alison and together they raised three children…Jeff, Elizabeth and Rob. George was a loving papa to Tyler, Carley, Matt, Evan, Bella and Ryan.
He loved to travel. He began his career as a professor at the University of Hawaii where the family lived in Kailua. He then moved to Gainesville, Florida where he lived the rest of his life. Every year he would take a “business” trip to a different country. He either taught students or shared his research in almost every country in the world. While there he always took time to explore the country and get to know the people.
When not teaching or traveling, he played tennis every day. The 300 Club was his second home. He played with anyone who wanted to hit tennis balls. After retirement, if not playing tennis, George was truly altruistic, helping others less fortunate. He had many, many projects that he started and completed. He loved to go into the different neighborhoods and give books and stuffed animals to children. He often took groups of young mothers to the store to purchase healthy food. He drove those without cars to their jobs or to receive medical care. He received great joy and fulfillment from all his altruistic activities.
Remembering Elmer J. Clark
Dr. Clark was born December 17, 1919 in Wixom, Michigan. He moved to Gainesville after retiring from his career in education. Dr. Clark received his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Guidance from University of Michigan in 1949. His positions included being a professor, Dean of the College of Education at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale and Dean of Graduate Studies at Indiana State University in Terre Haute. He taught courses in Higher Education at the University of Florida in 1989-1990. He was a volunteer for 10 years in the Gilchrist County Schools.
Dr. Clark worked to improve education nationally by participating on and chairing accreditation visits for more than 60 colleges and universities through the North Central Association and the National Council on Accreditation of Teacher Education. Much of his work was devoted to removing barriers to higher education for women and minorities. He helped write the Emerging Institution Section of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, to define historically black college or university (HBCU). He was a veteran who served in the Army Air Corps during World War II.
Dr. Clark was an Altrusa House client prior to his death in 2002. The family appreciates the care provided by Altrusa House.
Ailene Feldherr (1933-2019)
Ailene “Bliz” Feldherr was born in Philadelphia on Oct. 6, 1933, and raised in Haddon Heights, NJ. Ailene graduated from Wellesley College in 1955 and earned a doctorate degree in Biology in 1962 from the University of Pennsylvania. She was a loving wife (married in 1959 to Carl Feldherr), devoted to her son (Andrew) and her granddaughters (Rebecca and Miriam). Consistent with her background in biology, Bliz had a special fondness for animals; in her younger days she enjoyed horse-back riding, owned, over the years, a number of cats and dogs, and was an avid bird watcher. She also enjoyed cooking (for several years she was part owner of a bakery and catering business), nature-oriented travel, and gardening (she was a long-time volunteer at Kanapaha Gardens).
Bliz was very compassionate and had a special talent for interacting with people at all levels. These characteristics were apparent during her 30-year career teaching biology at Santa Fe College. She was a highly respected instructor, and her concern for her student’ welfare went beyond the classroom, and in some instances extended well into her retirement. Ailene’s interest in the well-being of others was also apparent during her years of volunteer work at Altrusa House. Her original function at Altrusa House was answering phone calls, but she very quickly began interacting with the clients in an effort to make their stay at Altrusa House more pleasant and rewarding. In addition to her interactions with clients, Bliz was interesting in essentially all activities involving and promoting Altrusa House – she was a dedicated member of the Board of Directors, and very involved in fund raising. Ailene died of cancer on March 3, 2019, and the response to her death indicated that she impacted many lives.
Arthur A. Scott (1919-2017)
Arthur Scott (better known to family and friends as Scottie) was one of the earliest “worker bees” in the fundraising for and construction of Altrusa House. As the husband of Barbara, one of the founders of Altrusa House, he drove all over town picking up furniture for the infamous garage sales which were the major fundraising activities for Altrusa House. His official assignment at the shindigs, the dinner event held on the night before the giant garage sales, was to clean up tables and dispose of the debris, thus earning the title of “garbage man”. After Altrusa House was built, he could be regularly found is his work gloves digging, mowing, and cleaning. He was always the enthusiastic supporter of his wife Barbara’s work for the Altrusa Club and Altrusa House.
Scottie was a retired Air Force Colonel and served with the Eighth Air Force as a B-24 pilot stationed in England and flying bombing missions over Germany in the final months of World War II. He served a total of 29 years in the Air Force, both as a command pilot and in other administrative capacities. His post Air Force career included teaching at the college level, in administrative positions in private industry and his final position before his last retirement and moving to Gainesville with Barbara was the Deputy City Manager of Hallandale Beach, Florida. He and Barbara enjoyed an active life together in Gainesville for some 35 more years before he passed away at nearly 98 years of age. Scottie, not a “joiner” himself. Always supported Barbara’s life as a community activist when he engaged in golfing and developing a reputation as a physical fitness advocate.
Richard Renner (1927-2019)
Richard Roy Renner (1927-2019) moved to Gainesville in 1965 to be a professor of comparative education at the University of Florida, where he taught until 2003. (His first visit to Florida, however, was at age 15, when he hitch-hiked there from his home in Pennsylvania.) Although he grew up in tiny Littlestown, Pa., he became interested in the wider world through a childhood stamp collection, and wound up visiting 37 countries in his 91 years. He began his academic career directing the Division of Latin American Education at Penn State before joining the University of Florida Foundations of Education faculty. Teaching comparative education took him to Latin America, Australia, India, and the Netherlands.
During high school in Littlestown, he worked in a shoe factory, a vegetable canning factory, and on his father’s farm. The Army called right after graduation, and in 1945 he found himself stationed at Los Alamos, N.M. There he served as a firefighter at the top-secret S-Site. During that time he developed an appreciation for the Southwest that later influenced his academic interest in Latin American studies. Throughout life, he enjoyed bicycling Pennsylvania’s country roads and Gainesville’s main arteries; he liked canoeing and sailing North Florida’s rivers and lakes; he was curious about the world (always game to try unconventional foods, for instance); sought out vigorous debate; was engaged in public affairs; and had faith that writing letters to the editor had an impact. He was husband to Elisabeth Renner; father to Lisanne, Russell and Randall; and chin-scratching companion to numerous cats and a few dogs.
Remembering Johnny McFadden
Mr. Johnny McFadden was born on November 5th, 1946, and sadly passed away August 2019. Mr. Johnny was a special edition to Altrusa House of Gainesville; he joined our happy family on September 9th, 2017. Mr. McFadden would come in everyday and greet all the members including staff on his and her arrival, also, telling them he’ll see them later tomorrow on his leave with his beautiful smile and warming hugs. Mr. McFadden loved “order” in the building, if things would get hectic on the floor or something could be out of “order”, Mr. Johnny would run to staff and direct us to the problem before it escalated. Every day Monday-Friday, Mr. Johnny would help in the kitchen and make sure for lunch time, every member would have his or her silverware before himself. Mr. Johnny did numerous of helpful deeds, that we couldn’t be more grateful for. During his lifetime, Mr. Johnny married the love of his life in Georgia and raised her kids and as his own. He continued to love his wife even through her death. Mr. McFadden had numerous of jobs and eventually joined us here at Altrusa House of Gainesville to spend some of his life with us. On some days, Mr. McFadden would notice a look of distress, sadness, or hurt on members or staff faces, he would come up to them and say, “Everything is going to be ok, don’t worry about it.” Then suddenly taking them into his arms and giving them a warm embrace. Mr. Johnny McFadden or Johnny is truly missed everyday by our Altrusa House family, and we will forever be thankful for his presence he had on our daily life.
Remembering Mary Jean Davis
Mary Jean Davis grew up in Ashland, OR and moved to Gainesville in the mid 1960’s. She began her illustrious career in the field of education in 1968 where she taught at Littlewood Elementary and other elementary schools until 1983. She then assumed various supervisory positions until she became principal of High Springs Elementary in 1998. She remained in this position until her retirement in 2003. She returned to work as a grant specialist and principal consultant for the State of Florida, a position she held for the next six years.
The last years of her life were devoted to Altrusa of Gainesville. She became an Altrusan in 2004. In typical fashion, Mary Jean quickly assumed many roles in Altrusa. She was a devoted member of the Literacy Committee and worked tirelessly for Stuff the Bus, Trading Closets, and implementing the Evening Meeting. She participated in so many projects, that in 2015, she was honored with the Unsung Hero Award for her years of help with numerous community service projects. Mary Jean was president of Altrusa in 2011-2012 and served on the Altrusa House Board of Directors in 2016. Mary Jean died of a stroke on March 5, 2017. In 2019, the Mary Jean Davis Memorial Scholarship, funded by donations to Altrusa, was awarded to two deserving University of Florida students in the College of Education. Her involvement in the education community as well as her love of and commitment to Altrusa and its objectives are sorely missed.
Remembering Adam Parchomick
Adam was born to Russian immigrants in 1924 in Franklin, New Jersey, where his father worked in the zinc mines. He traveled the world during his 30 years in the Air Force. He joined his sister and brother-in-law, Ann and Ralph Kays in Marion County in the late 1970’s. He spent his final years in Gainesville with his great-nephew, Mark Houghtaling. He was an active member of Altrusa House until his passing in 2004.
Honoring Mel Rubin MD (1932-2014)
Personally, Dr. Rubin is remembered as an Dr. Melvin Rubin, husband of Altrusan, Lorna Rubin, was an ophthalmologist at the University oof Florida Medical School. He was greatly appreciated by his patients for his care and competence. One of the honors he was most proud of was to be selected as the 2012 Alumnus of the Year by the UCSF medical school class.
Personally, Dr. Rubin is remembered as an extraordinary leader and contributor to arts and music in the local community, which was illustrative of his love of beauty.
Dr. Rubin and Lorna were the parents of three children, the grandparents of seven grandchildren and great grandparents of one more little one.
Remembering R.M. Fry, MD (1926-2013)
A notable and esteemed physician in Gainesville, Florida, Dr. Fry was the first Board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon in private practice in the area. He was a graduate of Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia and pursued graduate training in Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Michigan, followed by a Fellowship in Hand Surgery of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. This he pursued for a year in England, during which time he visited centers in Gothenberg, Paris and Lucerne.
He joined the faculty in Orthopedic Surgery at the UF School of Medicine, and later entered private practice in 1967. He was active in many local activities, especially having to do with water quality issues.
During that time, he became the “team physician” for the Dance Alive! Professional ballet troupe, and was a long time supporter of the Altrusa House of Gainesville.
He devoted much time to Girl Scout activities with his daughters, starting and leading the unique Father-Daughter Troop.
He retired in 1998, then assisting Math Team coaches at Buchholtz school as a volunteer.
Remembering Dr. Emily King
Emily King was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the youngest of three siblings, in 1923. When Emily was 4 years old, the family moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, and Emily always considered herself to be a child of Tennessee. Her mother, in Emily’s words was a fine lady and a college graduate and was Emily’s best friend. Her father was a successful business man who started a chain of furniture stores. Unfortunately, her father got ill when Emily was in high school and after some months of ill health, the family fortunes began to decline and her dad had to declare bankruptcy.
Emily was always a unique personality and remained so until her death. When she graduated from high school she asked her parents for a cow as a gift and sold milk and butter from that cow which helped pay her tuition and books at the University of Tennessee after her dad’s reversal of financial fortunes, and she graduated with a degree in home economics. Emily moved with some friends to Michigan and under the tutelage of some of the friends from Tennessee who were working as mechanical engineers doing industrial design of tools, dye and special machines and she went to work with them as the only woman in a work pool of one hundred and forty men. This was the real beginning of Emily’s unusual life choices.
In 1946 Emily drove to Florida hoping to find a job as a Home Demonstration Agent but instead found work teaching home economics to migrant children in a “Strawberry School”.
Emily obtained employment in Agriculture Education at the University of Florida which led to great opportunities for her. She also obtained Ph.Ds (plural) in Education and Administration while working. Emily took on the financial obligations to care for her grandfather and her mother who joined her living in Gainesville and they both lived with Emily until their deaths.
Emily was a giver and an accumulator. She had homes in Gainesville, Tallahassee, a trailer in the country (and a large warehouse-type building full of stuff) outside of Alachua and who knows what else. She owned what could only be described as a fleet of vehicles, dogs, horses, and so on and many, many friends. She gave of herself to her multitude of friends and to the organization she belonged including Altrusa and Altrusa House. She was a talented lady who did amazingly delicate work which belied the image she tried to project. She served as a mentor to many and lived by the personal philosophy of “always eating dessert first”. She, by example, inspired many of her friends to simply be better people. Emily always dressed and acted like a slightly offbeat farmer which served to provide cover for her high intelligence and sensitivity of spirit. It can be truthfully said that Emily King was one of a kind.
Remembering Elizabeth Turlington
Elizabeth was the epitome of the gracious Southern lady. Her charm and beauty were only matched by her determination to get things accomplished. Elizabeth was one of the earliest champions of Altrusa House, served as president of Altrusa in 1975-76, and was also the sponsor, mentor and guiding light for many Altrusans over the years.
From a pioneering, local family, Elizabeth married into a political one to which she contributed greatly. She and her Ed married young and maintained a long, active partnership in the care of their family and on the political side. Ed (one of the “Young Turks” as they were described at the time of their election which was a turning point in local government) was elected to the Gainesville City Commission and served as Mayor/Commissioner. He went on to become a long-time County Commissioner. Ed’s brother, Ralph, served for many years as the State Commissioner of Education and Elizabeth was always supportive and active in their causes and activities.
On the personal side, Elizabeth’s last professional job was as buyer for Chestnut’s Office Supply in downtown Gainesville. She and Ed had two daughters and were very involved with the raising of their four grandsons. Elizabeth was active in many community activities and was also a charter and long-time member of the local League of Women Voters. Elizabeth and Ed maintained a lovely home and engaged in gardening on a grand scale and welcomed many to share their gracious home.
In Memory of Rubye Beal, A WOW Sister
Dr. Rubye Beal-Fitzgerald was a strong, compassionate, loyal woman. After earning a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from UF, she served as a counselor, teacher and administrator. A pioneer in the community college system in Florida, she helped establish newly created schools, including Miami Dade, Valencia and Santa Fe Colleges. She supported and guided many students toward their goals. She was a dean at Western Kentucky University, professor at Nicholls State University, Appalachian State University and adjunct professor at UF. After leaving the university setting, she worked as a full-time psychologist, specializing in adult and geriatric psychology. A popular motivational speaker for conferences and organizations, she conducted training and leadership seminars for local, state and federal government, school systems and businesses. She was an active member of many professional and service organizations.
Rubye was a loving daughter, sister, mother, and grandmother and true friend to many who had the fortune to cross paths with her. Her WOW friends treasure having had her in their lives and honor her for the woman she was.
Remembering Frances Croft
Mrs. Frances Croft or known as our “Franny”, was born January 31st, 1943 and joined our Heavenly Father on December 24th, 2019. Mrs. Croft joined our happy family here at Altrusa House of Gainesville on October 1st, 2018. Franny loved to dance, sing, crack jokes and she loved Patsy Cline song “Crazy”. On Mrs. Croft first day, she quickly jumped into the swing of things with the members and staff. She even participated in our Karaoke Hour, with no hesitation singing one of her favorite songs “Crazy”. Mrs. Croft loved her family and her family here as well. All day long she would say, “I love you everyone,” or “I love coming here, every day is a new adventure when I come to see everyone.” Our Franny would draw, paint, or jam to her friends from Sutherland when they came to volunteer. Franny built a relationship with every staff, UF volunteers, and even the Homeschoolers. From her first day, Mrs. Fran gave an energy that will be forever unforgettable. We all stop and have a moment and say, “OMG, our Franny would love this right now.” Franny will be truly missed every moment of the day and we will never forget how she touched our heart.
In Memory of William N. Underwood and Margaret Ann Underwood
William Nevel Underwood (1924-1988) and Margaret Ann (Obgurn) Underwood (1925-1988) met in the shipyards of Jacksonville, Florida at the height of World War II. William (Bill) served in the Navy and Margaret worked to build ships. After his tour in Japan, they settled in Gainesville, Florida and began to raise a family. Both were hard working pillars of the community. Both came from very large families raised in different cities and cultures. Bill was born in Lexington, Kentucky and always lived in the city. His family owned several local grocery stores and most of the men as well as women were business owners. Margaret was born in White Springs, Florida and raised on a farm. She had always lived in a rural area and her brothers, father and uncles were all farmers.
When the United States went to war with Korea, Bill was called back into service and fought the war in a harsh, cold environment so far from Florida. He and three of his four brothers were on the same ship for a short period of time, then separated and sent in different directions.
When the Korean War ended, he returned to Gainesville and began a journey of building his own business. He founded Abel Supply (a biblical name) as one of the largest wholesale plumbing companies of the time.
Both were involved in the church and raised all four of their children to take pride in family, church, and community. They always gave a helping hand to those in need. It never mattered who was in need – family, neighbors, or strangers – there was always enough to share. Many meals in their home included people who stopped by knowing they could get a bite to eat during tough times. There was always room at the table for one more person. They visited the infirm and disabled giving words of encouragement.
Bill and Margaret lived a modest and humble life casting the spotlight on others rather than themselves. Their strength of faith, integrity and selflessness set the foundation for many generations.
In Memory of Wayne & Claire Vergith
I am honoring the memory of my parents, who taught me by example, the value and importance of volunteerism. My dad was a volunteer fireman, a trustee of our church, and was always helping
people in our community. Both of my parents were involved in a foreign exchange program, which annually brought foreign students to our high school for the school year. It was a great program for smaller towns and rural schools, to give students a different view of the world.
My mother was a Literacy Volunteer, teaching reading to adults who were in our local jail. The joy that she felt from participating in this program was obvious and made a big impression on me.
I am pleased to finally carry on their legacy, trying to do my part as a member of the Altrusa International of Gainesville and the Altrusa House Board of Trustees.
