Women in the History of The First
Congregational Church of Greenwich
(pre 1990)
A talk given January 20, 2016 by Pat Larrabee, church Historian
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Women in our stained glass windows
Women on our Staff
Music
Church Secretaries
Educators
Fundraisers
Helping People
Helping our Church
Firsts for Women in our Church
Women Senior Deacons
Women Chairs of the Board of Trustees
Anecdotes
Women in our stained glass windows
The main designer of the 1960's windows in
the extension of the Meetinghouse is
Marguerite Gaudin of the Willett Studios in
Philadelphia. She was known for her quick
work and great quantity of output.
The Chapel windows were designed by our own
Helen Sickles Hull, and executed by the Willett
Studios.
Ann Willet Kellog and Helene Martin designed
the Sunday School windows.
Our Chancel Window
Advent – The Annunciation to Mary
Christmas – Mary, baby Jesus and Joseph
North Transept Window
The left lancet was copied from Raphael’s
painting of Saint Cecilia, , the patron saint of
musicians and Church music, listening to a choir
of angels.
All three panels in this window were selected by
Rev. Dewitt Eggleston and his wife, Mary Kennedy
Eggleston in 1896. They were created by the J &
R Lamb Studios of NYC, which preceded the
Tiffany Studios. The Egglestons became friends
with J. Kennedy Tod and his wife, who sent them
on a vacation to Europe! The Kennedy name
connection may have helped the friendship.
This lancet was given “In loving memory of
Hannah Marie Lockwood Hendrie 1793-1849,
given by her sons, John and Charles Hendrie.”
The Home in Bethany Window
Jesus was a guest of Mary and Martha for
dinner in their home whenever he was near
Bethany. Mary is in the foreground listening,
learning and asking questions, while Martha
sets the table and prepares the dinner.
This window is “In memory of Lucy A. Marks
1824-1888, given by her family”.
Chapel Window 1
There is only one woman shown
landing on Greenwich Point in
1640, but there were actually
two women, three men and
seven children.
Elizabeth and Robert Feake had
four children, and Daniel and
Anneken Patrick had three
children, with one more born
two months after they landed.
Chapel Window 3
There is no written description of
what this window represents, but it
seems to show women teaching
Sunday School to children.
Sunday School began here in 1816.
Chapel Window 4
The ladies here are
packing barrels of
clothing for missionaries.
This reveals the
missionary spirit of our
church during the
hundred years of great
missionary outreach and
expansion in the 1800’s.
Associate & Assistant Pastors
Sally Colegrove
(Assistant Pastor; Associate; Senior Associate, now Pastor Emeritus
1978-2003)
Sally grew up in this church – the only woman pastor who did. After
college she worked in a hospital finance dept. and was asked to help
with the Youth program as a volunteer. She decided it was what she
wanted to do as a living. Sally graduated from Yale Divinity in 1983
and was ordained. In the next two years we had seven ordinations
and six were women. We were known as a church that raised and
ordained women. Nancy Schongalla, Brenda Stiers, Deedee Rigg, Meg
Boxwell, Faith Carmichael and two more.
Ann Suzedell
(Interim Associate Pastor
1976-1977)
With Paul Fraser and Nancy Ziac, she focused the Youth Program on
Worship, Mission, Fun & Fellowship and Education, with many
wonderful youth advisors along the way. It became a team – a family.
To provide funds for the Mission trips and to build kids’ confidence,
they did shows. The kids often helped write the shows, using their
favorite songs and they wrote their own skits. They did Godspell in
1986, 1992 and 2000. They went to Appalachia, H.O.M.E. in Maine,
Turkey, Hungary, 6 trips to Honduras and, in 2000, 79 people went to
the Holy Land.
In 1986 Sally went to Honduras with another church group, and
because the country was at war, it was a terrifying experience. She
met Dr. Joyce Baker, who said they needed a medical clinic, which our
church eventually funded. Hurricane Mitch in 1998 wiped out most of
Honduras, and thanks to Jamie Rutherford alerting us to how bad it
was, we sent 300 boxes of clothing plus medicines.
