You can get a glimpse of our history by scanning the list of our Past Presidents. Here are some details about a few of them.
1949–51
Gertrude Bowmer (1903 –1994) was born and raised in Medford, graduated from the University of Oregon in Romance Languages, and taught French in Medford before the Depression. She married Angus Bowmer on December 30, 1940. “After all these years, she is still my memory, my detail man, my secretary, my other self,” Bowmer wrote of his wife, who became known as the “First Lady of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.” An inveterate diarist, Gertrude documented her travels and life with Angus in detail.
1953–54
Maggie Skerry (b. 1921) received her degree in Education from the University of Oregon in 1945. She taught in Ashland and Medford and became Assistant Dean of Women at Southern Oregon Normal School. She gave 50 years of service to the Tudor Guild, helped organize fund raising to start Ashland Community Hospital, and was active on the Hospital Board and the SOU Foundation.
1954–55
Betty Lou Dunlop (1918–2002) was a Professor of Education at Southern Oregon University for nearly 30 years. In addition to AAUW, she was also a member of the Ashland Soroptimists.
1962–63
Beverley Bennett (1926–2008) was a graduate of the University of Oregon with bachelors and masters degrees in Health and Physical Education, and advanced studies at the University of California, Berkeley. After teaching two years at the University of Oregon she moved to Ashland and taught 34 years at Southern Oregon State College, where she was one of two women of twelve initial inductees into the S.O.S.C. Athletic Hall of Fame. Beverley was a member of the Ashland City Council from 1984 to 1987.
1985–87, 1988–89
Treva Tumbleson (1927–2002) received bachelors and masters degrees from Southern Oregon University in Ashland and a PhD from the University of Oregon in Eugene. Treva taught in Medford, at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, and at the University of Oregon in Eugene. In addition to AAUW, she was a member of the Eleanor Roosevelt League, Beta Sigma Phi, and the Democratic Party: Oregon State Caucus, delegate National Convention 1996, 2000.