Barbara J. Sperrazza (1952-2016)
Barbara J. (Stephens) Sperrazza, 64, of Gainesville, FL passed away peacefully on June 23, 2016 after a long illness known as Frontal Temporal Lobe Degeneration. She was surrounded by loving family.
Barbara was born in New York City, she graduated from Lehman College, New York and received her M.S., R.D., L.D., and C.D.E. certification. She served as a Clinical Dietician in several New York hospitals. After moving to Pennsylvania, she worked at Pocono Medical Center and Mercy Hospital. Since 1995 until its closing, she worked as a Certified Diabetic Educator at Alachua General Hospital in Gainesville, FL.
Barbara enjoyed traveling, photography and loved music and dancing. Her handicrafts were well known and appreciated by all. She embraced life to the fullest and truly loved people. Barbara’s favorite greeting was ‘I love you’.
Barbara’s husband, Charles Sperrazza, served as Vice President of the Altrusa House Board of Trustees for many years. Charles also leads the FTD Support Group that meets once a month at Altrusa House to aid caregivers.
Remembering Edgar Moring
Mr. Edgar Moring or known as “Playboy”, was a special kind of man. He was born July 18, 1934 and was finally called to his heavenly home December 13, 2019. Edgar would come into the building and always bring a smile to everyone face, with his unforgettable personality. He was truly a jokester at heart.
Edgar loved watching military movies and telling his military stories from his personal experience. He enlisted in the United States Air Force at the age of 15. As the story goes, after enlisting he called home. His mom asked, “Where are you?” He replied, “I’m fine. I joined the military.” She replied, “You’re too young to go in the military. You better get your butt back in this house.” Then, she made some calls and the military realized that she was right. So, they sent him back home. But,Edgar was determined to join the military. Once he became of age, he enlisted but this time the United States Army. He served three years from 1953 to 1956 which included serving during the Korean War. He earned multiple medals during his service time; one was the Purple Heart medal, for his bravery and determination through the time of the war. Edgar was physically wounded, but the physical wound did not wound his spirit. He was feisty as ever and never gave up on any challenge, even when it looked hard to do. Edgar shared his military stories by participating in the Altrusa House Veteran’s Oral History Program.
Edgar enjoyed art and the outside; he would come to the activity table to join in with staff during creative imagination to encourage or hold conversation with some members during that time block. Mr. Moring also enjoyed the game of dominos with staff and members. Mr. Moring was a singer as well, one of his favorite R&B artists was Marvin Gaye, song “Let’s Get it On”. It was such a joy to see Edgar light up when his song come on, he would say, “Hey come on over and shake it,” so much laughter with Playboy.
He earned the name “Playboy” because he was surely a lady’s man, and the ladies loved him too. Altrusa House staff will truly miss our Playboy, he will never be forgotten by anyone here at Altrusa House. His spirit lives on in his family, but also his spirit lives on inside each of us, because Marvin Gaye is constantly played in the building. Tribute by Altrusa House Staff
Remembering Lucia Yu
In the beginning there was Lucia. Lucia served as the treasurer, financial advisor, and the person that set up the financial reporting and all things pertaining to that for Altrusa House, even before there was an entity known as Altrusa House. Lucia was there from the beginnings of the Steering Committee and through the early years of Altrusa House, serving as the treasurer until the illness that led to her death. Even then she was with us since she left us with her chosen successor, Bic Chau (who also became an Altrusan) to carry on her work. She quietly carried on her duties with Altrusa House with such efficiency that we hardly knew how much she did—she just did it! Through her contacts with the Li family, she was instrumental in their donation of the Hawthorne property, the sale of which led to one of our very earliest large donations. She could also be found hard at work at our infamous garage sales and was always on board at Altrusa House functions.
Lucia migrated from China, her native country, in 1947 to attend graduate school at the University of Iowa. She obtained a Masters Degree in Accounting after which she taught at the university level and lived and taught in several different states before moving to Gainesville in 1967.
Lucia served on the faculty at the University of Florida and was also assistant dean in the College of Business Administration before establishing her private practice in Gainesville as a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Financial Planner. Lucia was the first female Certified Public Accountant in Gainesville. A long-time Altrusa member, becoming an Altrusan in 1971, she was known for her charitable work in assisting community organizations with her expertise in her field among which was Altrusa House. Lucia was honored in 2002 by Santa Fe Community as a Woman of Distinction and indeed she was!
In her personal life, Lucia was married to Joseph Vogel, also on the faculty of the University, raised her family and enjoyed a good, long life. She enjoyed travel, photography and raising plants (particularly orchids) and her friends enjoyed the fruits of her flower interest which she willingly shared.
Remembering Gene Liddon
Our good friend, Gene Liddon, came to Altrusa House as one of its most faithful workers and supporters by way of Easter Seals Florida. Gene had spent many years (over 50 years total) as a hard-working volunteer for the Easter Seals organization and joined Altrusa House as a member of the Easter Seals at Altrusa House Advisory Board. This group was recruited by Easter Seals and charged with advising the staff of Altrusa House on program as well as promoting Altrusa House through fundraising and other activities in cooperation with the Altrusa House Board of Trustees. After the demise of the Easter Seals at Altrusa House Advisory Board, Gene stayed on as a member of the Altrusa House Board of Trustees and could be counted on to attend and work on just about every activity from that point on. Gene and his little truck was a constant!
Professionally, Gene served as Director of Building and Grounds for the City of Gainesville for 25 years and then opened Shiloh Oaks Nursery in Micanopy. He specialized in growing and planting Live Oak trees and many of his oaks can be seen throughout the area in public spaces and private gardens.
Gene was a UF graduate in Forestry and, of course, a faithful Gator fan. His many volunteer activities in addition to Altrusa House are too numerous to list but his years on the City of Gainesville Beautification Board and his contributions for so many years to Camp Challenge, the Easter Seals camp designed for people with disabilities and special needs, particularly stand out He was honored with the naming of The Gene Liddon Trail at Camp Challenge in Sorrento, FL in recognition for his contributions and work there and his service to Altrusa House will remain in our memories and in the placement of a brick in the Garden of Memories at Altrusa House.
Charlotte Campbell was born in Iowa and move to Florida with her family as a child. She graduated from PK Yonge and the University of Florida, where she was part of the first co-ed. class in the College of Pharmacy. She became a licensed pharmacist in 1940 and served as a Preceptor for UF’S College of Pharmacy. With her husband, also a pharmacist, she owned and operated Florida Pharmacy in downtown Gainesville for many years.
She was a Founding Employee of North Florida Hospital (North Florida Regional Medical Center) as the Director of the Pharmacy Department. Upon her retirement she served as the bookkeeper at The Wood Stove. The Women of Distinction honored her in 2002 as Woman of the Year.
At her home in Brooker, she raised painted horses (and a fainting goat!) and taught her children and grandchildren love of horses. She had 11 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.
Charlotte became an Altrusan in 1960 and was President from 1968-1969. Later, she was responsible for signing in Altrusans at meetings and keeping track of members’ attendance.
Charlotte Campbell was truly a pioneer in many ways!
Remembering Lee & Martha Johnson
Lee and Martha were among the earliest and most enthusiastic supporters of Altrusa House. Please see the preceding page, written by Lee, for a more complete picture of their life and their many contributions.
Lee, unfortunately passed away in July of 2020 and Martha joined him a week later. Martha had been a resident of the nursing home facility at Oak Hammock for several months and because of the Covid-19 pandemic quarantine, Lee had been unable to visit her for some weeks. When Lee suffered a fall and it became obvious that he would need extended care, he joined Martha at Oak Hammock and thus they were reunited. Martha was holding Lee’s hand when he passed away, a fitting end to their long, devoted life together.
Honoring Justine Vaughen, MD
Justine is the vision behind Altrusa House and has devoted many years since she recognized the need in our community for a facility that would provide the services and help clients such as those we serve to remain in their own homes in a safe environment during the day. It was Justine that brought her vision to the Altrusa Club and sold the concept and the need for such a facility to membership and inspired all with her enthusiasm. Justine was everywhere from the very beginning until this day, working at every level to promote, build, and lead Altrusa House. She was the founding president of the Altrusa House Board of Trustees, has continued to serve on the Board without interruption and has been a constant worker and inspiration to all. Additionally, Justine was a willing volunteer with the Altrusa Club and never turned down a request by the Club for help including hosting many meetings and gatherings at her home on the lake.
Honoring AH Founding Trustees
During 1991–92, Altrusa Club of Gainesville established a long term goal to open an adult day health care facility in our community. Over $60,000 was initially raised by the Club toward the goal to establish Altrusa House as a future adult day health care center. During 1994–95, an agreement was negotiated with the City of Gainesville to transfer the property at Greentree Park for the construction of Altrusa House. During 1995–96, a groundbreaking ceremony for Altrusa House was held on November 19, with construction scheduled to begin in 1997. An “Open House” was held during the construction phase where members signed building studs and placed a sealed time capsule that was opened 20 years later in October, 2018. Altrusa House opened its door to accept clients in October, 1998 and the dream was realized.
We honor the Altrusa House Founding Board of Trustees for their vision, leadership, hard work and commitment to service for the benefit of our community and beyond.
Honoring Lee & Martha Johnson
As founders and volunteers, Martha and I have felt it an honor and joy to be associated with Altrusa House. It has always been a labor of love for us.
Martha and I were both born in North Carolina, she in the Western Piedmont and I in the Eastern Coastal Plain. We met while in college. In 1958 I entered the Air Force and worked as a Chaplain Service Specialist and served for four years. I entered Catawba College and graduated with a BS degree. In 1960 I graduated from UNC at Chapel Hill with a MSW degree and began working at the VAMC as a Psychiatric Social Worker. Martha worked in psychology as a Personnel Specialist. She later worked in personnel at USDA, Soil Conservation Service. I retired in 1989 from VAMC as the Chief Social Worker. I continued working as a volunteer with the North Florida Area Agency on Aging until I again retired after 29 years. Both Martha and I have served as volunteers in various other agencies. Our most rewarding one has been with Altrusa House with other fellow founders. After 63 years of marriage we feel blessed to have these opportunities. We have a devoted son, Lee, Jr., who works in Gainesville and a grandson, Graham Lee who works with his wife, Caroline, as artists in the LA Studios.
The development of this beautiful walkway and garden is truly a work of love from the persons who have labored to complete this project. It also reflects the love that is shown to all the participants who benefit from the caring support of its founders.
Nancy Hult, Lisa Renner, and Barbara Scott
The Garden of Memories at Altrusa House was conceived and planned by the committee members above with the approval of the Board of Trustees of Altrusa House in 2019. The first bricks honoring supporters of or loved ones of Altrusa House were laid in December of 2019 with the opening reception held in February, 2020.
Nancy Hult served as chairman and photographer, computer designer of related materials, and general all around supervisor of the Garden of Memories. Nancy is past chairman of the Altrusa House Board of Trustees and served in other capacities in support of Altrusa House including many hours of volunteer work with the clients. She was also the guiding light behind the planting of the lovely gardens at Altrusa House which contains the Garden of Memories.
Lisa Renner, member of the Garden of Memories Committee, has a long history of leadership with both Altrusa House and Altrusa International of Gainesville. Lisa was a member of the original Altrusa House Board of Trustees, served for many years on the Board in various leadership rolls including as secretary and served as president of Altrusa International of Gainesville for two terms at different times in the history of the club.
Barbara Scott, also serving on the founding Garden of Memories Committee, is generally recognized as one of the founders of Altrusa House. Barbara served on the Steering Committee, was vice-president of the Board of Trustees at the time of the opening of Altrusa House and served twice for two year terms on the Board of Trustees. As president of Altrusa International of Gainesville during the initial fundraising and planning for Altrusa House she was instrumental in negotiating for and acquiring the land for the House from the City of Gainesville. After a hiatus of some years because of family obligations, Barbara returned to Altrusa International and Altrusa House Board of Trustees in time to actively participate in the activities surrounding the 20th anniversary of Altrusa House and to once again work actively in support of the House and Altrusa.
Celebrating Altrusa House Caring Staff
Serving on the Altrusa House Board and then being the President of the Board for three terms has afforded me the opportunity to observe and work with the Director and the staff for quite a long time. While I am enamored with the concept of Altrusa House and so impressed with the vision and hard work of the Altrusa Club to make this a reality, I have come to appreciate the people who make Altrusa House a caring and comfortable place for the members. It takes love, trust, skill, and persistence to maintain a level of service that is appreciated and understood by the members and their families. When a family member takes a loved one to Altrusa House, they can be assured that great care and attention will be the rule of the day. It is obvious that there is love and caring for each other between the members and the workers. There is a personal touch and a conversational tone that conveys the caring culture of this amazing program. I have come to understand and appreciate that it the caring staff of Altrusa House that truly sets the tone and then follows through with the work required to create a positive and supportive program. The Altrusa Club of Gainesville built Altrusa House and the Caring Altrusa House Staff created a home for its members.
In Honor of the Altrusa Club of Gainesville
Altrusa International of Gainesville, FL, Inc. (named Altrusa Club of Gainesville at that time) was organized and chartered on May 31, 1959, making it at this writing over 61 years old. The first president was Grace Fordyce and there were some 20 charter members, the only one still with us being Ann Bromley, who served as Associate Dean of Student Services at Santa Fe Community College. Among our members we can proudly count some who made local history: Clara Gehan (serving as president of Altrusa Club in 1963-64) was in the first group of five women to attend and graduate from the College of Law at UF, long before UF became co-educational. Charlotte Campbell was the first woman to be admitted and to graduate from the College of Pharmacy at UF. Charlotte served as president of our Club in 1968-69, continued on as a very active Altrusan until the end of her life. We proudly opened up our membership to men in 2001 and a few hardy souls have joined this group of dynamic women.
Our Club also proudly claims several members that became important to Altrusa International, both on the District and International level. Freddie (formally known as Winifred) Dobson, local president in 1971-72, was elected as District Three Governor in 1985-87. Donna Johnson, president in 1990-91, became Governor of District Three in 1999-2001 and then went on to serve as International President of Altrusa and added another term of service to Altrusa International by serving as Treasurer. In service to the growth of Altrusa in Florida, our Club organized and extended into Lake City and Starke, both of which became thriving Altrusa Clubs. Not content to stay local in our State, we extended into Novorossiisk, Russia, establishing an Altrusa club which resulted in visits to and from Novorossiisk by some of our community leaders including some Altrusans and a number of citizens from Russia visited us in Gainesville. The attendance of the Russian Altrusans to the International Conference held that year in Nashville, Tennessee was a highlight of that Conference.
The strength of the local Altrusa organization has always been its members. Our members have included physicians, other health professionals, lawyers, accountants, professors, politicians, judges, teachers, administrators, bankers, business leaders, artists and even some who listed their occupation as “homemaker”. Various members have assumed leadership roles in a myriad of other community groups, too many organizations to list here but it is safe to say that our community would be much poorer without the leadership of Altrusans.
Altrusa Club promoted so many causes over the years, it would be impossible to name them all. Our projects include education and services to promote the community welfare. Some of the more notable were the efforts to support and save Camp Crystal. Altrusan Esther Morgan (president in 1980-81) was the guiding light behind those efforts and was honored to have a cabin at Camp Crystal named for her. The Sante Fe College Scholarships began in l976 when our club donated funds to Santa Fe Junior College to establish the first scholarship program for local women. After extensive fundraising, five scholarships, named after special Altrusans, for women over 25 were endowed at Santa Fe College in 1996-97, ensuring their continued availability into the future for women from Alachua and Bradford Counties. A unique project, extending over some years, was the Alachua County State Fair exhibit. Altrusans (and Altrousers) designed and constructed our County’s exhibit at the State Fair held in Tampa annually and was so successful, we were recognized as “winners” several times, this against exhibits from other counties, many of which were done by professional exhibitors.
Our support of education and literacy includes the community-wide read-ins in for early learners in elementary school that occurred for many years, the sponsorship, also for a number of years, of the GED (General Education Development) program on the local public service channel, the program which began in 2005 to provide assistance to homeless students, and the Stuff the Bus activities which provided educational materials to Alachua County Schools for their students. We continue to provide annual scholarships for international students and have recently adopted Terwilliger Elementary School, deemed an underperforming school in danger of being closed, which has made substantial progress improving their state-issued grades.
Our premiere project was the establishment of Altrusa House, opening in 1998, an adult day health care facility, which is an impressive building, built without a mortgage, located on the backside of Greentree Park off Northwest 39th Avenue, on land donated by the City of Gainesville. The funds for the construction of the building were mostly due to the efforts of the Altrusa Club and the Club continues to fundraise to provide scholarship money for clients and for the maintenance and improvement of Altrusa House. The Board of Trustees for Altrusa House is and always has been composed of mostly Altrusans. Indeed, the founding Board of Trustees numbered 25 of which 21 were active Altrusans (see the page entitled Honoring Altrusa House (AH) Founding Trustees). The negotiations for the land, the designing of the building (Susan Davis-McCarter, Architect and Altrusan) the supervision of the construction and furnishing of the building have been, with very few exceptions, all the responsibility of Altrusans. Easterseals Florida with a contract negotiated with the Board of Trustees has managed the facility for some 22 years since the opening of Altrusa House and has provided clients with quality care which has enabled them to remain at home with their families and avoid long term institutional care. We are also proud that under a contract with the Veterans Administration we have been able to serve many elderly or disabled veterans.
Altrusa International of Gainesville, Inc. has been and continues to be recognized with many awards over the years both locally and from Altrusa International and District Three but more importantly, we have the satisfaction of knowing we have provided such important services to our community and its citizens.
Honoring Norma Hoffman
Norma Hoffman is being honored for her service to Altrusa International, both on the local and District Three level and to Altrusa House. Norma served as president of the local Altrusa Club at the time that the Club was searching for a project that would serve an unmet community need and also raise the profile of the organization. The time and the woman, or maybe women, came together at the opportune time. Norma enlisted Donna Sorenson to form a committee to select an appropriate project and from that selection and committee came the birth of Altrusa House. After the committee considered many opportunities, three possible projects were brought to the Club and from that list, an adult day health care facility was selected, albeit envisioned on a far less grand scale than it finally became. Donna was then selected to serve as the president of the Steering Committee and through her organizational abilities and “unique” position with the University of Florida, work and fundraising was underway! Norma was certainly the fairy godmother of Altrusa House.
