PICTORIAL: Women of the Century

The Women’s University Club of Seattle presented its annual Brava! Awards on May 16, honoring women in the greater Seattle area who have made a positive, enduring difference in the community and beyond. This year, in celebration of the club’s centennial, members nominated “Women of the Century.”

The honorees were Bertha Knight Landes (1868–1943), who was mayor of Seattle from 1926–1928, and the first female mayor of a major American city; Anna Herr Clise (1866–1936), Founder of the Children’s Orthopedic Hospital (now Seattle Children’s Hospital, Research and Foundation); Hazel Wolf (1898–2000), An environmental and social activist whose causes ranged from the rights of workers, women, and minorities, to the protection of wilderness, wetlands, and wildlife; Frances Penrose Owen (1900–2002), A 22-year member of the Seattle School Board and the first woman on the Board of Regents of Washington State University; Aki Kurose (1925–1998), a Seattle teacher and peace activist who spent her adult life translating the ideals of pacifism and social justice into practice; and The Women of the Stimson-Bullitt Family, including Harriet Overton Stimson, Dorothy Stimson Bullitt, Harriet Overton Bullitt, Priscilla “Patsy” Bullitt Collins, Katharine “Kay” Muller Bullitt, and Dorothy C. Bullitt.

In addition to the honors, the WUC scholarships of up to $8,000 to Simret Emabye Gebrehiwot of Rainier Beach High School, Eva Marcelis of Holy Names Academy, Liana Seglins of Ballard High School, Angelita Garcia of the YWCA, Courtney Thompson of Imagine Housing, and Kevin Fisher, comptroller of the WUC. (end)

Photos by Assunta Ng/NWAW

Lisa Esztergalyos and Pamela Zytnicki wearing festive hats for the festive occasion.

Award Committee member Linda Beecher, WUC President Suzy Lantz, Karen Wong, and Letitia Fong.

Simret Emabye Gebrehiwot of Rainier Beach High School is one of six who received scholarships. She is here with her teacher, Lisa Banez-Chin.

Award committee member Rhonda Staton with the WUC Centennial book.

Ruthanne Kurose, daughter of the late Aki Kurose, with Dorothy Bullitt and Kay Bullitt. The elder Kurose and the Bullitt women were honored as ‘Women of the Century.’

Bonnie Miller, award committee co-chair, made the plaques.

The Wishing Tree