Announcements and Awards
New Sigma Legacies
Sadie Kay, daughter of Sydney Wittmeyer Ruesler, Mu.
Kennedy, daughter of Erin Walton, Chi.
Kinslee, daughter of Sierra Travnichek, Zeta Tau.
Two New Members of Omega Chapter
Karen Pratt, Nu and Omega Jonna McKendree Merritt, Nu and Omega
We mourn the loss of two of our longtime members, Karen Pratt, Nu, and Jonna McKendree Merritt, Nu.
Karen, who died May 7, 2015, was a charter member and our first secretary. She kept the most exact, professional minutes that could ever be taken. Karen's was very proud of her brothers and their families. She was a wonderful friend and had a special love of animals.
Jonna died on June 7, 2015. She was very active in the Blue Springs city and school district. She was on the alumnae board at UCM for several years. Jonna's daughter, Julie Kelly, and her granddaughters, Katie and Allison Kelly, are all members of Nu chapter. (See photo below.) Jonna got her Golden Violet award in 2014 from National President Kaye Schendel at Nu Chapter's Founders' Day celebration. (See photo below)
As is our tradition, $50 was contributed to the Tri Sigma Foundation in memory of each of these women.
April, 2015 - Julie Schuck Doane, Nu, elected to R-7 School Board
Congratulations Julie!
2013-14 FHSUAA Volunteer of the Year!
KCAC President Ashley Adorante, Alpha Gamma, was named FHSU Alumni Association 2013-14 Volunteer of the Year! Congratulations, Ashley.
Six Sigmas Inducted into UCM's 50 Year Society
Class of '64 members from left: Brenda Porter Dumler, Donna Jones Clark, Carolyn Granger Austin, Carol Crank Phillips, Barbara Smith Thompson and Carole Ruf Gurley became members of the UCM 50 Year Society over the weekend of May 9-10. The weekend ended with five of the women participating in the graduation ceremony. The women were recognized often during the weekend as it is unusual for so many from one sorority to participate in one year.
2014 Margaret Freeman Everett Outstanding Senior Award
4/27/2014 Erica Doane, Nu, who is the daughter of Julie Shuck Doane, Nu, received the Margaret Freeman Everett Outstanding Senior Award. It was presented to her by National President Kaye Schendel. Erica will be working for the National Tri Sigma Organization as a Regional Consultant following graduation.
(Update: Erica, now an alumnae, is working as an Operational Consultant for Tri Sigma.)
2014 Golden Violet
4/27/2014 Jonna McKendre Merritt, Nu, received her Golden Violet Award from National President Kaye Schendel at Nu Chapter's Founders' Day celebration. Jonna has a daughter, Julie Merritt Kelly, and two granddaughters, Katie and Allison, who are also Nu Chapter members.
Pictured from left: Allison, Jonna, Katie, and Kaye,
4/12/2014 $50 and 150 pairs of socks were collected this spring for Blair's Foster Socks.
2013 Lindsay Spiek, ZT, who works for Dominion Dealer Solutions, won awards for selling over 1 million dollars in new revenue and for being #1 in new accounts this year!! Congratulations, Lindsay.
2013 Circle Degree Recipients
11/9/13 Ashley Adorante, AG, and Lindsay Spiek, ZT, received the Circle Degree at the Brunch Meeting, Saturday, November 9, 2013. Pictured from left, President Frankie Ritter Wainwright, K, and Circle Degree recipients Lindsay and Ashley. For more photos, see Photos section.
Vicki Wellman Bird
Outstanding Advisor in Region 4 of Sigma Sigma Sigma
2012-2013 Outstanding Advisor of the Region:
Vicki Wellman Bird, Nu, was named the Outstanding Advisor in Region 4 .
The Nu Chapter Advisory board which includes Vicki, Melinda Dunard Horn, Nu, Julie Shuck Doan, Nu, and Terry Strobel Jackson, Nu, were named Chapter Advisory Board of the Year.
Nu chapter won the award for Member Development and Educational Programming as well as winning 1st place overall in Greek Week.
Frankie Ritter Wainwright
Advisor of the Year at Missouri Western
2012-2013 Frankie Wainwright, Kappa, was named Advisor of the Year at Missouri Western where she is the Chapter Advisor of Zeta Tau chapter. She is pictured here with the Zeta Tau's who won first place at Greek Week.
Sydney Wittmeyer and Matt Ruesler
4/2013 Matt Ruesler and Sydney Wittmeyer, Mu, were married on April 13, 2013. Our congratulations and best wishes to both of them.
2013 Golden Violets
4/13/13 Barbara Smith Thompson, Nu, and Carole Ruf Gurley, Nu, were presented with their Golden Violet awards at Founders' Day.
Golden Violet Retreat, October, 2012
Our president, Frankie Ritter Wainwright, Kappa, attended the Golden Violet Retreat which was held at Walton House in Woodstock, VA. Her sister, Linda Ritter, Kappa, who lives in Ohio also attended. Linda, who was eligible for the award and had never received it, was given the Golden Violet Award at the retreat. Linda was president of Kappa chapter when Frankie pledged.
2012 Recruitment includes several new Sigma Pledges with ties to our Alumnae Family.
Katie Kelly pledged NU chapter. She follows her mother, Julie Merritt Kelly, and her grandmother Jonna McKendree Merritt, as Sigmas at UCM. Three generations of Sigmas. WOW!!
Rhonda Allen Trosen's daughter Amanda pledged MU chapter at Truman University. Amanda's sister Sarah is also a Sigma at Truman and is president of the chapter. Three Sigmas in the family. Another WOW!
Julie Shuck Doane's daughter, Abby, followed her mother and her sister Erica by pledging NU chapter. Erica is vice-president of the chapter. Three Sigmas in the family. Another WOW!
Sydney Wittmeyer Ruesler's sister, Spencer, also pledged MU chapter at Truman, and joins their other sister Shelby in the chapter. Three Sigma sisters. And yet another WOW!
2012 Golden Violets
Judy Jones Wells, Nu, and Frankie Ritter Wainwright, Kappa.
2011 Golden Violets
Brenda Riley Smith, Nu, Carol Crank Phillips, Nu,
Donna Jones Clark, Nu