Norma also served as Secretary to District Three during Freddie Dobson’s Governorship and as Freddie’s traveling companion and served on the Steering Committee and on the first Board of Trustees for Altrusa House. She worked diligently behind the scenes to keep track of the donors to Altrusa House which are now memorialized on the tree sculpture at Altrusa House and she continues to this day to be an Altrusan.
Professionally, Norma obtained a Master of Education degree at the University of Florida and her last position before retirement was teaching at Gainesville High School and serving as CBS Coordinator. Personally, Norma is married to Altrouser Jerome Hoffman, devoted mother of two sons and one daughter, long-time Altrusan Linda Henderson, and she is an active grandmother to her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Remembering Norma Hoffman
Norma can be best described as a “classy” lady. Always impeccably dressed, Norma was the very picture of calm graciousness. She pursued her life as a housewife, mother, grandmother and even great-grandmother with never-tiring purpose. Norma was known as a great cook and hostess, and she also used her same life traits in her professional life as a teacher.
Norma, Florida-born, married Jerome, her husband and partner of some 72 years, and early in their marriage earned a Ph.T. (a shortened and popular term at the time for “pushing hubby through” applied to women who assisted their husbands through college) when he attended U.F. Later in life she completed her own education, earning a Masters with Honors in Education also at U.F. Career-wise, she taught business and vocational skills at Gainesville High School and also coordinated the Competency-Based Education program known as CBE. Norma taught at least one of our current very active Altrusans, acting as her sponsor and mentor.
To our great fortune, Norma was an extremely active Altrusan, both on the local level and at the District Three level. She maintained her support and interest in Altrusa House until the end of her life. Details of her involvement with Altrusa and Altrusa House can be found in her earlier tribute in this book entitled “Honoring Norma Hoffman”.
Norma and Jerome produced three children: Linda Henderson, Jay, and Ervin (Keith), 9 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren to whom she was a loving and active “Nanny”. She inspired Linda and Linda’s husband, John, and their 3 sons with the same enthusiasm for Altrusa and Altrusa House that she and Jerome shared.
The term “a life well lived” can well be applied to Norma. She is missed by many.
Thankful for Altrusa Friendships
As I was contemplating to whom I wished to dedicate a brick in the Altrusa House Garden of Memories, I thought of how much Altrusa has meant to me and what in particular has made it so special. I love the quote that we frequently use when recruiting new members: “I joined for the service. I stayed for the friendships.” That is so true for me. I became an Altrusan as a way to contribute to the community, and our various service projects have been very rewarding and fulfilling. But, over the years, as I have worked on these projects, I have developed lasting friendships with absolutely wonderful people who have become a part of my life.
At no time did this become more clear to me than at the lowest time of my life – the sudden illness and death of my beloved husband, John. At the time of my deepest grief, I was surrounded by love and support from my Altrusa friends. At his memorial service, a number of our family members mentioned that so many of the people who came up to speak to them identified themselves as “an Altrusa friend of Marge.” I am blessed to have these wonderful friends, and it is to them that I pay tribute.
Remembering Bill Jones
Bill Jones, known as Prof. Jones to his students and formally as William H. Jones, PhD, was known primarily by Altrusans as the husband of Liz Jones. Bill was more than handy with woodworking and tools, a talent he put to good use working on the large and often prize-winning Altrusa sponsored State Fair exhibits which for some eight years our Altrusa Club was privileged to build as the official Alachua County Exhibit shown in Tampa at the annual State Fair. Bill not only lent his talents to the building of our rather elaborate exhibits, he also lent, along with Liz, the Jones garage for weeks on end for the construction of same and welcomed the Altrusans and Altrousers who worked on the project. Many Saturdays were spent there, followed by a companionable lunch at the Jones’ large dinner table.
Professionally, Bill was a Distinguished Chemistry professor at the University of Florida, teaching organic chemistry to countless undergraduates for 40 years, starting in 1956. Over the course of his career, Bill graduated more than 40 PhD students, served as chairman of the Chemistry Department and in 1989 was named the UF Teacher/Scholar of the year, the highest honor bestowed upon a faculty member at UF. He was most proud of his service on the Title IX committee in the 80’s and 90’s which was instrumental in the development of women’s sports programs at UF. He took great satisfaction in the work this committee accomplished, and relished hearing folks enthusiastically follow and discuss women’s sports teams in a town so traditionally focused on men’s sports. This work, promoting the advancement of women in sports, also dovetailed into one of the Principles of Altrusa, “Builder of Women”.
Personally, Bill was a devoted family man and husband of Liz for 66 years. Together they shared three children, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. They also shared 25 years after Bill’s retirement camping throughout the country, visiting almost all the national parks. Bill was an avid fisherman along with his love of woodworking.
Bill, an affable man, was truly a friend to all he met.
Honoring Mary S. Britt
Mary, a daughter of North Carolina in loyalty to her home state and in personality, was born in Mt. Olive, N.C. (yes, the home of the pickles). Mary was educated at Wake Forest, both her undergraduate and graduate degrees being in Medical Technology, and was employed as a professor at Duke University. Mary also served ably over the years in professional national organizations in her field. After a number of years at Duke, Mary was recruited by the University of Florida and served for a number of years as Head of the Med Tech program until that program was rather unceremoniously closed. Mary, in her life in Gainesville, was an energetic and effective volunteer (Altrusa president and one of the earliest supporters of Altrusa House) and as a result of her achievements as a volunteer, was invited by her church, the First Methodist Church of Gainesville, to become a member of their professional staff. Bringing her enthusiasm and personal skills into play, Mary worked for another four years before retiring finally although her hours of volunteer work for the church continues unabated to this day.
Mary served as president of Altrusa International of Gainesville in 1989-90 and through her organizational skills helped prepare our club for what would be necessary in the selection of our major project, Altrusa House, and what would be demanded of us in bringing the project to fruitage. A major contribution in the early days of organizing the birth of Altrusa House was Mary’s arrangement of a large meeting place for the very earliest planning. Through Mary, the First Methodist Church graciously offered their facilities for a number of working luncheons that accommodated a large gathering of Altrusans who were thus able to gather and plan our beginnings of Altrusa House.
Mary, for the remaining years of her membership in Altrusa, could always be counted on to do whatever was necessary, from garage sale work to promotion of Altrusa House to all with whom she came in touch. If Mary was asked or if an opportunity for service presented itself, it was accomplished!
Honoring Freddie Dobson
Freddie Dobson, more formally known as Winifred Dobson, is the epitome of the spirit of Altrusa. However, not every Altrusan can be known as the Energizer Bunny as Freddie is. Freddie lives and breathes Altrusa and inspires us all. About the only thing that Freddie is not is a charter member; however, as a member since 1963, she is close and has always served with grace and enthusiasm since that time. Freddie served as president of the local Altrusa Club in 1971-72 and continued to serve the club with such distinction that she was elected Governor of District Three in which position she traveled the four state District and represented our local club with the same enthusiasm and distinction that she had always shown.
Freddie is a local Alachua County daughter through and through. She was born and raised in Hawthorne, the fourth or fifth generation of Alachua County natives. She has always lived in Alachua County except for a relatively short stint in El Paso, Texas, where she moved to live with her aunt and uncle and attend school for further education after her graduation from high school. She returned to Hawthorne but seeing the opportunities a little better, moved to Gainesville in 1944. Freddie lived a fairly conventional life for the times, marrying her Tom and raising four children, two daughters and two sons. However, her independent spirit won out and she joined Tom as an insurance agent in his insurance agency, a fairly unconventional career at that time. She continued in the insurance business after Tom’s agency was sold to Cannon-Treewick and after Tom’s retirement. She promoted the insurance agent career for women, serving as president of a local group and also president of the Florida Association of Insurance Women.
Freddie was an important supporter in the establishment of Altrusa House, both financially and always being ready to work the garage sales or anything else she could think of to do to promote Altrusa House. Freddie always says that you don’t join Altrusa; you become an Altrusan—and that certainly is true for her. Altrusa is her love and she, in turn, is the inspiration for Altrusans for some 55 years or so and still counting!
Honoring Nancy Jo Hult
Nancy Jo Hult was born and grew up on a farm in Anna, Illinois. The farm is located at the end of the state near both the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. She enjoyed her chores on the farm and still enjoys visiting the family farm with her grandchildren.
Nancy followed in the footsteps of her Aunt Grace in pursuing a career in education. She graduated from Southern Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 1975. Her student teaching experience in Downers Grove, Illinois lead her to the suburbs of Chicago. Nancy was employed in Downers Grove, Homewood, and Frankfort, Illinois. She earned her Degree of Master’s in Arts of Teaching & Leadership from St. Xavier University in 1998. She continued her graduate studies at St. Xavier to earn her certification as a Reading Specialist in 2000. Nancy’s goal was to teach all grade levels so over her 34 years in Elementary Education, she experienced teaching first thru eighth grade students.
Upon retirement in 2009, Nancy and Al, her husband, relocated to Gainesville, Florida. She joined Altrusa International of Gainesville in 2010 and proceeded to work on the Literacy Committee with Stuff the Bus, Middle School Literacy Awards, and MADD. She organized and ran the collection site for Trading Closets from 2013 – 2017. Nancy continues to be an active member of Altrusa International.
Nancy decided in 2014, to join the Altrusa House Board of Trustees. She has been active in her volunteering at Altrusa House, working with the Veterans’ Oral History Project with Ray Jones, and hosting the FTD Support Group meetings with Charlie Sperrazza. She has served as Volunteer Coordinator, Vice-President, President, and Co-Treasurer for the Altrusa House Board. But her work with the Alachua Master Gardeners to develop beautiful gardens around Altrusa House in 2017 is a highlight. And, working with Barbara Scott and Lisa Renner in developing our Garden of Memories walkway is an ongoing project that honors and remembers individuals associated with Altrusa House. Nancy is truly honored to be associated with Altrusa House, the signature project of Altrusa International of Gainesville.
Honoring Ray Jones
Ray Jones was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1928. His university education was completed at Vanderbilt University. He spent over thirty years as a librarian at the University of Florida. Over time his responsibilities included Associate Head of Reference, Associate Head of Collection Management, and Bibliographer of the Social Sciences. The latter responsibility also involved working with major statistical data bases such as census and economic statistics. During this time, he traveled extensively and also worked for almost a year at the University of London.
After retiring, he volunteered in the Special Collections Department and the Latin American Collection of the University of Florida Libraries. In his late fifties he learned to play the flute and joined the Gainesville Community Band and the Gainesville Flute Ensemble. He was a member of the Dare Board which helped organize Altrusa House, and he served in a major committee and also on the Board of that organization. Ray helped establish the Veterans’ Oral History program at Altrusa House. He volunteered as an interviewer of 8 veterans. These interviews have been shared with their families, Samuel Proctor Oral History Project at University of Florida, and the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. He also was a member of the committee that organized the Institute for Learning in Retirement and has been active both as a presenter and Board member of that organization. In addition, he participated in the Literacy Program of the Alachua County Public Library System. Finally, he traveled extensively in Latin America, doing a project for AARP, and he also volunteered in the Museum of Natural History.
You Are Missed - Remembering Eva Louise Pringle
Eva Louise (“Eve”) Coletta Pringle, 97, passed away peacefully at Haven Hospice in Gainesville, Florida on October 20, 2020 with her son Gray at her side. While she slowly grew increasingly frail, she was in reasonably good health until a stroke in September. Previous mini strokes had caused memory loss, and for the last 5 years, she spent weekdays enjoying a variety of activities at Altrusa House, where she made many friends. Gray is grateful for the staff’s loving care.
Eva was proud of her Italian and French-Canadian heritage. She was hard-working, organized, self-confident, and feisty. She worked as a waitress well into her 70s at restaurants including the Elks Club, Pete Reynard’s, and Cafe on the Beach. She would tell others, “Get off your dead ass and get to work.” She managed the family’s finances. She was an avid gardener and working beside her led Gray to a career in horticulture. She believed that she could do anything. She did body work on her car and single handedly painted the exterior of the house multiple times. She was still mowing her own lawn in her 80s. She drank coffee constantly, and servers at her favorite restaurants knew it always had to be hot but not “too potent.” She voted only for Democrats.
Ms. Eva enjoyed the creative activities, games, trivia, movies, travel & outdoor activities. Her smile was contagious. But she loved to listen to the musical performances at Altrusa House. Frank Sinatra was her “buddy”. She knew the words to many songs and enjoyed singing along. She was always concerned with her hair and looking her best. Ms. Eva was frequently telling us to use “Common Sense.” She was always concerned that all staff and clients “Stay Busy.” Ms. Eva is greatly missed at Altrusa House.
Remembering Janet Rodel Lovingly
As a military wife, Janet Rodel spent many years absorbing different cultures and broadening her knowledge of the world and the diversity of its people. When she arrived in Gainesville, she wanted to share her experience and uncommon empathy with people in need of understanding and help. She found a special group of like-minded people…members of Altrusa International. They provided her with a place to share her irresistible personality and her deep and abiding concern for the well-being of others.
Janet was also generous with her many skills and knowledge. She served as the Treasurer of Altrusa International Gainesville for many years, where her expertise was especially valuable during the fund-raising efforts for Altrusa House. She believed in the necessity of such a facility in this community to provide support for clients with disabilities or special needs. Her passion stemmed from her experience when her mother suffered the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. She knew how important it was for care givers to have Altrusa House. She frequently stopped by to visit or lend help in any way needed.
Janet lifted the spirits of the staff and clients who frequented Altrusa House through her combination of human gifts – her warmth, her generosity of spirit, and her infectious upbeat personality. Janet was also a member of the Sunshine Clowns and spent many fun hours entertaining at Altrusa House as “Flaky” the clown, bringing laughter and cheer to all.
She loved the variety of projects Altrusa International supported for children and adults – Stuff the Bus, Literacy visits to schools, Trading Closets, International Events — because each event allowed her to benefit various community members and share herself. She was the epitome of an altruistic Altrusan.
Joyce McCallum (1929-2020)
Joyce McCallum, a long-time and beloved Altrusan, was a native of Alachua County, born in 1929 at Alachua General Hospital, and she resided in Alachua County until her passing in 2020. She joined Altrusa in 1974 and was a willing volunteer for all of her 46 years of membership.
Joyce was known by her Altrusan sisters as the epitome of fashion and she always dressed in high fashion, complete with high heels, to perhaps the envy of some who gave up their heels for sensible flats as they aged. Not our Joyce!
Joyce brought her sense of fashion to her many, many hours of volunteer work in the preparation for our Trading Closets major fundraiser. She not only spent many hours sorting and pricing the stacks of clothing to be offered for sale, but she also had an unfailing eye for identifying the unusual and the proper pricing for same.
Joyce’s professional career was spent at the Gainesville Sun, beginning work there in 1949 until her retirement in 2000 as an Advertising Sales Executive. She always considered the staff there as her second family. Her first family, her daughter and son, two grandchildren and one great grandchild were of great importance to her.
Joyce loved to travel and enjoyed many trips and cruises. Perhaps her trips to New York were instrumental in her love of fashion and knowledge of same. She will be missed as will her unmatched knowledge in fashion.
Honoring Ann Bromley Charter Member
Dr. Ann Bromley was a charter member of the Gainesville Altrusa Club when it was initially organized in 1958, a past president (1962-63), and among many other Altrusa accomplishments, provided leadership to establish the endowed Altrusa-Santa Fe College Scholarship Program for women over the traditional college age.
Ann attended the State University of New York and Northwestern University where she earned her doctorate degree in psychology and student personnel services. Ann moved to Gainesville with her husband Ralph Eastwood in 1957 and they had two sons. She joined Santa Fe College in 1966 and served with distinction until her retirement in 1992.
Ann was an inspiring and impactful leader for women on the local and national level and was recognized as one of the early builders at Santa Fe College. She was one of the first female administrators at Santa Fe and among other accomplishments, developed training and re-entry programs for women, including the Displaced Homemaker Program which became state, regional and national models. Ann was a past president of the National Association for Women in Education and was the first woman from Florida and from a community college to hold that position. Ann was an organizer and first chairwoman of the Gainesville Commission on the Status of Women, and a co-founder of the Gainesville Area Women’s Network. Ann’s community involvement also included service on the boards of the Girl’s Place, United Way, the North Florida Regional Planning Council, past treasurer of the Florida Psychological Association, and as a member of the steering committee for Project Independence, which was a program to assist sing parents with finding employment. She received numerous awards in recognition and appreciation for her service and contributions including Woman of the Year from the Gainesville Commission on the Status of Women, the Susan B. Anthony Award, and Woman of Distinction. The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners proclaimed “Dr. Ann Bromley Appreciation Day” in September 1992 as she retired from Santa Fe College.
Ann was a visionary leader and her pioneering spirit created multiple avenues to assist women over the traditional college age in their pursuit of higher education. Ann left a legacy of service and contributions to our community that have greatly assisted women from all walks of life obtain a better life for themselves and their families. She was formidable in her leadership and expansive in her vision and made a difference in the lives of thousands of women and their families in Alachua and Bradford Counties and beyond.
Dr. Ann Bromley was the personification of one of the precepts of Altrusa,” a builder of women”.
Wuni Ryschkewitsch (1925-2020)
Wuni was a loyal Altrusan for many years. She added flavor to our Club with her charming German accent that she brought with her from her native Germany where she was raised from the time of her birth in 1925 until she migrated to the United States in 1947, which obviously meant that she lived in Germany all during World War II. Wuni was the oldest of five children and embraced the responsibilities that oldest children bear especially in times of crisis like living through a war. She and her siblings forged strong bonds of love and unity throughout their lives because of their shared experiences/history. Wuni came to the United States in 1947 with her family as part of “Operation Paperclip” in which the U.S. government brought German scientists to share in their expertise in a variety of fields. Wuni’s father was an automobile scientist. Wuni met her George shortly after coming to this country, married him in 1950 and they enjoyed 63 years of productive life and adventure.
