The CEO of Family & Children’s Services, Gail Lapidus received a ONE Award from the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits and was an inaugural inductee in the University of Oklahoma School of Social Work Hall of Fame. A ballet dancer and instructor, Moscelyne Larkin (1925-2012) formed the Tulsa Civic Ballet and School, now the Tulsa Ballet. She was named “Outstanding Indian” by the Council of American Indians and was named an “Oklahoma Treasure.”
The challenges of Lilah Denton Lindsey’s (1860-1943) early life inspired her to make a difference as one of Tulsa’s civic leaders. Born in Indian Territory in 1860, she was orphaned by age 16. She became the first Creek Indian girl to graduate from the Highland Institute in Ohio, a school that trained women as teachers and missionaries. She also received a scholarship to Synodical College in Missouri. She taught in Wealaka before moving to Tulsa with her husband in 1886, when she became a teacher at the Tulsa Mission School. In those days, middle-class women served their communities through beautification and charity projects. Denton Lindsey became active in women’s clubs and organized the Tulsa chapter of the Woman’s Relief Corps. She was a charter member of the Tulsa Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. Denton Lindsey helped give youth access to services that weren’t available when she was young. In 1917, she helped establish the Frances Willard Home for Girls in Tulsa. During World War I, she headed the Women’s Division of the Tulsa County Council of Defense. She supported women’s suff rage and ran for public office in unsuccessful bids for Tulsa finance commissioner and state representative. She donated her home, located on West 12th Street between South Guthrie and Frisco Avenues, as the site for the Riverview School in Tulsa before being inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1937. A collection of her papers resides at McFarlin Library at The University of Tulsa.
Roberta Campbell Lawson’s (1878-1940) work advanced women’s rights and public policy regarding marriage and reproductive justice. She was a leader in the women’s clubs movement and served as president of General Foundation of Women’s Clubs, which had more than 3 million members.
Georgia Hayden Lloyd Jones (1875-1967) was a journalist who advocated for liberal causes such as women’s suff rage, the humane treatment of animals and Planned Parenthood. Her husband was the ultra-conservative editor and publisher of the Tulsa Tribune, Richard Lloyd Jones. An advocate for racial equality and north Tulsa community development, Jane Malone has served on boards for Neighborhood Housing Services, NAACP, Greenwood Chamber of Commerce and Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame. CEO of The Bama Companies, her family’s business, Paula Marshall has chaired the Tulsa Regional Chamber and joined the Young Presidents Organization Oklahoma Chapter as one of its first female members.
Lilia Lee (1987-2011) was a lab technician at Hillcrest Medical Center, an active member of her church and an advocate in the Hmong-American community.
A current member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives for the past 10 years and assistant minority floor leader, Rep. Jeannie McDaniel retired from the City of Tulsa in 2004 after more than 25 years of service.
As executive director of Catholic Charities, Hazel Leitch oversaw the groundbreaking of St. Elizabeth Lodge for working moms with kids and the Madonna House for expectant mothers.
The founder of the Tulsa chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Nancy McDonald also played a key role in magnet school development and racial integration efforts for Tulsa Public Schools.
After her beauty shop was destroyed during the Tulsa Race Riot, Mabel Little (1896-2001) rebuilt it. The granddaughter of slaves, she adopted 12 children and became a north Tulsa leader.
As a Red Cross volunteer, Dr. Dannette McIntosh spent nearly a month at Ground Zero after the 9/11 terrorist attack. She is an advocate and educator for HIV/AIDS and sexual health.
Frances Lockwood (1902-1976) was founder and first president of the Junior League of Tulsa. With the organization, she helped create a convalescent home for handicapped children, which became Children’s Medical Center.
Judy Eason McIntyre has served as an Oklahoma state representative and state senator and was chairwoman of the Tulsa County Democratic Party. She also served 16 years on the Tulsa Public Schools board.
1973 YWCA Residence closes. 1975 East YWCA indoor warm-water pool offers swimming lessons through the Red Cross. 1974 YWCA central offices and limited programs open at East 19th Street and South Lewis Avenue.
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TulsaPeople DECEMBER 2014