Our Mission
A global volunteer organization working to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment.
Core Values
Gender Equality: Women and girls live free from discrimination.
Empowerment: Women and girls are free to act in their own best interest.
Education: Women and girls deserve to lead full and productive lives through access to education.
Diversity & Fellowship: Women from varied backgrounds and perspectives work together to improve the lives of women and girls.
History
Soroptimist International of Kansas City (Club #106110) was formed on May 19, 1926. Listing 101 members on its original charter, the Kansas City club has been and remains today one of the largest clubs in the Soroptimist organization.
Club archives can be found at the State Historical Society of Missouri UMKC branch archives.
We acknowledge and thank our past leaders for their dedication and efforts to improve the lives of women and girls, in Kansas City, in the Midwest, in the USA, and around the globe.
Past Presidents
Patience Hocker | 1926-1928 |
Edna Leritz | 1928 |
Louise Craven | 1929-31 |
Nettie Huff | 1931-33 |
Alice Steele | 1933-34 |
Tillie D. Specht | 1935 |
Genevieve M. Turk | 1936 |
Martha Franklin | 1937 |
Margaret Freeman | 1938 |
Tena May Dowd | 1939 |
Tiera Farrow (video summary of her career) | 1940 |
Margaret Jones | 1941 |
Myrtle Lee Miller | 1942 |
Beatrice Hovey Smith | 1943-44 |
Annetta Krauel | 1944-46 |
Helen Kerr Spalding | 1946-47 |
Edith Mills | 1947-48 |
Frances Schmidt | 1948-49 |
Veta Morgan | 1949-50 |
Marceline Weldon | 1950-51 |
Adalain Lee Taylor | 1951-52 |
Virginia Huntington | 1952-53 |
Louise Wells Clegg | 1953-54 |
Estelle B. Hamilton | 1954-55 |
June Austin Parrish (Memorial Library) | 1955-56 |
Barbara Pendleton | 1956-57 |
Bertha Nottberg | 1957-58 |
Virginia Lee Porth | 1958-59 |
Alice Lee Porth | 1959-60 |
Theris Winkler | 1960-61 |
Virginia Irvine | 1961-62 |
Jaunita Luthi (McKee) | 1962-63 |
Camilla H. Cooper | 1963-64 |
Marabelle Ebel | 1964-65 |
Florence Jones | 1965-66 |
Faye Anderson | 1966-67 |
Mary Lee Anderson | 1967-68 |
Lavonne Rukin | 1968-69 |
Marjory Farrell | 1969-70 |
Deanna Koutelas | 1970-71 |
Louise Lenahan | 1971-72 |
Elizabeth Bachman | 1972-73 |
Martha Hunt | 1973-74 |
Edith Brennan | 1974-75 |
Ruth Wilson | 1975-76 |
Adaline Marshall | 1976-77 |
June Watson | 1977-79 |
Stella Minturn | 1979-80 |
Olive Snyder | 1980-82 |
Belva Lee Berlekamp | 1982-83 |
Madge Myers | 1983-84 |
Jaunita Luthi-McKee | 1984-85 |
Jo Ann Corles | 1985-86 |
Arleta Johnson | 1986-87 |
Joan Maul | 1987-88 |
Janet K. Ferguson | 1988-90 |
Dallie Miessner | 1990-92 |
Sandra Miller | 1992-93 |
Sandy Bostian | 1993-94 |
Elaine Fry | 1994-95 |
Joanne Collins | 1995-96 |
Kay Ludecke (Stewart) | 1996-97 |
Mary Hunt | 1997-98 |
Dianne Young | 1998-2000 |
Kay Wallick | 2000-01 |
Joni Martin Rauen | 2001-02 |
Dana Chatlin | 2002-03 |
Sheryl Rudy | 2003-04 |
Susanne Thompson-Wright | 2004-05 |
Jacqueline Bond | 2005-06 |
Celeste Lindell | 2006-07 |
Kay Stewart | 2007-09 |
Marie Parker | 2009-11 |
Susanne Thompson-Wright | 2011-12 |
Melanie Simpson | 2012-13 |
Grace Boswell | 2013-14 |
Colleen Truelsen | 2014-15 |
Jane Zelazny-Belz | 2015-16 |
Candy Routledge | 2016-17 |
Tanya Johannes | 2017-18 |
Kay Stewart | 2018-19 |
Norma McKelvy | 2019-20 |
Dianne Young | 2020-21 |
Heather Rollins | 2021-22 |
Melanie Simpson | 2022-23 |
Margaret Smith | 2023-24 |
Lynn LeCount | 2024-25 |