Wuni and George moved to Gainesville with their two sons in 1956 and added a daughter after that which completed their family. Wuni was a coordinator of the Clinical Laboration at Shands and handled the coordination of the College of Pathology both in the Florida and in the U.S. certification program and husband, George was a professor in the UF Department of Chemistry.
Wuni was a lifelong member of the League of Women Voters and took part in many naturalization ceremonies. She said it was one of the most significant activities she could participate in, since she understood intimately what it was to choose to be a U.S. citizen. The Altrusa Club was also dear to her heart. She enjoyed the camaraderie and fellowship with she shared with people devoted to the improvement of women. Wuni organized the Octoberfest that was held at Altrusa House each year until it became so popular that it morphed into the annual International Dinner and outgrew that venue.
In 1968 Wuni learned to scuba dive and joined her family in enthusiastic enjoyment of the sport. She and Geore joined the Barnacle Busters Dive and she remained a member until her death. George and Wuni were both avid ocean divers and cave divers and continued to dive until 2012. They dove over the Caribbean, coastal Latin America, the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the Pacific. As a result of these adventures Wuni wrote and published her book, “When Sex Was Safe and Diving Was Dangerous.” Wuni continued diving in local springs long after she could be considered an “old woman”.
Wuni’s passion for nature and community came together in neighborhood activism when she joined the Sugarfoot Community Improvement Association efforts to preserve ten acres of land as a park in the name of long-time friend and resident, John Mahon, to establish the John Mahon Nature Park.
Wuni added much to our community with her activism and her enthusiasm for nature; thus a well-earned place of honor in the Garden of Memories at Altrusa House.
Remembering Mary Lou Eitzman
“Love is the reality in our world, always flexible to be whatever we need.”
This clearly describes Mary Lou Eitzman’s approach to life. She lived a full life, one that she gave herself fully into, showing love and generosity to all she met. Mary Lou died on January 17th, 2021. She died while holding the hand of her husband of 65 years, Don Eitzman.
Born in 1931, Mary Lou spent her early childhood with her mother and sister in Norton, Kansas. Her mother was a school teacher who raised her two girls during the height of the Great Depression. Mary Lou’s mother understood the value of education and providing everyone with a chance in life, a quality she passed on to Mary Lou. After finishing high school in Stuart, Iowa, Mary Lou enrolled in the first class of the four-year nursing program at the University of Iowa. She graduated and started working as a nurse, beginning her life-long dedication to helping others. Working as a nurse at the University of Iowa hospital she met her future husband, who was a medical student at the time. They married within the year, and moved to Minneapolis. With her husband a poorly-paid medical resident, she supported the family (which soon included a son) with her nursing income. Within two years of the birth of their first child the young couple moved to Dallas (with the birth of a daughter) and then finally settled in Gainesville, Florida in 1958.
In Gainesville Mary Lou lived a busy life, raising five children and volunteering in a wide range of activities in the community. Her volunteering began with her membership in the medical auxiliary at Shands Hospital in the 1960’s and continued throughout the rest of her life. In the 1980’s Mary Lou and her husband, Don, served as medical missionaries in Taiwan for two years. After their return to Gainesville, Mary Lou connected with Haven Hospice, a non-profit provider of care for people with terminal medical conditions. Mary Lou was a mentor and partner as they developed and grew Hospice of North Central Florida. Mary Lou’s influence was immeasurable in generating volunteer engagement and growing the volunteer ranks. She could be counted on to bring the voice of the volunteers to all discussions. Mary Lou made an indelible mark on Haven Hospice over the course of her 45 years of volunteer service. Haven will continue to honor outstanding volunteers with the award titled “The Mary Lou Eitzman Volunteer of the Year.”
Later she became involved in the Haven Hospice Resale Center and also worked regularly as a reading tutor in the Gainesville Women’s Prison. Also, she advocated for funding and support of Altrusa House. Mary Lou continued her active volunteer work into her 80’s, a testament to her belief that that love should be shared with everyone.
Alongside her contributions to the people and communities she served in Gainesville, she was a prolific artist. To this day, her family and friends cherish the hand-painted Christmas and birthday cards that Mary Lou lovingly created.
Mary Evan Weber (1947-2020)
Evan, as she preferred to be called, became an Altrusan in 2000 and remained an involved member until 2014 when her early-onset Alzheimer’s necessitated her daughter moving her to Charlotte, N.C. She lived each day with joy, optimism and good humor.
While small in stature, Evan was a force in nature! She served as Secretary on the Board of Directors of our Altrusa Club as well as being instrumental in helping set up the club’s Foundation, of which she was the Treasurer. Evan was voted Altrusan of the Year in 2003.
Evan is vividly remembered for her involvement with Trading Closets. First using her Blackberry, then a Mac, she constantly pulled up information on donated items. At the Trading Closets worksite, she kept everyone current and informed about fashion. She knew, and let everyone else know, what constituted designer clothing and what was good enough to make it into the boutique. It was a running joke that shoulder pads always had to be cut out of jackets, blouses and dresses at her direction. She was always teaching and provided laughter and warmth in the cold warehouse.
Our Altrusa Club gave Evan a send-off at a lunch meeting, and she was later awarded Emeritus status.
Her contributions to our club cannot be overstated. She was smart, energetic, caring and unafraid of expressing her opinions.
She is sorely missed.
Remembering Richard Phillips
Dick (Richard Allen) Phillips, husband of Altrusan Marilyn Mitchell, was born February 4th, 1940 in San Fernando, CA. He remained there until joining the Army. Dick served as an MP for four years. Upon leaving the army as a sergeant, he moved to Lompoc, CA where he was a city police officer. Then, Dick moved to San Jose, CA and remained in law enforcement.
Marilyn and Dick met in 1974 and married in 1979. They continued living in San Jose until their retirement in 2004. After much traveling and research, they chose Gainesville, FL as our retirement destination. Here they enjoyed traveling both nationally and internationally. Dick particularly liked taking a relaxing cruise from time-to-time. At home in Gainesville, Dick & Marilyn enjoyed fishing, golfing, gardening – all the normal retirement activities. But, they particularly enjoyed meeting wonderful people and making new friends. Moving cross-country to a new community, without knowing a single-soul, was an adventure they enjoyed and are grateful to have had. Dick was a good, kind, and brave man. He will always be missed.
Marilyn joined Altrusa, when invited, in 2006. Like all Altrusans, she contributes to all our activities benefiting our community and world. She served as Chair of the International Relations Committee, as Altrusa Club Treasurer, and because of her family obligations of late is serving as Gainesville Altrusa Foundation Treasurer.
Remembering Trevor Yocum
Trevor completed his Geomatics BS at the University of Florida. He worked mainly with the design, installation, calibration, and support of high-accuracy guidance for marine construction applications.
In 2005, Trevor Yocum was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout. This marked four generations of Eagle Scouts for the Yocum family. His father earned the rank in 1972, grandfather in 1943, and great-grandfather in 1916. Only one other family has achieved this honor in the history of the Boy Scouts of America.
Trevor’s mother, Kimberly Browne, has served on the Altrusa House Board of Trustees as President, Treasurer, and Secretary. Trevor was a beloved husband, father, son, uncle, nephew, cousin, and friend. Anyone who was lucky enough to meet and know Trevor can attest to his kindness, generosity, and love for his family and friends. His wife, Stephanie, and his son, Jackson, were the center of his world.
Honoring Susan Davis-McCarter
When you approach the front door of Altrusa House, you will notice a plaque set in the wall to the right which tells you that our building was built by Wallace Construction and was designed by D- MC2. D- MC2 is the company behind the architecture and design of Altrusa House and is the company co-owned and co-operated by our own Susan Davis-McCarter and her husband, Robert who was at that time Director of the UF School of Architecture. Susan was an enthusiastic Altrusan and designed and supervised the construction of Altrusa House pro bono. Without the hard work of Susan it is entirely possible that our House might not exist.
Susan received her Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture from North Carolina State University, Cum Laude. She came to Gainesville as a “trailing spouse,” which explains her choice of professional work in a private company. Her work took her to many parts of the State, and we were so very fortunate that she added Altrusa House to her work load. To date, Susan’s work includes all aspects of planning, design, and construction supervision of commercial office, educational/institutional, healthcare, laboratory design, hospitality, municipal/government, parking structures and residential/housing. She currently lives in St. Louis, MO, and is privately employed by the firm of Tao and Lee Associates, Inc. in her chosen field.
Personally, Susan is the very proud mother of Katie who was just a youngster when Susan lived in Gainesville. Susan’s special love was travel to destinations local and abroad which has given her the opportunity to understand how architecture, spaces, and the environment impact the culture of the inhabitants. Susan and husband, Robert lived in Rome, Italy for 9 months and they drove through every country between Finland, Spain and Greece. She says it informs how she practices architecture and work with her clients.
Quoting from Susan: “I miss the landscape and springs around Gainesville but the thing I miss the most are the people, especially my Altrusa friends. It was a pleasure to work on various committees and endeavors with women who were smart, interesting, and really knew how to get things done. It was an honor to be the architect for Altrusa House. The Altrusa club was one of my best clients. The depth of knowledge shared with me on adult health day care was invaluable and the collaboration between all parties is something I remember with fondness and gratitude. Seeing the guests and staff going about their daily routines in the beautiful garden setting has been such a gift to me.”
Susan was a gift to us. She combined her talent and hard work with grace and enthusiasm and it was a pleasure for all of us to know her. Susan served on the original Altrusa House Board of Trustees and her knowledge which she willingly shared was a very important ingredient in the success of the building and operation of Altrusa House.
Remembering William C. Andrews
William (Bill) Andrews was a member of the first Altrusa House Board of Trustees and lent his legal expertise and his prestige as a former member of the Florida House of Representatives to our initial Board.
Bill was a native Floridian, a graduate of the University of Florida Law School and a long time resident of Gainesville, from the time that he and his wife, Dodie moved here when Bill began his attendance at U.F. until his passing in 2021, living away only for the few years that he served in the United States Army. Upon his discharge from in Army in 1959, he joined the law firm of James C. Adkins, Jr. in Gainesville and later was associated in the practice of law with Jack Lowry, Steve Lewalien, Phil Delaney until Andrews and Delaney merged with Scruggs & Carmichael, P.A., a group known locally for its connection to many historical cases and individuals.
Bill was a member of Florida Blue Key during his sojourn at the Law School, served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1966 until 1978 and served, in addition to Altrusa House, many community and State organizations. Thus, we proudly welcomed him to our first Altrusa House Board of Trustees to which he brought diversity to our almost all female board as well as his well known local reputation. Bill was always available with his good legal advice and his willingness to assist.
Honoring the Altrusans of the Year
In 1995, the Altrusa Club instituted an Altrusan of the Year Award. This award, voted on by the members of the club, is presented to the Altrusan of the Gainesville club whose unselfish involvement has led the club to new heights.
This award is the club’s highest honor and is a tribute to that Altrusan’s dedication, leadership, involvement and accomplishments during the previously listed year of club activities.
To further honor those members of the Altrusa Club who are listed below, the Board of Altrusa International of Gainesville, Inc. voted to place an engraved brick in the Altrusa House Garden of Memories in 2021 and this document in the Tribute Book will be updated as each new Altrusan of the Year is selected.
1995 Donna Sorensen
1996 Donna Johnson
1997 Barbara Scott
1998 Justine Vaughen
1999 Elaine Muther
2000 Catherine Boyett
2001 Alise Moss Vetica
2002 Carolyn Morgan
2003 Mary Evan Weber
2004 Marge Baker
2005 Marina Cecchini
2006 Nancy Kirkland
2007 Angela Perry
2008 Catherine Ketcham
2009 Micky McMillan
2010 Renee Buchanan
2011 Sara Freeborn
2012 Myra Morgan
2013 Nancy Hult
2014 Kim Pace
2015 Kim Pace
2016 Kimberly Browne, Myra Morgan
2017 Leah Gibbs
2018 Marge Baker, Nancy Hult, Fran Vandiver
2019 Amy Brown
2020 Carolyn Harrell
2021 Dee Dugger
Honoring Donna Sorensen
In the beginning—if Justine Vaughen had the vision, Donna Sorensen supplied the sparkplug. Thus, Altrusa House was born. Donna brought her enthusiasm, organizational skills and her position as the wife of the Provost of U.F., Andrew Sorensen, which put altogether, culminated in what became Altrusa House. No detail was too small or too big for Donna. Or for that matter too undignified including donning a chicken costume and prancing around the front of Westside Park to call attention to one of our first big fundraising events, a chicken dinner, for an adult day health care center which did not yet bare the name Altrusa House. Whatever the event or whatever work was needed, Donna was always there and Andrew shared equally in her enthusiasm for Altrusa House and was very helpful in all that Donna did.
From the early days of our search for a few rooms to rent, to our decision to build a freestanding facility, to the search for a proper location for our building, Donna was always there.
Donna’s educational background included a B.A. in Chemistry from Wheaton College, MA, a M.A.T. Chemistry from Wesleyan University, Connecticut, and an M.S. Nutrition from Cornell University, N.Y. Her professional background included Chemist Polaroid Corp., a chemistry teacher and a dietitian. She was employed as a dietitian during her sojourn in Gainesville.
In Donna’s words, “I was married to Andrew for 42 wonderful years during which we had the privilege of being on many wonderful university campuses. It was this nomadic academic life which brought us to the University of Florida and me to Altrusa. Marilyn Nye was the realtor who helped us find a house and who brought me to my first Altrusa meeting. I immediately knew I was with the most impressive group of women I had ever met. My involvement with Altrusa and Altrusa House and the friendships made defined my 6 years in Gainesville.”
Also from Donna: “Working on the Altrusa House Project with so many people willing to give so much of their time and resources was inspirational and transformative. I am so grateful to have been a part of it.”
Donna has the honor of being the first recipient of the Altrusan of the Year Award and it was a well deserved honor.
Donna and Andrew were parents to two sons, Aaron and Benjamin, and had five grandchildren.
It was with much regret that we saw the Sorensens leave Gainesville—Andrew to become the president of the University of Alabama and then the president of the University of South Carolina and Donna to become the First Lady of the two institutions. However, she left us with a great project to continue and an example of what good organization and much enthusiasm could accomplish.
Remembering Alma Warren
Alma was a faithful Altrusan, attending regularly usually accompanied by her long-time friend, Emily King. Both Alma and Emily were home economists and had a long-time professional and personal association. According to Emily, Alma in her youth was “a real knockout”.
Alma’s historical claim to fame was on the State level as she served for several years as the First Lady of Florida for her bachelor brother, Governor Fuller Warren. Alma carried on all the hosting and official duties that position demanded until her brother Fuller married several years into his term and with her charm and educational background, we can be assured that those duties were well done.
Remembering Esther Morgan
Esther Morgan was steeped in politics in a political family in North Carolina, but eschewed that lifestyle to come to Florida where she spent 52 years as a classroom teacher and education professor at the University of Florida.
Back in the 1950’s she founded the first class for handicapped children in Daytona Beach which became a national model. She was a Charter Member of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International and was a recipient of the Gainesville Woman of Distinction Award. Esther was a much-loved and respected professor in the College of Education and retired with Emeritus status.
Esther was President of the Woman’s Club of Gainesville and was President of the Gainesville Altrusa Club from 1980-1981, during which time our club received the Mamie L. Bass Award for the Camp Crystal project.
Esther is credited with ‘Saving Camp Crystal’, a facility owned by the Alachua County School Board dedicated to camping and outdoor activities, which was threatened with closure due to lack of funding. She spearheaded a Coalition of Gainesville Citizens and our Altrusa Club to form a group called ‘Save Camp Crystal’. Freddie Dobson says, ‘She personally attended other meetings of clubs, churches, schools, City and County meetings and urged them to join forces to prevent the sale of Camp Crystal. Hers was the voice that kept the public aware of the value of Camp Crystal as a natural resource’. She frequently travelled with Freddie on Freddie’s official visits as Governor of District Three and loved to visit her family in North Carolina. And it was during this time that our Altrusa Club started providing trunks with items needed for campers who were not able to provide them for themselves. A cabin in Camp Crystal was dedicated to her in 2003.
Esther Morgan contributed much to education in Florida, our local community and above all, our Altrusa Club.
Remembering Clara Gehan
Remembering John Henderson
John, Linda and their three sons, Jed, Doug and Stanley were a “package deal”. If there was work to be done, whether it was the huge garage sales that provided most of the funding for Altrusa House or the State Fair Committees or so many other things over the years, they were always not only there but in the forefront.
John, a professional engineer, was a skilled and eager worker along with Linda and the boys for many, many years. Stanley was inducted into the Henderson crew when he was merely a “babe in arms” and all the boys literally grew up in service to Altrusa and Altrusa House. After Altrusa House was built, it is doubtful that any work party at Altrusa House occurred without the Henderson family’s participation in the early years. To name only one, but certainly a fairly unusual activity, John, Linda and a large group of cyclists could regularly be seen roaring up to Altrusa House on their giant motorcycles, completing their fundraising drives to benefit the House.
John passed away only a short time after Linda’s untimely death and is remembered by their many friends with an engraved brick in the Garden of Memories, next to the well-deserved tributes to Linda in memory of her varied and many services to Altrusa and Altrusa House.
Remembering Donald Ecklund
Donald attended Altrusa House. He was a Veteran and served his country proudly. Originally, from Minnesota, he enjoyed telling stories about growing up on the farm. Donald was a big help to the staff of Altrusa House. He enjoyed helping with clean up after lunch or crafts.
Donald really loved the outdoors. At Altrusa House, he loved going for walks in the garden, and he loved just sitting outside and enjoying the gardens.
