- In March of 1987, Lanore Eberle wrote a summary of the University of Women Sedona’s beginnings.
She reported that in February of 1974, Kathaleen Kline invited some women to her home to see if they would be interested in forming an American Association of University Women group in Sedona. In attendance were Betty Nanno, Naida Catlan, Junia McAlister, and Lanore Eberle. They individually joined the national AAUW, taking out Members-at-Large memberships. They met over the next few months and more women joined with informal meetings being held in members’ homes. Each member assumed a topic for discussion, giving book reviews, short research papers, or leading group discussions. An interesting variety of categories were chosen, usually by the woman giving the program. This small group enjoyed many lively discussions, valuable because each member took an active part in the process.
AAUW’s national headquarters pressured the group to become members of the Flagstaff branch, their reasoning being that Sedona is only 30 miles away, or as the membership grew, to form a Sedona branch. However the members decided to remain their Members-at-Large status. They were proud of their ability to express their individuality in academically-oriented pursuits rather than following cut-and-dried yearly topics handed down from the national body. Also, the members strongly desired to help a local student with their own scholarship fund. As a branch of AAUW, we would be required to send money to headquarters to be distributed nationally from there.
As the group grew larger, it became obvious that it needed some formal structure. But they also did not respond favorably to the national headquarters’ denying the group's continuance as Members-at-Large and designation of the group as a satellite of the Flagstaff branch.
As a result of this action, the name was changed to the University Women of Sedona and separate bylaws were developed. To this day, the University Women of Sedona maintains the integrity and responsibility inherent in being a group of educated women promoting continuing higher education for women.
Founding members include:
Kathaleen Kline – 1974 Chair Lenore Eberle – 1975-1976 Chair Sue Adams Ruth Detzer Betty Elmquist Mary Fagerberg Helena Fisher Margaret Geyer Alma Green Barbara Keith Eileen Lunge May Matter Junia McAlester Marcia Moe Roles Betty Nenno Anne Ogden Betty Soebcer Anna Weckler Marjorie (Kinch) Zimmerman