Legacy of Legendary Local Women Celebrated in La Grange

Three highly talented student writers, eight remarkable women of our local area, and three other women important in Texas history were honored Sunday afternoon, March 9, at the Casino Hall in La Grange. The event, billed as “Women Making History,” was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of South Central Texas, with financial support from a number of local businesses and individuals, and drew over a hundred attendees.

Student winners, who received $500 cash awards, read their essays about women who made significant contributions to local or regional history. (1) Amalia “Molly” Rorschach of Schulenburg wrote her essay about Rozine Tilicek, founder of Frank’s Restaurant, which from 1927 to 2017 was a prominent business in Schulenburg. (2) Gabriel Dodson of Hallettsville wrote about Margaret Hallett, the Texas pioneer and businesswoman who gave land to found the town of Hallettsville. (3) Mariel Arredondo, of Yoakum, wrote about Jovita Idar, Mexican-American journalist, human rights activist, and suffragist leader in South Texas.

Women Making History honorees, who received commemorative plates designed, crafted and contributed by local artist Pat Johnson, were selected in the following categories:

Determination: Brenda Lincke Fisseler of Hallettsville is a 40-year librarian with a passion for history and a doggedness for preservation of historical records that led her to spearhead the years-long process of rescuing precious Lavaca County documents from inadequate or even precarious storage conditions. She and her “Press Gang” volunteers not only recovered, cleaned and indexed documents from a railroad boxcar in a rural pasture, but assured the return to Lavaca County’s newly established Archives from storage in a neighboring county the historic records of the area’s early rural schools.

Heroism: Angela Lala is a long-serving law enforcement officer, whose career choice in a male-dominated field did not hold her back from promotion and achievement. Her investigative skills, patience, and concern for victims brought her colleagues’ deep respect and superior’s recognition, so that she now serves as Chief Investigator for the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department and chairs its Memorial and Benevolent Society, to assist families of officers harmed in the line of duty or when families suffer other loss. Her care for coworkers and victims alike is truly her hallmark.

Initiative: Teresa Stanley Brown “retired” to the La Grange area after a career in marketing and corporate recruiting. Once she saw the challenges facing the area’s animal shelter, she found a new passion: “Something had to be done!” Named its Executive Director in 2020, Brown has transformed shelter operations, increasing staffing from four to 11 employees, developing a volunteer staff of 75, and making it a national player in animal adoption, thereby leading to its 97% live adoption status, saving thousands of animals yearly.

Heritage: Gladys (Bohot) Giese was recognized for her life of devotion to serving her community as a nurse, musician, Mary Kay sales rep, and churchwoman, but most especially for her newspaper column “Warda Community News,” which she wrote for the Fayette County Record for 50 years until her death in 2020 at age 85. Receiving her mother’s memorial award was Giese’s daughter, Robin Wedgeworth of Winchester.

Courage: Maria Vega of Schulenburg, working wife and mother, runs a restaurant, but her passion also includes using her multilingual skills to assist others. From working election polls, to providing translation help for medical patients or those in the criminal justice system, Vega assists people of various ethnic and income backgrounds build communication bridges, and thereby she builds community. Her courage in speaking out and speaking up has made a difference in the lives of countless residents of this area.

Steadfastness: Lucille Ann Blume Strickland of Schulenburg, TX, largely made the business and social community there what it is today. Raised by her grandparents after her mother’s death, her intellect, education (BA from University of Texas, 1957), and dedication to service enabled her to teach elementary school, run a family business, volunteer at and/or lead countless service organizations, be elected as first woman on the local ISD school board, and organize the first annual MHMR outing to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Now in her nineties, she still sings in the church choir and loves being her family’s matriarch.

Vision: Karey Patterson Bresenhan was recognized for her lifetime dedication to assuring quilt-making would receive its rightful standing in the world of art. As a quiltmaker herself, and owner of a huge quilt-makers’ supply shop, Karey was determined to assure greater recognition for this largely women’s so-called “craftwork” that produces genuine art. She founded, first, the annual International Quilt Festival in Houston, and then the Texas Quilt Museum in La Grange, which will next year celebrate its 15-year anniversary.

Heritage: Maezell Thomas Stafford Townsend of Schulenburg was a community activist and organizer, author of three books of local history, a woman whose family and faith were life and breath to her. Founder of the Merida Youth Center by grit and determination and her vast powers of persuasion, she transformed a run-down building donated to her cause into the home of Head Start and other youth programs, the food pantry, a clothing outlet and a community newspaper. Her son, Rev. Andrew Stafford (who accepted the memorial award), ran a successful campaign for local office with the slogan “Maezell’s son”: enough said.

The program was emceed by Elota Patton, with welcoming remarks from Fayette County Judge Dan Mueller (who also led the Pledge of Allegiance to the US flag) and Janis Richardson, president of the South Central Texas League of Women Voters, serving the local area of Fayette, Colorado, DeWitt, Gonzales, and Lavaca Counties.

The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan, volunteer- led organization dedicated to empowering every American to fully participate in our democracy and advocating and educating to protect every American’s right to vote.