Honoring Fran Vandiver
Fran brought her enthusiasm and organizational skills to Altrusa and then to Altrusa House in 2011, shortly after retirement from her last professional job, Director of P. K. Yonge Developmental Research School at the University of Florida. While at PKY Fran also taught graduate courses in the College of Education at UF for 13 years.
To reference Fran’s enthusiasm and organizational skills she used in her efforts for Altrusa and Altrusa House is putting it rather mildly. Fran, in service to the Altrusa Club, as a member of the International Committee, co-chaired the International Dinners and served as coordinator for the ESOL partnership with Santa Fe College. She also coordinated the reading program at Meadowbrook Elementary School and numerous other activities including running the annual Wreath Sale for Altrusa, the proceeds of which benefit Altrusa House. About Altrusa, Fran states “After joining Altrusa I quickly learned that Altrusan are focused on what they can do in the community. Working within the Altrusa committee framework makes participating fun and rewarding.”
However, Fran’s primary service centered on Altrusa House. To quote Fran, “The first time I visited Altrusa House, I was so impressed with the facility, the grounds, and professional care that was provided. I knew right then that I wanted to support this important and vital service that the Altrusa Club of Gainesville created.” Fran went on to serve three terms as Chair of the Altrusa House Board of Trustees. Under her leadership, the 60/20 Celebration (60thanniversary for Altrusa of Gainesville and 20th anniversary of Altrusa House) was a resounding success, both in fundraising and raising awareness of Altrusa House in the community. With the profits from that celebration, Fran supervised the enclosing of one of the screened porches at the House, a space that provides year-round comfort for the clients of Altrusa House.
Not content to rest on her past laurels, Fran took on the supervision of numerous projects concerning the maintenance of the property and continues to serve as official Liaison to Easter Seals, the long-time manager of the program at Altrusa House.
Fran is a product almost exclusively of the education system of the State of Florida, being a graduate of St. Petersburg High School and receiving all her college degrees from Florida institutions, including graduating cum laude from UF. The only exception was her master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, N.C. Fran’s final degree was from the University of Miami, an EdD in Educational Leadership.
Professionally, Fran followed the same pattern, teaching or being principal of numerous educational facilities throughout the State. The only exception to this was when she taught at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C. while husband Vernon attended and received his Ph.D. at N.C. State.
Fran set an interesting example in her personal life; she has a twin sister and also is the grandmother to twin girls. Married for 53 years before his recent death, she and Vernon had one son and three grandchildren, including the twins. After meeting at UF, Fran and Vernon became avid Gator fans and they travelled to every SEC football stadium to see the Gators play and to visit the local communities (some more hospitable than others!). Of course, Fran being Fran, she became involved with the Gator Town Gators and she served for over twenty years in many capacities, including club president. Obviously, Fran brings her enthusiasm to everything that she touches.
Earliest Donors To Altrusa House
These donors are the ones shown on the lovely carved tree displayed on the wall of the foyer of Altrusa House.
These include the Altrusans that participated in the pledge drive conducted at the Altrusa Club at the birth of Altrusa House and individual community members and organizations that contributed so much to the building of the beautiful building of which we are so very proud.
Every disc, the symbol of a leaf on the tree, represents a donation ranging from One Hundred to Five Thousand dollars. Please note there are lots of little discs! Unfortunately, some of the discs have faded over the years and cannot be read but our appreciation of these donors will certainly not fade nor the good their donations accomplished.
The area symbolizing the roots of the tree recognizes cash donations, materials or services valued at Ten Thousand dollars or more. Our generous individuals listed are: Tom and Winifred Dobson, Drs. R. M. Fry and Justine Vaughen, Paul and Polly Doughty, and Mr. and Mrs. Chun Yan Li, who donated the building in Hawthorne which we were able to sell for Twenty-five Thousand dollars.
Foremost in services are Altrusan Susan Davis-McCarter and Robert McCarter, the architects who designed Altrusa House pro bono. Susan also expertly carried out all the necessary details of the supervision of the construction of our House.
The organizations listed include the City of Gainesville who gave us the property on which we built, Altrusa International of Gainesville, who’s various committees and other activities contributed so much (this was in addition to the massive garage sales), Butler Enterprises, Shands Hospital, the Gainesville Woman’s Club, the Rotary of Gainesville Foundation ($25,000 from the proceeds of their Wild Game Feast), Belk, Inc., AvMed, Inc., Janirve Foundation and finally, the Dept. of Transportation of the State of Florida.
So much help from so many! That was and is the secret of the success of Altrusa House for which we and the past, present, and future clients are so grateful.
Honoring Altrusa House Gardens
The Gardens at Altrusa House continue to grow and improve. Two new gardens have been added to our award-winning gardens. We have added the front garden to enhance the entrance to our building. Also, we added a Muhly Grass Garden to enhance the back of our garden. Both gardens were made possible with donations in honor of Lee & Martha Johnson and
Grace & Elmer Clark.
Lee and Martha were part the original founders and volunteers at Altrusa House. It was a labor of love for Lee & Martha. Altrusa House was their most rewarding project. Lee served as Secretary on the Board of Trustees and remained a member of the Board. His knowledge of history and dedication to Altrusa House was instrumental in the success of Altrusa House.
Grace and Elmer Clark were friends of Lee & Martha, when Grace needed care for her husband, Elmer. Altrusa House was open and provided care for Elmer. In 2003, Grace was awarded the Outstanding Caregiver Award by Easter Seals Altrusa House for her love and commitment to her husband’s care. This award was greatly treasured by Grace.
As our gardens continue to grow, it is important to remember the garden is truly a work of love and reflects the love that is shown to all who benefit from the caring support of all who enter
Altrusa House!
Remembering Vernon Vandiver
Vernon Victor Vandiver, Jr., long time husband of our own Fran Vandiver, shared many things with her. Vernon was a native of Florida, having been born in Miami. His early life with his family was spent in Ochopee, FL. You can’t get much more “native” than that which allowed him to lay claim to being a son of the Everglades. Vernon was very proud of growing up in the Everglades and his childhood friends remained his friends for life. He attended school in Everglades and graduated from Everglades High School in 1961.
In addition to his life career as a scientist and educator, Vernon also served many years in the Air Force, commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in 1965, he served four years of active duty in such diverse places as Fortuna AFS, North Dakota and Takaoyama, Japan. Of course, as you would suspect, the native son also served at Tyndall AFB, Panama City, Florida. After his time on active duty, he served for many years in the USAF Reserve and was presented with the Legion of Merit upon his retirement as a Colonel in 1997.
Again, continuing to share many goals with Fran, he spent many years pursuing his education. Vernon received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida early on and his educational pursuit was capped with a Ph.D. from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC.
Vernon was the first aquatic weed specialist hired by UF in 1975 and worked with IFAS for 28 years. His work extended throughout the state of Florida and beyond and he was recognized as an expert in his field. He served as president of the state of Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society and received the Max C. McCowen Friendship Honor from the national society in 2012.
Vernon and Fran had one son, Scott, one grandson, Jeffrey, and twin granddaughters, Erin and Ashley. Vernon’s favorite times were spent with these wonderful grandkids – taking them fishing, attending their games or just “hanging out”.
Continuing the sharing theme in their life, Vernon was an avid Gator fan and he and Fran traveled the country following the Gator teams. Obviously, a productive and interesting life shared happily with Fran for 53 years.
Honoring Sara Freeborn
Sara Freeborn, who lived the best of several worlds, brings so much to Attrusa. She grew up in Chautauqua, a small rural town in western New York, and graduated high school in a class of 35. For nine weeks in the summer though, her small town on a lake became a bustling cultural, educational, recreational festival center where she enjoyed world-class music, theater, opera, and lectures. Sara has a French brother in addition to her birth brother and sister as her parents were active in the AFS foreign student exchange program. PTA and community affairs also filled their lives, and her father was a volunteer fireman. She grew from strong roots in that little town.
She graduated from Cornell with a major in design, and with a friend, moved to Gainesville in 1980. She got a job in Interior Decorating and in 1996 joined former colleagues in their new design/decorating business until they all retired, at which time Sara began freelancing.
In 2007, Sara became an Altrusan and from her background it is clear to see why she has such a winning personality and why she makes everything around her beautiful. For example, one February she adorned the leafless Altrusa tree at the Cade Center with hand designed heart boxes for the dedication ceremony. She was the impetus for our tradition of decorating the luncheon meeting tables when she first brought vases of greenery from her yard. Since then, she has made beautiful centerpieces for our holiday luncheon and inspired other members to carry on providing centerpieces. She plans and carries out creative initiation ceremonies- She has overseen preparation of countless silent auction gift baskets as her living room became both storage and production venues for weeks on end— all this and more with support from her Altrouser husband, Rick.
But that’s not all. Within two years after becoming an Altrusan, Sara was co-chairing the major fundraiser, Trading Closets, which she did for two years. She soon joined the Altrusa Club board and was club vice-president for two years and president for another two years. She is again our VP for 2023-24. She also joined the Altrusa House Board of Directors and served two terms as president (2020-2022). Altrusa House is dear to her heart, and she continues to help keep it thriving by overseeing major renovations of the kitchen and updating appliances.
Sara was chosen Altrusan of the Year twice, once in relation to her work with Trading Closets and recently because of launching on-line silent auctions which we want to use more for our fundraising. Additionally, she is mentoring the incoming president with incredible skill and patience. Sara Freeborn, with her soft and skillful touch, is one of those women we want around everybody and everything we do.
Remembering Robert Schnurman
Robert Schnurman was born in Long Island, New York. He was the second eldest of seven children. Bob was an extraordinary husband, father, brother, and friend. Bob never met a stranger. He was a compassionate person, always going out of his way to help others. Bob was well liked and loved to tell jokes. He was the first to laugh at them. It was infectious and made you want to laugh with him.
He started his career in construction as a college student doing iron work on apartment buildings in New York City. When he moved to Florida, he became a principal owner and vice president of the company he retired from. He was successful in his career and enjoyed working with a staff that became friends. His easy demeanor, good nature and kindness made him an easy person to like. When he retired, he had more time to play golf, a hobby he had all his life.
Bob attended Altrusa House of Gainesville in 2019-2020. He is remembered for making a huge impact in the staff lives and in the lives of his friends he made at Altrusa House.
Bob was a warm and gracious gentleman and is greatly loved and missed by his wife, children, family, & friends.
Honoring Howard Purdy's 100th Birthday!
WORLD WAR II VETERAN MARKS 100TH BIRTHDAY
AT ALTRUSA HOUSE
Memorial Day, May 29, 2023, was a big day for the Purdy family.
Memorial Day, May 29th was a national holiday, but it is also the day family patriarch Howard Purdy turned 100 years old.
He joined the Navy during World War II from 1942 to 1945, serving as a machinist and earning the rank of Machinist First Class, before being honorably discharged.
Multiple celebrations were enjoyed for this four-generation household; a family gathering with children, grandchildren and even some great grandchildren were held to celebrate this important birthday.
On this occasion. Altrusa House where Howard Purdy attends most days, hosted a big celebration. Altrusa House staff paid tribute to Mr. Howard by honoring him with a bulletin board that highlighted pictures of him from throughout his life. Also, images of Mr. Howard taking part in Altrusa House activities.
At Altrusa House, one of Howard’s favorite places to spend time is in the attached garden with its gazebo and plaque honoring veterans, though he’s a little scarcer now because it is “too hot.”
Altrusa House celebrated Mr. Howard’s 100 years with a birthday celebration on Tuesday, August 30th. Mr. Howard’s family and friends celebrated and enjoyed a delicious meal, fellowship, and Birthday Cake!!!
Remembering Maurine Reinhard
The Altrusa House clients’ memories are an important part of our growth as an Adult Day Health Care Facility. Maurine Reinhard received an engraved stone in our Garden of Memories Walkway. Her memory lives on with us.
In Memory of Janet Rodel A WOW Sister
Elaine Muther (1944-2020)
In Memory of Elaine Muther Best Mimi Ever
Remembering Troy Johnson
Remembering Mark Houghtaling
Honoring Lisa Renner
Elisabeth (Lisa) Renner was born and grew up in Sidcup, Kent, England, now part of Greater London.
She studied physiotherapy (physical therapy) at The London Hospital School of Physiotherapy, and after working at hospitals in London for a couple of years, decided to immigrate to America and seek her fortune. (She’s still seeking it!)
After a 10-day trip across the Atlantic in an old leaky Greek ship, she finally landed in AMERICA, first in Halifax, Nova Scotia, then a day later in New York on a cold, wet and dreary day in March 1957. She was met by her friend and sponsor, Leslie Burden, and then stayed for a few days at her friend’s in-laws’ Fifth Avenue apartment, overlooking Central Park. She had arrived – this was going to be her lifestyle in the States. How misguided she was! She then moved to her friend’s home in Washington, D.C., the city where she met her husband, Dick, through community theater.
After marrying in 1958, Lisa and Dick moved to State College, PA, where Dick was to teach at Penn State University. This is where her children, Lisanne, Russell and Randall, were born.
Then the big move to Gainesville in 1965. Lisa continued working as a physical therapist, and in the 1970s became a founding employee of North Florida Hospital (North Florida Regional Medical Center today), where she was Director of Rehabilitation Services. She continued working there, developing various programs, until she retired in 2000.
Lisa has been involved in theatre, from London to Washington D.C. to Gainesville. Her initial role in elementary school was Toad in “Toad of Toad Hall,” culminating with her swan song, a play about Sherlock Holmes at The Acrosstown Repertory Theatre in 2014.
Lisa greatly enjoyed visiting schools and universities with Dick in numerous countries, mainly in Latin America. They made many international friends, and foreign families often joined them for Christmas and other events.
An important event in Lisa’s life occurred in 1997, when she became a naturalized U.S. citizen. She was joined by her family and Altrusans at the Alachua County Courthouse. This was an especially meaningful occasion because Altrusans always participate in that monthly event.
And now — ALTRUSA. Lisa became an Altrusan in 1987, and later served two terms as President of the Gainesville Altrusa Club. She has been with Altrusa House since its inception and continues to experience great joy at the positive development and care the House provides, with the Garden of Memories being the most recent worthy addition.
Honoring Barbara Scott
Barbara Scott lived a traditional life as any women did that came of age in the 50’s. She married right out of high school, had four children, and stayed home to raise them. However, she determined to get an education, albeit starting late, and attended Miami-Dade Junior College with three of her four children, went on to get her BBA at Florida International University with two of them and received her MS from Nova University.
Barbara’s professional career went from being a secretary to becoming Director of Personnel and Chief Labor Negotiator at Hallandale, Florida. While working at Hallandale, she met and married Arthur Scott and applying her negotiation skills, convinced his to retire and move the Gainesville, where they enjoyed traveling, outdoor activities and life in general for another 35 years until his death.
Barbara served as treasurer, vice-president, and president of Altrusa International of Gainesville. As one of the founders of Altrusa House, she served from the beginning on the Steering Committee, as Vice-President of Altrusa House at the time it opened and served as President of the Altrusa House Board for a total of four years, at two different times. Barbara was very involved with acquiring the land for Altrusa House from the City, active in the fundraising activities for Altrusa House and in the construction of the same.
Barbara was also active in many other community and civic activities, the most notable of these, besides Altrusa and Altrusa House was serving for two years as president of the League of Women Voters which provided her with some important contacts that helped with her work for the establishment of Altrusa House.
Barbara Scott’s tenaciousness is one of her best qualities. At the Grand Opening of Altrusa House in 1998, Justine Vaughen Fry honored her with the title “Most Valuable Vice-President” for her untiring drive, her dedication to details, and her ability to keep all the aspects of moving Altrusa House forward. She is a major reason the Dream of Altrusa House is a Reality. Thank you, Barbara Scott, for all you do.
Remembering Thomas Byrd
Mr. Thomas A. Byrd age 56, passed away September 3rd, 2020 at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida. Mr. Byrd was a graduate of Eastside High School class of 1983. He was employed with the City of Gainesville in the Public Works Department as a Crew Leader.
Mr. Thomas was a client of Altrusa House of Gainesville for 12 years. He enjoyed participating in the creative activities. During our Movie discussions and Trivia games, you could always count on Mr. Thomas to have the answer. He enjoyed listening to music and he always could Name That Tune. When corn hole of shuffleboard were listed activities, he was always there to participate. Mr. Thomas was always willing and able to help with planting and care of the Altrusa House Gardens. He enjoyed sitting on the garden benches and enjoying the views of the gardens and the park. He considered Altrusa House a job to help everyone and make sure everyone was happy. Mr. Thomas is greatly missed at Altrusa House.
In Memory of ``Matt`` Meyer (1945-2020)
Named after his maternal grandfather, he was always called “Matt”. Matt was born at Pensacola Naval Air Station a few hours after the death of FDR, April 12, 1945. His nine-year old sister, currently a member of Altrusa of Gainesville, was so happy to have a real “doll” to play with. His six-year-old brother wasn’t that joyous to have a rival in the family! Moving to Gainesville when he was just 10 months old, he was a “lifer” at P. K. Yonge except for two and a half years in the mid-fifties spent with the family in Nicaragua. There is no better written tribute to this wonderful brother than that written by his niece, Lowelle Meyer Lomel:
“Uncle Matt was one of the greatest men I will ever know. He grew up in Gainesville, FL, spending countless hours on the waters of Little Lake Geneva in Melrose, FL.
After serving in the US Navy, Matt worked as a Park Ranger with the State of Florida for 47 years, primarily at Manatee and Fanning Springs. He and his wife, Melba, lived on park property, on call 24/7 and working most holidays. Although demanding, his career with the parks kept him in the midst of Florida nature and out on the waterways he loved. Matt always owned a boat and was consistently up for an adventure!
