Memories
We mourn the passing of UU activist Betty B Hoskins on June 20, 2015. A member of First Unitarian Church of Worcester, Massachusetts, Betty was a bioethicist and tireless worker for reproductive justice.
She had been an active layperson in Unitarian Universalist congregations in Maryland, Massachusetts, and Texas, and also held leadership and planning positions in the UU Women’s Federation, Women and Religion, UUs for Right Relations, Second Circle workshops, the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, the UUA Pamphlet Commission, the Skinner Sermon Award Committee, and past president of UU Collegium.
Read more: http://www.uuwf.org/who-we-are/foremothers/
Betty with Nancy Rogers at the UUWR booth at General Assembly 2014
As you may know, last week Helen Hughes passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Belfast, ME. Many people at the UU Church in Park Forest, Illinois remember her dearly and wish to share memories with one another. There will be a memorial celebration to honor her on Saturday, June 20th at 2pm at UUCC. Our CUUPs chapter will follow the memorial with a Summer Solstice Celebration. You are invited to attend both of these events. We look forward to seeing you. If you cannot attend, please keep her in mind at that time, perhaps by lighting a candle for her.
Helen Elizabeth Hughes, PhD
Helen was born April 23, 1922, in Damariscotta, ME, the last of 10 children, to the Rev. Thomas Bennett Hughes (1865-1957) and the Rev. Sarah Barbara Mayhew Hughes (1876-1972). She died in Belfast, May 26, 2015. She was 93.
Joanne "Della" Fought, 83, of Peoria passed away Thursday, February 19, 2015.
Joanne was a leader at the Universalist Unitarian Church of Peoria, serving as President of the Board, Chair of Social Action, on two ministerial search committees, the Building Committee, as well as district and national groups like UU Women's Connection, UU Women's Federation and UU Women and Religion.
She is pictured here (on left) at Central Midwest District WomanSpirit in 2005, which she co-chaired with Pat Goller (on right)
Rosemary Matson — A Woman Without Fear
Rosemary Matson passed away peacefully on September 27, 2014 at her long-time home in Carmel Valley, California. Born on September 20, 1917 as Rosemary Ann Thompson at her family farm in Geneva, Iowa, she was 97 years old. She modeled living by a set of values that included: insisting on equal opportunity and an institutional voice for women; putting a face on the enemy; demonstrating world peace is possible; and standing with workers demanding fair treatment by employers. And, she deeply loved cats, having many close furry friends during her long life.
Rosemary adored grassroots organizing. Over many years she was active in every facet of the Unitarian Universalist denominational Women & Religion activities, from advocating for passage of the 1977 Women and Religion Resolution at General Assembly (she was appointed co-chair of the Continental Committee on Women and Religion) to the 2001 formation of the UUA Women and Religion affiliate. During this period the activities to rid the denomination of sexist practices were vibrant, including: revisioning theology (thealogy), correcting sexist language in hymns and readings, and exposing and transforming sexist attitudes regarding leadership capabilities.
Rosemary was in the thick of it.
Did you know Lucile Longview?
What has the Women and Religion Resolution meant to you?
You are invited to share your memories with us.
E-mail info [at] uuwr.org
Elizabeth Fisher has also written a remembrance (PDF)
Rev. Dr. Shirley A. Ranck photos
