Republican Women recount 20 year history, honor Past Presidents Print
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Saturday, 26 November 2011 10:30

 

 

Cooke County Republican Women had a lot to celebrate Thursday night, December 1, as they

marked the 20
th Anniversary of the club. Both the club and the Cooke County Republican Party

have flourished since CCRW’s founding on October 21, 1991.

The meeting started with a brief re-cap of the history of the Republican Party in Cooke County,

presented by current president, Pauline Lesch. According to a history compiled by the club’s first

president, Shirley Newton, county records report the first support of the GOP by Cooke County

voters in 1910.

Lesch explained that until the late 1990s, the county and most of Texas remained firmly in the grasp

of the Democratic Party. However, from 1960-1990, a small core group of “Conservative

Thinkers”, as Founding Member Mary Fellers called them, worked steadily to establish a foothold.

One of the pioneers who led the party in the 1980s was Debbie Hess, serving as Republican Party

County Chairman. Republicans recruited two candidates to run for county offices in 1992, and

finally were successful in winning four county offices in 1994. The “Fabulous Four of ‘94” were

County Judge Paul Hesse, County Commissioner Richard Brown, District Clerk Pat Payne, and

Justice of the Peace Dorthy Lewis. Cooke County also helped send Republican Tom Haywood to

Austin as Senator from Senate District 30.

Lesch invited founding president Shirley Newton to join her at the podium, and Newton related

some memories of Republican campaigning those early years. The second CCRW president,

Monica Lamb, also spoke to the group and explained how two men came to be named as “Honorary

Associate Members” of the club. One, Steve Cole, provided a central location for meeting and

campaigning that was invaluable to the Party and CCRW. The other, her father Bill Maddox,

underwrote the club’s essay contests in the 1990s.

Newton and Lamb were the only Founding Members in attendance. Others included Ann Scivally,

Maxine Cole, Rita McCreary, Carol Washburn, and four who are deceased, Edythe Rodgers, Essie

Fae Scott, Audrey Silvernale, and Mary Fellers.

Lesch then introduced the Past Presidents of CCRW: Shirley Newton 1991-1992; Monica Lamb

1993-1994, 1999; Donna Montgomery 1995-1996; LaVerna Nasche 1997-1998; Sharon

McCormack 2000-2001, 2007; Pat Peale 2002-2003; Glenda Vowell 2004-2005; Sharron Acker

2008-2009. Lesch has served during 2010-2011. 2006 President Veronica Harper was unable to

attend, but sent a message of congratulations.

The meeting ended with the installation of 2012 officers by the Honorable Janelle Haverkamp,

District Judge. Taking the oath of office were President Susan Hughes, Vice President-Programs

Janice Warder, Vice President-Membership Christi Klement, Vice President Campaign Activities

Sharron Acker, Vice President-Fundraising Dianne Helms, Secretary Sharon McCormack,

Treasurer Marci Gilbert, and PAC Treasurer Dorthy Lewis.

 

Last Updated on Monday, 05 December 2011 12:54