In retirement, Matt brought his energy and desire to help others back to his home near Little Lake Geneva. If he wasn’t out mowing someone’s yard, he was helping a neighbor with a fallen tree, caring for a home-bound friend or collecting bags of acorns for our pet pig Willy. He was a dedicated member of his church, maintaining the church lawn in his spare time. Even from his hospital bed he would call, asking me to check up on friends he was worried about. Matt was a living breathing example of the acronym WWJD.”
A True Altrusan Angel Linda Henderson (1956-2020)
Linda Henderson led with her heart. That is the first phrase that comes to mind when thinking of Linda and her contributions. She is also remembered in the Altrusa House Garden of Memories on one of the bricks dedicated to her as an “Altrusan Angel”. That also describes her long-term dedication to the Altrusa Club and to Altrusa House.
A unique personality, Linda served as president of Altrusa International of Gainesville in 1988-89, as a very expectant mother, a first and only at least until the present time. When little Stanley was born, he was quickly integrated into the various work parties with Linda’s family: Husband John, and big brothers Jed and Doug. In keeping with the family connection, Linda’s mother, Norma Hoffman, served a term as Altrusa president a few years after Linda and she and Linda’s dad, Jerome, were also engaged with the many activities and work parties, a true family commitment.
Among Linda’s many Altrusa activities, she served for years on the State Fair Committee, the group charged with planning and constructing the Alachua County State Fair exhibit, including a year as chairman, a pretty unique undertaking for the Club. Linda served for so many years on the Community Service Committee that it is hard to imagine that Committee without her. Linda continued her service to Altrusa until she was hospitalized before her untimely death. It is almost impossible to identify any activity from our giant fundraising garage sales to Trading Closets that Linda was not a very hard-working volunteer.
Linda (along with her mother, Norma) were founders of Altrusa House and served on the first Board of Trustees. In another unique twist, the mission of Altrusa House inspired Linda’s return to upper education and she received her bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Management from the University of Florida. Linda will be remembered as riding her bicycle to Altrusan Emily King’s home which was close enough for Linda to continue her journey on foot to class, thus avoiding the perpetual parking problems on campus. Remember, she was a grown up lady with three children at that time.
Armed with her newly minted degree, Linda began her career as a Geriatric Care Manager, taking care of many aging clients, among which were a number of Altrusans in need of such help as they aged.
Linda’s personality shows through with her devotion to fishing and her many years of participation as a motorcycle riding member of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education. Altrusa House was the recipient, among other community groups, of fundraising activities of that group.
In every activity that Linda engaged, her dedication to service and to her family and many friends was limitless.
Remembering Elaine Muther
Elaine Muther was a loyal friend to many, a hard-working Altrusan, and a devoted wife and mother. She is remembered by an engraving in our Garden of Memories as “Best Mimi Ever” to her grandsons, Caleb and Connard. She is also remembered by the dedication to her of the large room in the back of Altrusa House. Husband Tom has a bench dedicated to him in the lovely gardens of Altrusa House, all of which speaks to her generosity to Altrusa House.
Elaine graduated from the College of Pharmacy at the University of Florida and her last employment before retirement was in the student infirmary at U.F. After her graduation from UF and her return to South Florida, Dr. Tom, one of Elaine’s professors, went “a courting” Elaine; they married, raised their only son, Tom Jr., and lived a long and productive life in Gainesville before Tom’s passing and Elaine’s subsequent move to Colorado because of Elaine’s desire to live near her grandsons and because of her continuing and serious health issues. Said ongoing health issues never slowed our Elaine down while living in Gainesville.
Elaine served with distinction as president of Altrusa International of Gainesville in 2001-02, an exceptionally busy year for the Club administratively and in their community work. Never resting in her hard work and enthusiasm for Altrusa and Altrusa House, Elaine also served as president of Altrusa House. When Husband Tom suffered serious health issues, Elaine never faltered in her untiring support of Altrusa House. Instead, Elaine enrolled Tom as a client at Altrusa House which allowed her time to continue with her never ceasing work for Altrusa House.
Elaine lives on as an example of the impact that just one person can make on the continuing mission of Altrusa House and on her Altrusan friends.
Honoring Michael Hinsz
Altrusa House benefited greatly by the work and contributions of family members of the Altrusa Club members and founders of the House. No family members or spouses of Altrusans (then known as Altrousers) worked any more diligently than did the members of Barbara Scott’s family, from their tremendous assistance in our giant garage sales to the many work parties after the House was built.
Mike (Barbara Scott’s son) was the go-to guy. Ants invading the tent area for the Shindig dinner; call Mike. A heavy piece of furniture to be picked up for the garage sale; call Mike. When the House was newly opened and the grass (weeds) needed cutting; call Mike. When the sprinkler system mal-functioned; call Mike. When a small tree in the front yard of Altrusa House was knocked over by a hit and run car in the middle of the night and needed clearing; call Mike. When the kiln room suffered water damage and the drywall needed replacing; call Mike. When the fence needed extending to encompass the small area the City donated to round out our property; call Mike. In other words: Call Mike for any and all help needed!
Honoring Barb & Bruce Ornstein
Altrusa House benefited greatly by the work and contributions of family members of the Altrusa Club members and founders of the House. No family members or spouses of Altrusans (then known as Altrousers) worked any more diligently than did the members of Barbara Scott’s family, from their tremendous assistance in our giant garage sales to the many work parties after the House was built.
Barbara Ornstein assisted in pricing and moving merchandise around for the principal fundraiser, our mammoth garage sales on nearly (or maybe every) opportunity. She was the co-chair for every Shindig (the barbecue dinner and fundraiser the night before our garage sales). No job was too difficult or too small for her to handle. She also assisted in our ongoing parties and events leading up to the opening of Altrusa House. In the very early days of the operation of Altrusa House she could be found painting walls when necessary, planting the grounds and doing anything and everything asked of her. In short, Barbara did absolutely everything that her mother asked her to do.
Additionally, Barbara was an enthusiastic Altrusa Club member who never turned down a chance at service to the Club or to the community in Altrusa’s name.
Bruce (Barbara’s husband and Barbara Scott’s son-in-law) also was Johnny-on-the-Spot when anything was needed for Altrusa/Altrusa House. Bruce’s recurring role at our Shindigs was to handle the parking as our guests poured in for the dinner (Note: He disliked that duty intensely but each year was up to it and did it with grace).
Bruce also made available his copying machine at his office without charge in the early years of Altrusa House. Hundreds of checks and documents were copied whenever necessary and he never said no.
Cindy Johnson Mateo
Daughter, sister, sister-in-law, wife: Cindy was one of those people you were drawn to instantly. Cindy was our youngest sister, and the apple of her Dad’s eye. She had a profound sense of friendship, and a wonderful sense of humor. Cindy’s laughter was contagious, she was definitely a one-of-a-kind. Growing up, the Johnson household was so often filled with Cindy’s and Debi’s neighborhood and school friends. The two sisters shared many mutual friends in common since they were only two years apart in age. Their Mom, the tolerant, patient, and fun-loving “Mrs. J,” loved hearing about some of the devilish escapades and funny stories they all shared with her, it was always a fun gathering place, and Mrs. J made everyone feel welcome in her home.
Cindy had a special bond with her brother Marty, thinking he could almost walk on water. They differed constantly but always ended up with a hug. A classic example of these “disagreements” was about filling the gas tank of Cindy’s car. Marty was always telling her “It’s just as easy to fill the top half of the tank”; Cindy called him when she ran out of gas. When Cindy moved up to Gainesville from Pompano Beach, Florida to attend Santa Fe Community College and could only find a tiny, one-room apartment with a shared bathroom between two units, it was the Big Brother Marty and beloved Sister-in-law Donna (already living in Gainesville), who came to her rescue to help her make her new place livable.
While both sisters were attending college at neighboring universities, they visited each other often, and would typically enjoy taking off on weekend road trips together: to the various North Florida beaches, to music concerts within a day’s drive away, to visit their high-school friends attending more distant colleges, and neighboring states. Those college road trips together were always such fun for the sisters. They both moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado together after their college years, and rented a house together.
After Cindy married her husband, Henry Mateo, and was subsequently diagnosed with breast cancer, all three siblings and their spouses tremendously enjoyed getting together and Marty’s and Donna’s place in Gainesville, especially their lake house in Hawthorne. Toward the end of Cindy’s bout with cancer, Marty and Debi, together with their spouses, treated Cindy and Henry to a trip to Cindy’s very favorite, special place she loved: Sanibel and Captiva Islands.
Cindy lost her battle with breast cancer and left us entirely too soon, on November 11, 2004, at the age of 50. Cindy is dearly missed by her surviving brother Marty Johnson, sister-in-law Donna C. Johnson, and sister Deborah J. Holt.
Remembering Polly Doughty
Polly was the epitome of the community, national and international volunteer civic activist. She was born in Philadelphia, PA. and received a B.S. from Ursinus College, where she met her future husband, Paul. Together, they participated in educational and humanitarian activities in Mexico and Peru.
Following their move to Gainesville when Paul joined the Anthropology and Latin American Departments at the University of Florida. Polly became active in a leadership capacity in many volunteer organizations in Gainesville and UF, serving as President of the Alachua County League of Women Voters for 4 years. Polly referred to herself as an ‘executive volunteer’ and worked unflaggingly on women’s issues with the Alachua County Democratic Party, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, United Nations Association, and other groups. In 1995 she was a delegate to the Beijing World Conference on Women. She was a dedicated supporter of the NAACP and contributed substantially to the development of the Cotton Club. Polly was an activist in local politics; she provided leadership in the local group that worked hard to get the State Legislature to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. She was involved in numerous local political campaigns and opened her house to many ‘meet the candidates’ events.
Awards – so many! These included the Susan B. Anthony Award (1994), Altrusa-Easter Seals Award (2012), ‘Uppity Women’s Award’ (UF), Santa Fe College Woman of Distinction Award (1990), Baha’i Human Rights Award, Gainesville Rotary Volunteer Award (1986), Girl Scouts ‘Woman Who Makes a Difference Award’ (2007).
Closer to home, Polly played a major role in the creation of Altrusa House and served on the Board of Trustees for many years.
Polly’s close friend, Jean Chalmers, made these comments: “Polly was a philanthropist. She gave generously to local and international programs through strong support of the UNA and special programs in South America that she and Paul loved. Polly was just lots of fun and her laughter made the world a better place. There was hardly a good cause or organization in Gainesville without Polly”.
POLLY DOUGHTY WAS TRULY A WOMAN FOR All SEASONS
Remembering Craig Salley
Craig was one of a few men who dared to take the plunge and become a member of Altrusa, a predominately women’s service organization. But once he joined Altrusa he gave all of his talents and enthusiasm to Altrusa’s mission and projects.
At the age of 4, Craig moved to Orlando with his family and helped his father build their home from scratch. He believed that it was learning all the intricacies in building that led him to his interest in architecture.
Craig graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Architecture and Interior Design and then joined an architectural firm in Gainesville which he soon bought out and began to grow his own practice, Craig Salley and Associates.
He made a lasting mark as an outstanding architect statewide, designing buildings for both the University of Florida and Santa Fe College and other educational facilities in nearby counties. He also designed many churches. He believed his signature buildings were the Florida Farm Bureau and the Alachua County Judicial Building.
Craig loved going fast – he owned an aircraft, rode motorcycles and drove sports cars. He enjoyed travelling abroad and treasured his dogs.
Craig joined the Board of Trustees of Altrusa House at the invitation of Board Member Fran Vandiver. Ms. Vandiver says ‘I had worked with Craig Salley on several renovation projects at PK Yonge. Craig was a true professional. He wanted things done right and of high quality. I knew he would be an asset to the AH Board. He shared his expertise in construction as well as the many professional contacts that he had made in the community. He chaired the Facilities and Maintenance Committee. His professional reputation and extensive contacts resulted in Altrusa House being able to hire quality professionals for the many work projects that were completed during his time on the Board and under his guidance facility upgrades and needed repairs were made’.
Along with his loving companion, Patricia Kilby, Craig was a dedicated and hard-working member of Altrusa and Altrusa House. He will be remembered for his architectural professionalism and buildings he designed and built, but especially his willingness to support and work with various organizations such as the Altrusa House Board of Trustees.
Remembering Louis Norman Schilling
Louis Norman (Lou) Schilling was a retired architect and carpenter who loved designing buildings. He began college at Iowa State University and, after relocating to Gainesville, he graduated with a BA in Architecture from the University of Florida in 1967. His most recent project at UF was as Construction Specialist for the construction of the UF Chemistry building. He thoroughly enjoyed taking his friends on “tours” of that building while it was under construction. He was also fondly referred to as “bat man”, as he designed the two Bat Barns on the University of Florida campus by Lake Alice. Lou was very proud of his work on the “Bat Barns” and enjoyed talking about this project.
Lou was the UF Project Manager when Fran Vandiver became the PK Yonge Director. He was very helpful and knowledgeable of PKY’s campus and was Fran’s mentor as she learned about the campus facilities. Lou had a great sense of humor and that was helpful as they dealt with the Florida Department of Education on various projects. Lou knew how to listen and then how to transition from talk to action.
Lou was a member of the Retired Faculty group at UF and served on the Code Enforcement Board of Alachua County. He was also a 3rd degree Black Belt (Sandan) in Cuong Nhu Oriental Martial Arts, dedicated to teaching children’s classes and served as President of the National Association of Cuong Nhu for several years. His hobbies included construction of all kinds, including furniture building, home repair, and wood carving. Being an avid reader, Lou was always sharing a good book with his friends.
Lou was a delightful person to work with and accepted our invitation to be on the Altrusa House Board with enthusiasm. He immediately assessed the entire building and brought to the Board a detailed listing of facility needs and upgrades. Lou was always searching for ways to be helpful to others and brightened every board gathering with his wit, humor, smiling eyes, and contagious laugh. Lou is greatly missed.
Honoring Helen Manarchev
Dr. Helen Mamarchev—distinguished educator, community volunteer, former Altrusan, and strong supporter of Altrusa House. Helen served from the very beginning of the birth of Altrusa House, first on the Steering Committee and as a member of the first Board of Trustees. Her expertise and plain common sense were most important in efforts to legally set up the various documents and other requirements to get Altrusa House up and running. Her enthusiasm and hard work, to say nothing about her position as Associate Vice President of Student Affairs at the University of Florida which gave us entree to much of the support we got from the University in our early fundraising and community outreach, was instrumental in our successful building efforts. Helen, although long gone from our community, has continued her support of Altrusa House.
Helen received her B.A. from Southern Methodist University, her M.S. Ed. from Indiana University, and her Ph.D. from University of Michigan. Her first full-time job in her field was at the University of Kansas as an Assistant Dean of Women and after completing her doctorate at UM, she became the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at UF for 17 years. The call of the north enticed Helen to become Vice President for Student Affairs at both Illinois State University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee before returning to the State of Florida to be the University Ombuds and Assistant to the President at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers. This completed a 45 year career in higher education administration and teaching and Helen remained in Ft. Myers for her retirement although rumor has it that her strong work ethic will not allow her to fully retire from the working world.
Helen has been the recipient of many honors and awards, including being the National President of the National Association for Women in Education (NAWE) as well as receiving the M Award for Outstanding Student Leader at SMU, the Elizabeth A. Greenleaf Award Distinguished Alumna Award from IU, the Hilda A, Davis Educational Leadership Award from NAWE, the UF Division of Student Affairs Award for Service and Leadership, and the Director’s Service Award from the Multicultural Center at Illinois State.
Additionally to all of the above listed awards, because of her extensive involvement with Panhellenic, the governing body of the sorority system, when she was at UF the Greek Woman of the Year annual award was named for her. At Florida Gulf Coast University, the Dean of Students Office created the Dr. Helen Mamarchev Distinguished Advisor Award given annually to the outstanding faculty advisor on its campus.
Helen is most proud of the award from Santa Fe Community College’s, the Alachua-Bradford County Women of Distinction Award in 1997, reflecting her community service to the Girls Club (now Girls Place), Altrusa House, and the Community Transportation System Board in Gainesville.
Helen attributes her life-long work and achievements in the service to others to her mother and her role modeling of true servant leadership. Helen states that her mother was always ready to help any person or organization that needed assistance, a volunteer at the ready no matter what. Obviously, Helen learned that lesson well and then some.
Helen states that quotes from Mahatma Ghandi, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others” and from Shirley Chisholm, “Service is the very purpose of life. It is the rent we pay for living on the planet” have been her guiding philosophies.
Altrusa House has certainly benefited from Helen’s devotion to service and her many friends have benefited by the example that Helen has set.
Remembering Dennis & Jean Duggan
Jean and Dennis were both born in Alberta, Canada. They met at the University of Alberta and came to the States when Dennis attended Oregon State University where he received his doctorate.
Jean was the ultimate woman for all seasons; when she came to Gainesville, she worked with the electron microscope at the VA Hospital. She later opened the Wood Stove and Fireplace Center at a time when there was a national energy crisis. The fact that this store was started and owned by a woman invoked a lot of interest and questioning! Jean loved the outdoors and she and Dennis were never happier than when camping in national parks or fishing at the family cabin in Cedar Key where they entertained friends and students. One time Jean took a boatload of Russian ladies from Novorossiisk around the islands at Cedar Key.
Jean was active with the Sister City Program in Novorossiisk, Russia, and along with Altrusan friends, hosted Marine Cadets from that city. This was the beginning of a long friendship between ladies of Novorossiisk and Gainesville Altrusans. In fact, it was the seed of the first Altrusa Club in Russia.
Dennis taught microbiology and microbial genetics at the University of Florida. He was an early pioneer in gene mapping of E. coli. Dennis was a true ‘Altrouser’ and attended many Altrusa activities, enjoying joking and talking with Altrusan friends. He often borrowed the Wood Stove’s truck to help with the annual Altrusa Garage Sale and he was a hard worker at Altrusa’s exhibit at the annual State Fair. Following his retirement, he enjoyed being a ‘tourist guide’ and showing his beloved Rockies to his Altrusan friends.
