The Metropolitan St. Louis Inter Branch Council honors Betty Takahashi as its 2011 Barbara Lackritz Awardee

Betty supports AAUW’s mission…

Joined AAUW in 1975; supported ERA Amendment march in Chicago; on St. Louis committee (1997) for “Sister to Sister” workshop; developed and taught classroom unit celebrating Women’s History month; researched and presented Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks and Virginia Wolf for St. Charles Reader’s Theatre.

AAUW in the St. Louis area…

Betty served on many committees and held offices and chairs for the St. Charles Branch (Program, Public Policy, Education, Local Scholarship, SMART); was a Named Gift honoree twice and attained Century Club in 2010; judge for two years and current co-chair of AAUW sponsored History Day.

AAUW Regional, National and International…

Betty organized the St. Louis celebration of the 75th anniversary of Women’s Right to Vote; President of IBC for two years; floor judge and vote counter at 2009 National Convention; 15 years as St. Charles Rep at Labor Day; served as state Public Policy chair (6 yrs) and state Diversity chair (4 yrs); representative to National Convention in Washington, DC; appointed to Missouri Women’s Network.

Leadership in non-AAUW areas…

Betty was an election judge and currently serves as supervisor of election judges in her precinct; active as teacher and treasurer in her church; member of St. Charles County Social Justice Alliance;  helps lobby in Jefferson City.

Education…

Betty taught for 36 years, serving as well as advisor to student councils,  talent show, drug council, and faculty; active in Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA), holding various offices; currently secretary of Warrenton Chapter of Missouri Retired Teachers (was president for 4 yrs); received  Retired Educator Award 2010 from Unit 13 (St. Charles, Warren, Pike and Lincoln counties).

Letters for Betty say that although she is “soft-spoken and not one to draw attention to herself…she is the first to step up with information and insight…” She is “a tireless supporter of legislative issues.”

WHO WAS BARBARA LACKRITZ, AND WHY IS THERE A SERVICE AWARD IN HER NAME?

The purpose of The Barbara Lackritz AAUW Service Award is to recognize the AAUW branch members in the St. Louis area who have contributed many years of selfless, dedicated service to  promote the AAUW mission.

Known as Barb to all of us in AAUW and as Granny Barb to those on the Cancer list serve,
this one-woman powerhouse taught us all a thing or two about how to live, and ultimately,
how to let go.

Barb and husband Irv moved from New York to St. Louis in the late 60’s. Twins Pam and Hilary, and son Neal, completed the family. Barb’s Masters Degree in Special Education from Columbia University was soon put to work when she became a speech pathologist at Fairmount Elementary School in St. Peters, a position she held until 1999.

In AAUW, most of us remember Barb as a fun-loving, but tenacious, fundraiser for EF and LAF, a tireless advocate for women’s rights, a savvy politician, and a guru of the internet – a talent she used to help the entire state board, and many branches, come “on line” while Missouri State President from 2000-2002. Barb was a natural leader who served AAUW in a variety of positions at the local, state, regional, and national levels. You could never miss Barb’s enthusiasm, or her vast collection of AAUW pins, proudly displayed on her hat or vest, at any convention or conference! She was a true AAUW model.

Among her many other achievements, Barb served as alderman from 1985-1993 for Town and Country, was on the city’s planning commission, authored a book on leukemia in 2001, hosted the leukemia list serve, helped organize cancer self-help groups, and was a national speaker on Adult Leukemia to doctors, pharmaceutical firms, and patients.

In the end, Barb was taken away by the disease on June 4, 2003. But she went on her own terms – gracefully, peacefully and with dignity, surrounded by the love of her family and friends.

As printed in the Fall 2003 Missouri in Motion, the AAUW in Missouri newsletter.

Prior Lackritz Award Winners:

• 2003 – Barbara Lackritz, Creve Coeur, Kirkwood-Webster Groves, and Ballwin-Chesterfield
• 2004 – Shirley Breeze, Ferguson-Florissant, and Shirl Garhart, Creve Coeur
• 2005 – Jean Shull, Kirkwood-Webster Groves
• 2006 – Ella M. Bettinger, St. Louis and Kirkwood-Webster Groves
• 2007 – Carol Davis McDonald, St. Louis and Kirkwood-Webster Groves
• 2008 – Julia Triplett, Ballwin-Chesterfield
• 2009 – Barbara Barnett, St. Charles, and Lynne Roney, Kirkwood-Webster Groves
• 2010 – A. Patricia Shores, Ballwin-Chesterfield

CLICK HERE to return to the IBC page.