Sigma Kappa - University of Kansas

Page 3 H H H Sigma kappa Alumnae Update IN MEMORIAM Mary Lou Brewer Akright '48 peacefully entered Chapter Eternal on December 25, 2020, at Stratford Commons Health Care Center in Overland Park, Kan., following a brief battle with metastatic cancer, heart failure, and, in her final days, COVID-19. She was a very proud Sigma Kappa. Her favorite memories of Xi Chapter included birthday luncheons and special event get-togethers. Mary Lou and her late husband, Bill, shared 67 years of marriage and had three sons. She and Bill were both very active in the community and loved to travel, as they visited almost every state and dozens of countries. ALUMNAE NEWS Last summer, we asked our alumnae three questions: 1. What are three words that come to mind when you think about Sigma Kappa? 2. What are your favorite memories from living at 1325 West Campus Road? 3. What keeps you connected to Sigma Kappa as an alumna? Here are some of the responses we received. Marcia Hininger Beardsley '53 1. Friends, fun, meetings. 2. Pinning parties, recruitment week, date nights, serving as chapter president in 1954- 55 and escorting the housemother to dinner each night and catching up on campus happenings. 3. Newsletters, magazines, and my granddaughter who is a Sigma Kappa in another chapter. Norma Smith Pettijohn '58 1. Singing, friendship, housing. 2. Participating in Greek Sing, formal dinners in our beautiful dining room, and the reception that sisters provided at my senior organ recital. Mary "Linda" Jewell Sullivan '62 Email: mljsullivan2@gmail.com 1. Lifelong friendships formed. 2. Learning correct etiquette and to play bridge well, game day festivities, singing together around the piano. 3. Newsletters, friendships made while living in the house, class reunions. Sara Crites Hirsch '63 Email: sarasofbreck@gmail.com 1. Friends, support system, goals to achieve. 2. Too many to list. 3. I have never been connected to an alumnae chapter but moved to Kansas City in 2019 and would love to get involved with the KC chapter. Joan Howard '63 Email: joanlhoward@q.com 1. History of founding, special background of founders, most of the pledge class worked together in the cafeteria at GSP. 2. I enjoyed skits, working on floats for Homecoming, and Rock Chalk Revue. 3. I want to get involved in social and historical activities at KU. Sally Corlis Spooner '65 Email: sjspooner@yahoo.com 1. Friends, support, beautiful house. 2. Eggs on toast dinners, nice big rooms, dances in Kansas City, coming home from class to our beautifully located house. 3. The Sigma Kappa Triangle, emails. Kay Kauffman Gilbert '67 Email: kgilbert131@gmail.com 1. Fun, friendships, sisterhood. 2. Living with Sally Fleeson Rimer '68 (it was always fun and we still keep in touch), lying on the floor in the housemother's room watching TV. 3. Emails. Sally Fleeson Rimer '68 Email: vivalas5@hotmail.com 1. Longevity, human connections, explosion of fun. 2. My "buzz"—dot dot dash, the loose hamster in the upstairs bedroom, Rock Chalk Revue with Kappa Sigma, Hawaiian luau party (I later married my date). 3. The thought of returning to look at 1325, memories, friends, mailings, letters, still being in touch with Barb Deetjen Bromby '68 and Kay Kauffman Gilbert '67. Gail Johnson Scott '70 Email: gamascott@gmail.com 1. Sisterhood, responsibilities, scholarship. 2. Friendships, formal dinners, softball, special occasions. 3. Sigma Kappa reminds me daily of the sorority ideology and goals, which helps me aspire to be the type of person, daughter, mother, sister, friend, and citizen I still want to be, even at my advancing age. Alice Campbell Marshall '75 Email: marshall5909@gmail.com 1. Faithful, loyal, and friendship. 2. Activities with Sigma Kappa sisters; some of us are still connected. 3. I hope to go back to the chapter house on game days if it's open and enjoy reading the newsletter. Janet Schulenberg Wiens '78 Email: jwiens@bellsouth.net 1. Friendships, singing, and laughter. 2. Watching falling snow from the living room and looking out over the campus from the front window. Barn parties, listening for your buzz for a phone call, and Greek Sing. 3. Emails, Instagram, Facebook, and talking with some of my sisters. Jeanne Temple Disney '81 Email: jeannemargaretdisney@gmail.com 1. Serving, learning, and laughing. 2. Rooming with Maria Sibley Thompson and making midnight runs to Joe's Bakery! 3. Wanting new members to have the same experience I did, which is why I volunteer with Sigma Kappa. Sharon Panter '82 Email: skmont@yahoo.com 1. Sisterhood, traditions, national. 2. Dash for a Date, where we had 30 minutes to find a date for the very last episode of the series M*A*S*H. There were a lot of portable TVs in the living room. We had popcorn, soda, and so much fun. 3. Memories and friendships. Candy Niemann Wolken '87 Email: candice.wolken@gmail.com 1. Sisters, friends, fun. 2. Being there when KU men's basketball team won the 1988 NCAA tournament. 3. Newsletters, magazines, social media. Caryl Francis-Niedens '89 Email: carylfrancisniedens@gmail.com 1. Friendships, strong women, and fun. 2. Looking down at Potter Lake on a snowy day and finding whatever trays we could to take sledding. 3. Magazines, newsletters, and the inviting spirit of all Sigma Kappas. (Continued on page 4)

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