Jean was serious and practical, and Dennis was thoughtful and full of humor and fun – they were an ideal couple.
Donna Johnson Altrusa International President (2009-2011)
The official stationery of Altrusa International of Gainesville, FL proudly proclaims that we are the home club of Donna Johnson, Altrusa International President, 2007-2009—and proud we are! This service crowned the volunteer career of Donna in Altrusa but certainly did not end it. Donna’s long road in Altrusa began when she joined our local club in 1984, becoming Club President for 1990-91. She advanced to District Three Governor in 1997-1999 and was installed as International President for 2007-2009. This did not end our Donna’s Altrusa career as she served as International Treasurer in 2013-2015 and continues to this day to serve not only in leadership positions but in relatively mundane roles in our local organization. We learned early that if something needs to be done, call Donna.
Donna began her leadership by chairing the rather unique project of our local club, the building of the Alachua County State Fair exhibit held each year in Tampa. With this project she not only proved her organizational abilities, she exhibited her talents in design and that she could handle a hammer and saw with the best of them. As Club President, she not only oversaw the redesign of our award-winning yearbook, she began her career as our club photographer which continues to this day. Another big deal in her presidency was our club’s extension into Starke which resulted in another successful club, one of who’s achievements for Altrusa was the election of another Altrusa International President from our area.
Donna’s efficient and graceful service as Governor of District Three paved the way for her rise to becoming Altrusa International President. Notable in that journey, Donna chaired a committee to restructure the International Board and their study was presented at the International Convention in Dallas in 2001 and the transition to a smaller, more workable board was finally completed by the 2011 Convention and remains successfully in place. Another feather in Donna’s cap was her service as Coordinator for the Altrusa Rebranding Project while she was President-elect which was introduced at the 2011 International Convention in Rapid City, South Dakota and has been fully integrated into the Altrusa organization. It goes without saying that Donna traveled all over the four states that make up District Three during her term as Governor and all over the world as International President, representing her home club in ways that made all of us proud to be a member of such an outstanding organization.
On the professional level, Donna, the daughter of a school teacher, pursued that career at the University of Florida, receiving her degree in Secondary Education. She found to her dismay that career was not for her so her first job was as clerk-typist in the office of the UF Registrar in the Data Processing Department. This was the start of successive jobs in the Registrar’s office in the computer technology field. Donna left the Registrar’s office to work in the College of Business Administration where she was responsible for implementing a new computer-based academic advising tool to track student progress toward graduation. Donna grew with the College’s increased use of technology and ultimately became Director of Information Technology for the Warrington College of Business Administration for some 15 years. Always the innovator, Donna was deeply involved with the College’s first educational program using online technology, “UF MBA Online”, which currently is ranked third among public institutions of higher learning.
Personally, Donna married her soul mate, Marty after meeting him at, where else, a local volunteer organization. Their relationship continues as a long, enduring one which obviously required Marty to be most supportive of Donna’s almost total commitment to her volunteer work in the Altrusa organization. Along the way, they built and lived in a unique round house in Gainesville, a geodesic dome, where they gave great holiday parties which many Altrusan friends and others enjoyed immensely. After they tired of dome house living, they build another house on a Hawthorne area lake, again offering hospitality to many friends. Currently, they have returned to town, living in Gainesville at Oak Hammock where they are learning to enjoy retirement when Donna very occasionally takes a break in all her Altrusa activities.
Indeed, Donna has more than earned the high regard to which she is held in “Altrusa World” and by Marty and her many friends.
Remembering Rev. George Holston, Jr.
Rev. Holston was a native of Americus, Georgia and grew up in several communities in the Southeast. He joined the Marine Corps after High School and saw combat in the Pacific during WWII, most notably on Iwo Jima and on occupation duty in Japan after the war. After returning home, he entered the University of Georgia where he studied Forestry and remained a die-hard Bulldogs fan his entire life.
Rev. Holston spent several years in the pulp and paper industry in Gainesville and Ocala, Florida. He took his retirement to pursue his dream of becoming a pastor in the United Methodist Church. He pursued his studies at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He was ordained in 1987 and served as pastor of the Sparr United Methodist Church until his retirement.
Mr. George was a member of Altrusa House for many years. He enjoyed the Fellowship at Altrusa House. Mr. George made a huge impact in the staff lives and in the lives of his friends he made at Altrusa House. He shared the privilege of saying the prayer for lunch. The staff and volunteers were able to learn so much from Mr. George. His presence and knowledge will be greatly missed at Altrusa House. ~ Altrusa House Staff
Honoring Ann Hughes
Ann Hughes can best be described as dynamite in a small package. To add to her impact on Altrusa and Altrusa House, she came accompanied by her mom and dad, Margaret Ann and Raymond Hughes, who threw their hearts and souls into our giant fundraising garage sale the year that Ann and Linda Mealiea served as co-chairs. It is safe to say that there were four co-chairs that year and they all did a bang up job.
In addition to Ann’s garage sale adventures, she was instrumental in getting the UF Athletic Association to not only loan us their giant tents and tables and chairs for our huge fundraising barbeques the night before our garage sales, known far and wide as our Shindigs, but the trucks rolled in bright and early in the morning equipped with the guys to set the whole thing up. The events probably wouldn’t have been possible without this assistance. The “guys” took them down the next day and disappeared with them almost like magic.
Ann’s professional life centers around sports. At UF, she was an Academic Advisor for the Athletic Association, serving for many years as the Advisor to the Baseball Team and the Golf Team. Ann was the go-to person that helped keep the athletes on the straight and narrow and made sure they maintained their eligibility. However, her work was not confined to baseball and golf, it reached throughout the athletic department and Ann’s work and influence was and is felt far and wide.
Ann’s educational and professional life stretched from the State of Washington to the State of Florida and she knew and worked with many very well-known people in the sports field throughout.
Ann was way too busy to ever marry but she was a good friend to many and is almost always accompanied by a Cocker Spaniel or two to which she was a devoted “mother”.
Remembering Frederick Meade Evans
Frederick (Fred) Evans spent his formative years in Ohio where he went on to graduate from Ohio State University with a degree in Parks and Recreation. Immediately following graduation, Fred entered the Army as a commissioned officer (1st Lt.) where he was stationed at Fort Hood. He served in the 82ndAirborne, Desert Storm, and was the first Battalion Commander of the recommissioned 83rd Chemical Corps. Fred retired a Lt. Col. After dedicating almost 21 years of service.
Fred was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing and hunting with his beagles. He was a man of many words and often wrote as a way of communicating with the world around him and those in his life.
Fred attended Altrusa House. He was very helpful with the spelling of words for everyone. Therefore, he loved playing hangman because he could figure the words quickly. He was always the winner in trivia contests. Also, Fred was an artist, who developed the art of detail in his artwork. As an outdoorsman, Fred enjoyed walking in the gardens, helping in the gardens, and sitting outside. Fred also shared his Veteran’s Oral History. Fred’s oral history may be found at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.
One of his quotes lets us understand the type of leader Fred was:
“One of my soldiers came to me and said, ‘Sir, I’m afraid of dying. What do I need to do?’ and I said, ‘Let me give you some advice from my father, who was in World War II and faced the Japanese.’ And I said, ‘Don’t think about yourself, think about everyone around you. Think about the mission you’ve been assigned to do and see it to completion and ask you superiors if you need assistance.”
Bonne Evans, Fred’s wife, served as a member of the Altrusa House Board of Trustees from 2016-2019. She served as Vice-President in 2018-2019. She helped develop the lovely gardens that Fred enjoyed daily.
Honoring Our Altrousers
Altrousers is the name lovingly coined to recognize the spouses and other family members that have joined hands with Altrusans to carry out some of the most labor-intensive projects that the Altrusa Club has taken on over the years. Not a formal organization, there are no officers, no dues, no meetings; these are simply family members recruited by Altrusans when additional skilled, strong help has been needed.
Obviously, the fundraising and hard work at the early beginning of Altrusa House, our premier project, required massive amounts of pure physical labor and as hardworking and the “we can do it all” attitude of the Altrusans, they did need much assistance. The massive garage sales, the major fundraising activity to raise the funds for what became Altrusa House, needed strong hands and backs to move the heavy furniture and hundreds of boxes we were faced with. We first needed to go out into the community to pick up the heavy donations (couches, electronic organs, and a complete assortment of other furniture and “things”). Our loyal Altrusans did much of this but without the willing assistance of the male component this would have been out of reach. After so long, it is difficult to remember all that should be mentioned but who could ever forget Lee Johnson, in actuality an honorary Altrouser, devoted to the concept of an adult care health facility. Martha, his wife, for whatever reason, never joined the Altrusa Club thus making Lee an official Altrouser but her contributions such as cooking delicious food, typing minutes for Lee who was the Altrusa House secretary for many years, etc., is fondly remembered. Every year Lee was the head furniture salesman and would be in attendance to “move it all out” for as long as we were open to the public. Dick Fry seemed to be always up a ladder doing necessary labor. Scottie Scott was never seen without his always present work gloves. John Henderson and his backup crew of his and Linda’s three sons, were always present and working hard. Dennis Duggan, Raymond Hughes, Andrew Sorensen, John Lombardi, Gene Liddon and Mike Hinsz, are just a few of the names of worker bees that come to mind. So many more!
The other big labor intensive project that garnered the Altrouser brigade was the half dozen or so years that the Altrusa Club was responsible for the construction of the very large and prize-winning Alachua County State Fair Exhibit held in Tampa, which also meant that everything built had to be transported down there, not a small endeavor. The construction took place in Bill and Liz Jones’ garage every Saturday morning for what seemed like forever. Bill even hosted the Saturday morning construction gang when Liz had to be out of town. Marty Johnson, John Henderson, Dennis Duggan, Dick Renner and Scottie Scott come to mind but there were many valuable others. Jerome Hoffman with Norma could be counted upon to show up at the Jones’ home with food for lunch for the hungry construction workers.
While the above narrative concentrates on the physical labor contributed by the Altrousers on several of our biggest projects of the past, we have been privileged to also have contributions more in line with intellectual and cultural activities from many Altrousers. Two that come instantly to mind are Ray Jones, another honorary Altrouser, who found and sponsored musical entertainment on so many occasions. Ray also partnered with Nancy Hult on the impressive Veterans Oral History project. Not 
to be forgotten, Paul Doughty always contributed his talents in so many ways.
Many others that deserve the title of Altrouser have been involved in many Altrusa projects such as Trading Closets or the garden at Altrusa House. Winston Bell, Bob Harrell, Bill Munden, Rick Freeborn, and Al Hult are just a few names that come to mind. Many more unnamed!
Behind every committed Altrusan, an Altrouser most always will be found since the amount of time and effort that the aforementioned Altrusa member devotes to the service of the Club requires the understanding and equal commitment of the spouse or family even if, for whatever reason, they are not one the major worker bees listed.
We salute each and every Altrouser, past and present!
Remembering Wally Mealiea
Wallace L. Mealiea, Jr., Ph.D. (1939-2022), was a natural storyteller, humorist, and counselor. Words cannot do justice to the impact he had on his family, friends, students, colleagues, or even strangers whose paths crossed briefly with his. He loved talking with all people, and they instinctively opened up to him.
A sense of caring for others was the thread throughout Wally’s life. He grew up in Secaucus, NJ, and graduated from Weehawken High School, where he was Senior Class president. He never looked for a fight, but as a big kid who couldn’t stand bullies, he had more than a few run-ins with bigger guys to protect his brother or friends.
Both a lifelong student and teacher, Wally’s passion to help people led him to a career as a Board-Certified Clinical Psychologist. He earned Master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He worked at a mental hospital, counseled families at community mental health centers, treated patients in a facial pain clinic, and taught and counseled students at several universities.
During his academic career he was a faculty member at Earlham College; the University of Wisconsin-Madison School Psychology Division; Indiana State University-Terre Haute Department of Psychology; and Director of Student Counseling and Psychological Services, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
In 1975 he joined the faculty of the newly established University of Florida College of Dentistry, serving on the faculty for 17 years and rising to the rank of tenured Professor. In 1992, when health problems forced him to retire, he was awarded Professor Emeritus status.
His philosophy was to teach through stories. He was a favorite among students for his ability to connect through stories that both entertained and educated. During his career and as a member of the American Psychological Association, he was a frequent speaker around the country, often receiving standing ovations.
Wally was a man of the mind, collecting and reading books on psychology, history, social change, philosophy, physics, religion, economics, humor, and science fiction. His eclectic, diverse knowledge provided him with endless humorous or apt anecdotes that enlivened conversations.
Mistaken as Santa Claus by children more than once later in his life, he so valued imagination in children’s lives that he always played along, assuring them he was “Santa’s brother” and would happily pass on their messages.
He also had an artist’s soul. After retiring, he found creative outlets in writing stories and essays, and shared through his poetry his love for life and the magic he saw in the world. His offbeat sense of humor found life in numerous cartoons he created.
He treasured being “Pop” to his granddaughter Lizzie. Even distance couldn’t hamper his love for storytelling, teaching and sharing laughs.
He was a beloved son, brother, husband, father, and grandfather who always had time to support and enjoy his family: wife Linda Mealiea; daughter Laura Mealiea; son Wallace L. Mealiea, III, and daughter-in-law Susan Mealiea and their daughter, Elizabeth.
When he was young, Wally decided that “living a life that was fearful was the greatest wrong that one could do to oneself.” He didn’t fear death. He fully appreciated his life, family and friends, and was at peace.
“I have always thought that one of the goals of life is to create memories that make you smile, so when you are old and you play in your mind, those smiles will come back and remind you of the warmth and caring that made one’s life worthwhile,” he once wrote.
Honoring Linda Mealiea
Linda was born and raised in Independence, Missouri. She says that this part of the country favors bland food without much seasoning – however, despite that, Linda became a gourmet cook!
She started her college career in elementary education, but quickly decided that was not for her and switched to majoring in English–a decision that proved to be of great value later in her professional life. As a senior at the University of Missouri Linda met “the most interesting guy I had ever known”– her husband-to-be, Wally. After completing their education, they embarked on their life journey. As Wally advanced in his professional career as a clinical psychologist they moved to many different places, including Halifax, Nova Scotia. And then, the big “coming home” to Gainesville in 1976, when Wally accepted a position in the newly established College of Dentistry. Linda became the editor for the Center of Wetlands and two years later became the technical editor for the College of Dentistry (as she says, ‘from the swamp into the mouth’), a position in which she served for 23 years, adding Director of Alumni Affairs to her public relations responsibilities, finally retiring in 2001.
And where does Altrusa fit in? Linda was invited to join Rotary, Kiwanis and Altrusa, and, of course, she decided that Altrusa was the place for her.
Linda’s first big foray into Altrusa activities was when she co-chaired the second annual Altrusa Garage Sale. Those were the days! There were long lines of eager buyers waiting outside the Woman’s Club even before we opened.
Linda was elected President of Altrusa in 1996-1997 and that year fund-raising for Altrusa House continued in force. The Garage Sale netted more than $35,000 and Altrusa was a recipient of funding from other sources, including Belk’s. An Endowment Fund to support the Altrusa scholarship program for women attending Santa Fe Community College was started. The annual and well-respected Altrusa County Read-In was initiated, with readers from all walks of life participating. This earned Altrusa wide recognition in the community and served as a role model on the importance of literature and the joy of reading.
Linda is Altrusa’s ‘Sunshine Coordinator’ and is responsible for news about members which appears in the monthly Newsletter.
Altrusa’s Book Club meets monthly to discuss a book we have selected. Linda’s perceptive and informed contributions to the discussions are well thought-out and presented – we all appreciate her input!
We are so pleased that Linda chose to become a member of Altrusa and continues to contribute in a variety of ways.
Remembering John Bengston
John Bengston came from a Scandinavian background and grew up in Brooklyn, New York with his Swedish father and Finnish mother.
He was a very private person and enjoyed being with family and close friends rather than socializing in a large group. John loved to travel with Barbara, especially by train, and made good friends abroad as well as locally.
Academically, John received his undergraduate degree from Bowling Green University in Ohio and his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Toledo. While there, he was active in the Toledo Repertoire Theater. He became a tenured professor of Educational Psychology in the University of Florida’s College of Education where he taught for 36 years, retiring with Emeritus status. A comment from a colleague states ‘He introduced a unique perspective of learning theory, often drawing on literature, poetry or science. He was very student-centered in his teaching’.
John had many interests and activities apart from teaching. He loved reading historical and mystery books. He ran 4 marathons, including the New York Marathon. He played tennis and bowled in a league for over 10 years, and every day ran with his dog. And for 26 years he cycled from his home in NE Gainesville to Norman Hall on UF’s campus.
Each summer for 30 years he taught over 100 babies and special needs children to swim. He was known as ‘Mr. Flipper’. How many lives is he responsible for saving?
John could always be recognized around campus and in the community (indoors and out!) by his Australian ‘down under’ hat; he and his friend from England both started wearing one in 1993 and it became his trademark!
John Bengston was a multi-talented and caring man and we appreciate him as one of our ‘Altrousers’.
Remembering Rick Nelson A. Flor
In 1959, when Rick was born, Rock Star, Ricky Nelson, was touring in the Philippines. He found a perfect name. Ricky always woke up happy. At 18, he toured all of Asia with a singing & dancing troup! He was always a great “swing dancer”. Ricky moved from the Philippines to Los Angeles, California, where he met his business partner and husband of 17 years, Robert O’Rourke. They traveled all over the United States and Europe. When he was diagnosed with FTD, they moved to Gainesville, Florida.
Ricky skills and experience included a B.A. of Science Management from Divine Word College, C.N.A. from Preferred School of Nursing in LA, Sewing Operator & Pattern Maker from A Technical College in LA CA. Besides being a talented girls’ dress and coat fashion designer and production manager, because he could not afford a pattern maker – he could just look at a woman cut the pattern, have it sewn & it would fit perfectly. He was also a great “stylist” and lady neighbors would knock on the door at all hours and ask for his help. He was organized, detailed and charmingly polite!
