Chi Omega - Kansas State University

Χ Ω 2 The Cardinal and Straw Kappa Alpha Sisterhood Provided Lifelong Friends and Networking Opportunities for Dianne Braddock '54 F ollowing in the footsteps of women from her hometown whom she admired, Dianne Braddock '54 decided to join Chi Omega as a freshman at Kansas State University. She gained pride as a member of the Kappa Alpha Chapter because of the positive leadership exercised by her sisters and the support they offered. Her Chi Omega membership also taught her how to work successfully on a team and the power of networking. "It taught me how to communicate with people from different backgrounds and created many professional opportunities," she said. Thanks to her Kappa Alpha membership and the networking opportunities it afforded, Dianne was able to acquire a job through a Kappa Alpha contact in the school district. Although she did not graduate from K-State, she spent two years working as a teacher with an 18-hour provisional certificate to help her husband, Bim, get through his business administration program. Dianne truly enjoyed being a part of something bigger than herself and all the social activities that came along with her Kappa Alpha membership. Some of her fondest memories are from times on campus with her sisters, many of whom she keeps in regular contact with. Several times a year, she gets together with Kappa Alpha alumnae in Overland Park, Kan., for lunch to catch up. She encourages undergraduates to stay in contact with their sisters. "You are creating friendships that last a lifetime," Dianne stated. Retirement is treating Dianne well, and she enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as quilting, machine embroidery, and keeping up with K-State sports and the Kansas City Royals. She and her husband have season tickets for K-State football and are looking forward to K-State women's soccer events coming up. Dianne and her husband have five children, 14 grandchildren, and four great- grandchildren. Their family has nine college graduates, four of whom attended K-State. If you'd like to reconnect with Dianne, she can be reached via e-mail at bimndi35@gmail.com. 1895 Club ($1,000 and above) Joan McCrillis Lafferty '69 Marilyn McCrillis-Nichols '75 Eleusis Club ($500 to $999) Sally Shafer Risjord '54 Ruth Speirs Hogan '60 Julie Schmalzried Bearup '83 Amber Lafferty '02 Skull and Crossbones Club ($250 to $499) Lisa Griffith Webre '78 Diane Mershon Heyman '79 Courtney Novak Riley '88 Catie Cosgrove Smith '04 Owl Club ($100 to $249) Janora Grove Plumb '42 Alice Gossett Barham '47 Carol Crosswhite Tinsman '53 Joneta Edwards Gaffin '55 Joanne Taylor Clum '57 Joyce Taylor Oldham '60 Mary Newman Gladfelter '61 Judith Miller Scammon '62 Marilyn McMillan Wright '62 Pamela Howard Jordan '63 Johnette Massey Hodgin '66 Betty Mertz Campbell '71 Kelly Moore Williams '72 Christine Aalbregtse Duffin '76 Lisa Hipps Lacy '78 Brenda Van Brimmer Lancaster '80 Erin Montague O'Reilly '86 Sisterhood Club (Up to $99) Mary Cibolski Bailie '53 Beverly Bass Rehkop '58 Sherry Irons Slade '62 Tracy Widmar Cass '90 Laura M. Boyd '98 Thank You, Generous Alumnae D uring the fall 2015 campaign, 32 alumnae showed their enthusiastic support for the Chapter by contributing $5,060. The accomplishments and success enjoyed by Kappa Alpha Chapter are directly attributed to the ongoing and loyal support from the Chapter's alumnae relations efforts. Your gifts help the women of Kappa Alpha Chapter not only today but well into the future! Contributors to the fall 2015 appeal are listed below by their lifetime giving totals. If an error has been made in recording the amount of your gift, we sincerely apologize. If corrections to your giving records are needed, please send them to hholcomb@penningtonco.com. Thank you, again, for your loyal support. (Continued on page 4) Alumnae Update Omega Chapter M. E. McGowan Waters '49 entered Omega Chapter on September 25, 2015. Mary graduated from Kansas State in June of 1951 with a B.S. in English. She married Jim Waters on October 7, 1951, in the Kansas State University Chapel. Mary's community service was diverse; she served as president of the Milwaukee Panhellenic and vice president of the Fox Point Home Owner's Association. She was also involved with the Meals on Wheels program and active in the Chi Omega Alumnae Association. Jim and Mary have a daughter, Patricia Guasta, and a grandson, Daniel Aten, who live in Summerville, S.C. Mary is also survived by three great-grandchildren: Tyler, Lia, and Grace. Alumnae News Jerre Smythe Donelan '43 has lived on the Outer Banks in North Carolina (OBX) for 16 years after more than 50 years in the D.C. area. Jerre has seven grandchildren (the oldest is a Catholic priest) and two great-grandchildren. She still keeps in touch with three pledge sisters. E-mail: donelanjerre@aol.com Beryl Wesche Linders '44 helped her husband in the office before becoming a stay-at-home mom and raising their four children, as well as volunteering in her spare time. Beryl's brothers graduated from Kansas State in 1939 and 1941. She still volunteers at their hospital and has two dogs. Beryl has a granddaughter from Effingham, Ill., who is attending Kansas State. "We are a great Kansas State family!" Virginia Epp Usher '45 taught science for 18 years in Salina before moving to the mountains of Colorado in 1980, where she taught reading for several years before retiring. Virginia then served on the school board for two four-year terms in the Mountain School District. After that, she helped her late husband, Bill, in the appraisal business until the early 1990s. Virginia now lives in Wichita, Kan. E-mail:busher@qadas.com

• Cover