Women Who Made History Honored During Sunday Ceremony in La Grange

The League of Women Voters of South Central Texas presented their annual Women Making History awards on International Women’s Day, Sunday, March 8, at the Casino Hall in La Grange. Pictured are this year’s honorees (from left): Jan Dockery, Mayor of La Grange and the first Black mayor of La Grange, Dr. Mary Fanett Wheeler of Cuero, a mathematician whose work has been instrumental in oil exploration and several other fields; Tammy Collins of Flatonia, recognized for her investment in Flatonia’s historical downtown buildings; Alice Berry of Columbus, leader of Senior Smiles, an initiative by the Columbus Christian Women’s Organization; the late Mary Bristow Willeford of Flatonia, a pioneering nurse and midwife, represented by her niece Ellen Ashby Kennard; Christi Opiela of Hallettsville, a journalism teacher at Hallettsville High School; and Connie Shortes of La Grange, an Human Resources professional who started a Braver Angels chapter in La Grange to promote healthy political discourse. Each of them received a beautiful homemade pitcher made by local clay artist Pat Johnson. Look for more about each of these historymaking women in Friday’s paper.