Ricky was diagnosed with FTD, Frontal Temporal Degeneration in 2019. The left side (creative) still functioned. Therefore, he could play the piano like a “savant”. If you sang a tune Ricky could play it without any musical training. Ricky played the piano at Altrusa House and Al’z Place. The clients always felt Ricky was a rock star. After he played, he would go to everyone in the room, hold their hands, look them in the eye and say, “I love you!” Ricky was a joyous and happy person!
Honoring Liz Jones
Liz Jones & Catherine Lombardi
Liz Jones became an Altrusan in 1977 and is the second longest serving Altrusan now in our club.
Liz grew up in Los Angeles, California, and obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California, where she met her husband, Bill, then moving to Gainesville as he joined the faculty at the University of Florida. Liz immediately became involved in community and social activism. She became a huge advocate for desegregation and social and racial equality. She lobbied the County Commission to fund a book mobile in East Gainesville which she started by using her own car.
Following earning her Master’s Degree in Educational Counseling, Liz worked in various Alachua County departments, including the Suicide Crisis Prevention Center. She then became Alachua County Director of all Social Services.
She was appointed to the Santa Fe Community College’s Board of Trustees by the Florida governor, twice chairing the committee. In addition, she was a member of 19 local organizations, ranging from Friends of the Library, United Way, Rotary, Free Speech Forum, League of Women Voters and Altrusa, becoming President of the latter three.
She was on the Child Advocacy Development Team that helped start the CAC. In addition, she was a founding Board Member and served as the Executive Director and is now an Emeritus member.
Liz and Bill loved camping. They camped every summer, visiting every State and every National Park in the country. Liz is proud of her family of 3 children, 7 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
And Altrusa? Liz was President of our club the year 1983-1984. This was when Altrusa became the first organization from Alachua County to provide an exhibit at the Florida State Fair in Tampa, frequently winning awards, including First Place several times. Many Saturday mornings were spent at Liz and Bill’s home, working on the exhibit, followed by a pot-luck lunch for everyone.
Liz was the Altrusan who Donna Johnson asked to install her as International President. She was a role model for many younger Altrusans as they progressed through their careers, seeing Altrusa as a builder of women.
Barbara Scott, Linda Henderson, Liz Jones
& Donna Johnson. State Fair
Above all, Liz is warm and caring, attributes which she always shared with her Altrusan friends with her huge smile and ready hugs.
Liz – you have contributed so much to our community and Altrusa!
Remembering Mayor Jim Painter
Mayor Jim Painter was truly a public servant and a friend to many. His dedication to serving his community extended to the tireless work he did to help make the dream of Altrusa House a reality. He was instrumental while serving as mayor in getting the City of Gainesville to donate the land on which Altrusa House is built and Altrusa House was able to open in 1998.
James, “Jim” or “Jimmy” to many of his friends moved to Gainesville, Florida in 1957 with his parents Abraham and Etoile Painter, known lovingly by family and friends as Abe and Toad. He and his siblings, older brother Jerry and younger sister Nancy became part of the youth scene at the Gainesville Church of God and later Westwood Hills Church of God as pre-teens through early adulthood. Church life was important to him and his family. In the same year, his aunt and uncle, Guy and Annie Ruth Cleveland moved to Gainesville with their four children who also became part of the church youth group. The two families became part of the mainstay and pillars of the small town of Gainesville whose population in 1957 was 26,000.
Jim, his brother Jerry, and father Abe were second-and-third generations brick masons. The family came to Gainesville so that Abe could help build Williamson Hall at the University of Florida. After graduating from Gainesville High School, Jim joined the family business, Painter Masonry established in 1968, and began a professional career where he helped set the standard of quality masonry for commercial, industrial, and institutional building throughout North Central Florida including many buildings at the University of Florida.
He gave his many talents by serving his beloved community as a City Commissioner from 1990-1996 and served as mayor 1993-1996. While mayor, Gainesville was awarded “America’s Most Livable City by Money Magazine. His leadership was seen in the many organizations, including Santa Fe College Endowment Corporation, the Corporate Advisory Board for The Villages Senior Living Community, Alachua-Bradford County Workforce Development Board, the Gainesville Jaycees, the Gainesville Elks Lodge, the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Builders Association of North Central Florida, the Florida Home Builders Association, and the Girls Club of Alachua County.
He continued to advocate for his industry as the Executive Director of the Florida Concrete Masonry Education Council and was the first masonry contractor to receive the Florida Home Builders Association Builder of the Year Award and the Masonry Association of Florida’s Chairman’s award, both in 2013.
The Altrusa House Board of Trustees and the hundreds of clients of Altrusa House over the years show their deep and lasting appreciation for Jim’s unswerving faith in the Altrusan dream to provide an adult day health care program with a safe and stimulating environment for adults with disabilities or special needs.
Honoring Tom Jaworski
Tom Jaworski (more formally known as Judge Thomas Jaworski) was the first male to join Altrusa after the Federal law was passed outlawing one sex organizations and even more importantly, to stay with it and actively participate, for close to 20 years. Tom, sponsored by Altrusans Emily Humphries-Beher and Alise Moss Vetica, joined Altrusa in 2001 as the first male and longest serving male member. As he tells it, it was a competition between the Rotary Club and Altrusa and Altrusa won out. Tom’s major contribution to Altrusa service was organizing the Read-In Project at Stephen Foster Elementary School for some five years. He was so successful in this project that he took on a second school and was named as the Metcalfe Elementary School Volunteer of the Year, a point of pride with Tom and with Altrusa. Tom has also worked with the Trading Closet fundraiser and assisted with the International Dinner. In recognition of all this, Tom was named the Unsung Hero in 2016.
Tom is a Michigan native and a proud graduate of Michigan State which was followed by graduation from law school. Moving to Gainesville in 1984, Tom was a Public Defender and an Assistant State Attorney and was also in private practice. Running for County Judge in 2004, he has been re-elected continuously since then and of this writing (late 2023) he plans to retire in the spring of 2024. Good thing as his very active personal life leaves little time for such things so mundane as work.
Tom is the father of a son and a daughter and has two granddaughters. His three girls live in Gainesville and Tom is very much the proud grandfather and stays much involved with them and their activities. Tom’s son lives in Boulder, Colorado (Note: Nice place for snow sports). Besides his service with Altrusa for so many years, Tom counts community service with Keep Alachua County Beautiful, Knights of Columbus, and Catholic Charities in his portfolio.
A well-rounded individual in his personal life, Tom loves traveling, which includes several trips to Poland, the country of his family’s origin and other exotic places such as Iceland. He has plans to return for another trip to Poland after retirement and approaches it so seriously that he has taken time from a busy life to study the Polish language. A sportsman by nature, Tom is a snow sport enthusiast, a golfer and his latest addiction, Pickle Ball among others. He claims his favorite sport is fishing although that seems a bit passive for a man of his level of activity. However, he has many pictures with his fish which shows it not a passive activity at all! He has and plans to continue to share his travels and interests with his family members after his retirement.
A man brave enough to join an all-woman organization, attend meetings regularly for so many years, and perform community service as a member is, indeed, a mighty brave man. Although several men have joined the women for much shorter times, Tom is the champion, and we salute him!
Honoring Shea Huey
The following is Shea’s story in her own words:
“I was born Sharon C. Huey in Atlanta, Georgia but was called Shea Shea, a sibling’s interpretation, from a young age. At 18, I was too “big” for Shea Shea so I dropped it to Shea and have answered to that since. My family followed my dad’s profession in radio, and we settled in Ocala, Florida. The University of Florida was my goal as my mother received her Bachelor’s in Education the year I graduated from high school. Following my own college graduation, I worked in hospitality, construction accounting and retired from orthodontic administration. During these times I was active in industry- related organizations, following my mother’s example, to keep current with industry standards, as well as to give back. I grew up with parents who were always doing things for other people, so I expected that it was just what you did.
Two high school classmates are members of the Altrusa Club in Starke, and they inducted me into their chapter. I discovered that Altrusa was made for me! When I accidently found a job in Gainesville, I joined Gainesville’s Altrusa evening group until I was able to join the daytime meetings also. I love the fact that Altrusa has so many good programs and that I could pick the ones that really interested me, and I found there are plenty. My special interest became Altrusa House, but I enjoy so many more. The friendships gained as well as the good feelings for service done are immeasurable.”
Adding to Shea’s story, we would be remiss if we did not point out that Shea has worked untiringly for Altrusa and Altrusa House. No job is too big or too small for Shea to take it on and do it excellently. She served as Treasurer of Altrusa House, utilizing her accounting skills and serving as an active Board member. Shea also used her background in the hospitality field to cater our dinners at the Altrusa evening group, providing a varied and delicious menu each time. At Altrusa meetings, after the Covid pandemic ended the hotel luncheon meetings, Shea cheerfully picked up the box lunches and then, equally cheerfully cleaned up the trash, recycling when possible, and just acted all around as our hostess. She has been involved in so many activities, there is not space for mentioning them all. Thank goodness for Shea!
Remembering Edna Ford
The Altrusa House clients’ memories are an important part of our growth as an Adult Day Health Care Facility. Edna Ford received an engraved stone in our Garden of Memories Walkway. Her memory lives on with us.
Remembering Ruth Mullis
The Altrusa House clients’ memories are an important part of our growth as an Adult Day Health Care Facility. Ruth Mullis received an engraved stone in our Garden of Memories Walkway. Her memory lives on with us.
Honoring Altrusa Club Presidents
Altrusa International of Gainesville Club Presidents
The following list of presidents of Altrusa International of Gainesville, FL (originally named Altrusa Club of Gainesville) represents the cream of the crop in civic and professional endeavors not only locally but also extending into state, national and international circles. At the time of this writing in 2024, sixty women (five having served more than once) have led our club and by utilizing the Principles of Altrusa and the mission statement of our club have provided outstanding service in meeting numerous social and community needs for the sixty-five years since its founding.
Grace Fordyce, 1958-1959
Eleanor Bode Browne, 1959 – 1960
Ouida Fay Paul, 1960-1961
Anita Sievers, 1961-1962
Ann Bromley Eastwood, 1962-1963
Clara Gehan, 1963-1964
Joan Lowe, 1964-1965
Georgia Herbert, 1965-1966
Madelyn Kafoglis Lockhart, 1966-1967
Elise Jones, 1967-1968
Charlotte Campbell, 1968-1969
Beth Daane, 1969-1970
Joan Ginn, 1970-1971
Freddie Dobson, 1971-1972
Reta Matthews, 1972-1973
Ruth Sawyer, 1973-1974
Nancy Hess, 1974-1975
Elizabeth Turlington, 1975-1976
Margaret Hass, 1976-1977
Ann Emerson, 1977-1978
Molly Springfield, 1978-1979
Mable Dorsey, 1979-1980
Esther Morgan, 1980-1981
Jane Sterrett, 1981-1982
Mary Ann Green, 1982-1983
Elizabeth Jones, 1983-1984
Sara Brown, 1984-1985
Miriam Kimball. 1985-1986
Dorothy Maher, 1986-1987
Glenna Brashear, 1987-1988
Linda Henderson, 1988-1989
Mary Britt,1989-1990
Donna Johnson, 1990-1991
Norma Hoffman, 1991-1992
Patricia Kilby, 1992-1993
Elisabeth (Lisa) Renner, 1993-1994
Barbara Scott, 1994-1995
Elaine Carson Funk, 1995-1996
Linda k. Mealiea, 1996-1997
Judith Davis, 1997-1998
Lalitha Ganesh, 1998-1999
Carolyn Morgan, 1999-2000
Alise Moss Vetica, 2000-2001
Elaine Muther, 2001-2002
Catherine Boyett, 2002-2003
Elisabeth (Lisa) Renner, 2003-2004
Dixie Campen, 2004-2005
Myra Morgan, 2005-2006
Laura Gunter, 2006-2007
Kimberly Browne, 2007-2008
Nancy Kirkland, 2008-2009
Angela Perry, 2009-2010
Corinne Greenberg, 2010-2011
Mary Jean Davis, 2011-2012
Wendy Bice, 2012-2013
Bennye Alligood, 2013-2014
Kimberly Browne, 2014-2015
Sara Freeborn, 2015-2016
Sara Freeborn, 2016-2017
Joan Suchorski, 2017-2018
Karen Wishart, 2018-2019
Laura Gunter, 2019-2020
Laura Gunter, 2020-2021
Dee Duggar, 2021-2022
Dee Duggan, 2022-2023
Carolyn Harrell, 2023-2024
Honoring Myra Morgan
Myra Morgan’s life, the 2022-23 President of the Board of Trustees of Altrusa House, as you will learn from the following, from birth through her education and professional career, has been more than ordinary. However, in the field of volunteerism and community service, it can only be described as extra-ordinary, particularly as applied to the Altrusa Club and to Altrusa House.
Myra F. Morgan was born in Dublin, Ireland. The Morgan family moved to Indianapolis in 1959. Myra is the eldest of 6. She attended Indiana University-Bloomington and received her BS in Elementary Education and her MS in College Student Personnel Administration. Her career in higher education spanned 45 years. Her first job after graduate school was serving as the Dean of Students at Harlaxton College, the British campus of the University of Evansville. After a year in England, she came back to the USA and worked at the University of Evansville for 8 years before coming to the University of Florida in 1985. Myra had multiple positions at UF including Assistant Dean for Greek Life, Director of Student Activities. Myra retired from UF in 2019 as the Executive Director of the J. Wayne Reitz Union.
Myra has been an active member of Altrusa since 1987. She has served on the International and Literacy committees since becoming a member. Myra became a US citizen in July 1992 in the Gainesville courthouse and was a beneficiary of the Altrusa reception. Myra has served as the Club President and as the president of the Gainesville Altrusa Foundation. She has been an active member of the Altrusa House board for many years. Myra served as chair of the “Arts for the Senses” Altrusa House fundraiser for 3 years. She served as chair of the major club fundraiser, Trading Closets five different times. Myra has also served as chair of the Altrusa District conference in Orlando. Myra has been recognized as Altrusan of the Year twice.
In addition to her involvement with Altrusa, Myra has been very active with Girls Place. She has served as president of the Board of Directors and as president of the Girls Place Foundation. Sharing her time and talents with the Gainesville community has always been a top priority. Myra is extremely grateful to Dr Helen Mamarchev and Dr. Barbara Probert for introducing her to Altrusa so many years ago.
Honoring Altrusa Club Presidents
Raymond and Margaret Ann Hughes, parents of former Altrusan Ann Hughes, were dear friend of many of us and for younger Altrusans, almost foster parents. The year that Ann and Linda Mealiea co-chaired one of our giant garage sales, the Hughes duet jumped in to help and it could be truthfully said co-chaired the co-chairs.
Helping was not new to this pair. After raising their two daughters (Ann who became an Academic Advisor for the UF Athletic Association and Sara who was a law professor), they spent their post-retirement years assisting in raising Sara’s three daughters. They divided much of their time between Sara’s home and Ann’s here in Gainesville; thus, becoming active in our community.
Margaret Ann, who had experience in retail, having been a buyer for a large department store, brought her expertise to the garage sale and taught many of us the tricks of the trade.
Unfortunately, Margaret Ann suffered a severe stroke and spent her last three years dealing with the aftereffects, always with class. Raymond lived on for some years, still dividing his time between the homes of Ann and Sara and being a friend and supporter of Altursa. Those of us who were so involved with the fundraising activities for Altrusa House clearly remember their dedication to our cause, the fundraising and building of Altrusa House.
Lovingly Janet Rodel 2020
Janet Rodel (1942-2020)
Ann Bromley (1922-2020)
Remembering Dr. Ann Bromley Eastwood
Eva Pringle You Are Missed
Clarence Delos, Mary McWilliams – Huey
Clarence Gordon, Elizabeth Harrison – Huey
John Mecaslin, K.T. Rafferty – Harrison
Garden of Memories Donors
Benny Alligood
Altrusa International of Gainesville
Altrusa House Board of Trustees
Mitzi Austin
Marge Baker
Sharon Bauer
Wendy Bice
Nancy & Jesse Blitch
Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Boone
Nadzia Borowski
Harriet Buxbaum
Tom Clark
Renae Clements
Wayne & Sue Connor
Shanisha Davis
Ellen Dickstein
Freddie Dobson
Kathy Duffy
Dee & Leo Dugger
Carl Feldherr
Dr. Margaret Underwood Fields
Joy Flowers
Sara Freeborn
Forever Sisters of the Lake
David Fouts
Justine Vaughen Fry
Gainesville Sunshine Clowns
Sara George
Alison Gerencser
Leah Gibbs
Mr. & Mrs. David Gomberg
Norma Green
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Hargrove
Carolyn Harrell
Kaye Henderson
Norma & Jerome Hoffman
Mark Houghtaling
Michael House
Shea Huey
Nancy & Al Hult
Kevin Jones
Tom Jaworski
Donna & Marty Johnson
Lee & Martha Johnson
Liz Jones
Jasmine Kinsler
Pat Kilby
Kimberly Krajna
Nelson Laffey
Charles & Anne Lowry
Janet Loxley
Maggie MacDonald
Linda Mealiea
Carol Meyer
Marilyn Mitchell
Terry & Sheila Moreland
Myra Morgan
Becky Munden
Thomas Muther, Jr.
Sigrid Owyang
Lisa Perry
Gray Pringle
Gail & Elliot Ravetz
Lisa Renner
Lorna Rubin
Santa Fe College Math Department
Julie Schilling
William & Susan Schilling
Barbara Scott
Mary (Bea) Sherouse
Charlie Sperrazza
John Staton
Sarah Stone
Joan Suchorski
Laraine Teiss
Leah Tomilinson
Darla Turlington
Vibeke Vala
JM Valentine
Fran Vandiver
Patti & Paul Winniczuk
Karen Wishart
Domonique Wooden