History

OUR HISTORY IN SAN DIEGO

1931 CHARTER MEMBERS

State Alumnae Chairmen were appointed at AOII Convention in 1931 to form contacts with alumnae in their states (two year trial period).  They were to help create alumnae organizations in all desirable cities to allow members who wished to keep involved in the Fraternity opportunities to do so.  The San Diego Alumnae Chapter blossomed from this initiative.  At that same Convention AOII chose the Frontier Nursing Service as our first international philanthropy.  Mrs. Walter A. English (Lucile Curtis English, Lambda) was the first Sate Alumnae Chairman for Southern California, and as you can see from the list of Chapter Charter Members, she recruited six sisters from Lambda Chapter to form the San Diego Alumnae Chapter.  Muriel T. McKinney (Lambda) installed the San Diego Alumnae Chapter June 13, 1931. Wana Keesling Kunzel (Lambda) was the first San Diego Alumnae Chapter President.  Meetings in the early years were held the fourth Thursday of the month.

Early philanthropic work for the chapter included making Christmas toys for children at the Neighborhood House, a settlement house assisting immigrants in transitioning into the San Diego Community. 

The chapter was also immediately active in San Diego Alumnae Panhellenic and hosted Panhellenic luncheons at the El Cortez.

Marguerite Roberts Ames – Lambda
Enda Lee Coombs Brown – Chi
Margaret Coombs Butziine – Beta Phi
Dorothy Durham
Vera Foote – Iota
Jerelyn Haddock Sparks – Kappa Theta
Alice Collier Heilman – Lambda
Hattie Heller Marsh – Sigma
Wana Keesling Kunzel – Lambda
Marian Beal Maddox – Lambda
Pauline McGill Link
Ethel Olsen - Zeta
Lily Quinlan – Lambda
Lillian Rice – Sigma
Katherine Williams Robinson – Pi Delta
Frances Lyman Worthington – Lambda
Emily Nash Ziegler – Omega