Dale Greene
(Associate Pastor 1980-89)
Dale convinced women to stop listing themselves as "Mrs. John Jones", but
rather "Jane Jones". She became our first full-time, ordained female
minister in 1980. She was also possibly the first pastor here who had been
divorced, which she used as a selling point in getting this job. She would be
better experienced to help others in divorce situations.
There was only a scattering of female ministers at that time (although there
was one at 2nd Congregational--Rebecca Spencer.) Women in ministry
exploded thereafter in 1980's and 1990's. By the end of the 1980's, there
were more females in seminaries than males -- a huge shift. Also this was
the time that inclusive language and was introduced and Opening &
Affirming policy was adopted. Dale was an outspoken proponent of
support for gay people and often wrote letters to the Editors of newspapers
in support of God’s love for ALL people.
In her oral history, Dale tells of the wonderful Music Sunday when she
baptized Rick and Marilyn Derr’s baby daughter, Katy. The church had a
symphony orchestra and Dave Brubeck at the grand piano. When it was
time to walk the baby to show to the congregation, Dave Brubeck broke
into a jazzy rendition of “Jesus Loves Me”, and Dale fairly danced with that
baby! It was a magical moment.
Meg Boxwell Williams
(Assistant Pastor & Director of Children’s Ministries 1982-1987)
Marie Reed
(Interim Assistant Pastor 1987-1988)
Susie Craig
(Associate Pastor; Senior Associate Pastor 1988-2007)
1985-1987 Deacon, 1985-head of Homecoming Picnic
1986-87 Family Life, SPF advisor
1987 Parish Associate as a seminarian, taught Confirmation Class, was
In-Care here and coordinated the all-church retreat
1988-1989 Director of Children’s Ministries
1992 Susie was ordained and on the Preschool Board
Brigitta Remole
(Assistant Pastor 1989-1992)
She led the Hats Off group, worked with the new Stephen
Ministry group, and did Hospice support ministry.
She was the first woman pastor to have a baby and go on
maternity leave while here.
(All other women pastors began after 1990.)
Musicians
Women organists were Mrs. Wilmot,
Lucy Marks, 1900-1910, who also conducted
a choir of 12,
Grey Bedford 1956-59, and
Porter Remington 1968-1972.
Viola Worrell
She was our organist and director of music for
41 years, from 1915 - 1956. She was one of
the first members of the Stamford Chapter of
the American Guild of Organists in the mid1950’s, along with Ray Harrington, Sr. and
Virginia DuBois. Her parents were active in the
church as well.
Lucy Marks
Church Secretaries
Nellie Hutchinson
(1950 - 1968) Served the church for 25
years. She was Church Secretary in charge of Finances and the
Cemetery. In 1967 we had 7 secretaries!
Carolyn Colegrove
Emily Jostrand
(1967 - 1972) “Administrative Assistant”
(1979 - 1983) “Administrative Assistant”
Nellie Hutchinson
Mary Boudreau
(1984 - 1990) “Administrative Assistant”
1985-first computer at our church, so the need for secretaries
went down to two! Thanks to Erna Olson, Pledge Secretary, for
implementing the computer.
Carolyn Colegrove
Mary Boudreau
Educators
Preschool Directors
1955-1978
Peg Roberts
1979-1984
Wendy Silverman
1985-1986
Sandy Plickert
1989-1999
Jackie Kahl
Sandy Plickert
Our current Preschool is outstanding, with 9 teachers have been working in the preschool for 10 years or more,
including 4 with more than 20 years of service to our preschool. We have a total of 279 years of service in Early
Childhood Education.
Summer Day Camp was begun by Bill Zboray in 1965, which he ran through 1983. Then Rita Caruso, Lynne
Lehman, Jackie Kahl, Nancy Ferullo & Barbara Andersen, Libby White and now Darla Kohler Steiner have run it.
(When the laws governing Day Camps changed, and we decided to offer the summer activities only to the 5 and
under children, we renamed it the Summer Program. Our Day Camp had been for a large range of school kid ages.)
Church School Directors
1965-1969 Frances H. Milnes, Director of Religious Education.
1970-1974 Alice Berry
1974
Marion Johnson, interim Director
1970’s
Religious Education committee & 4 Church School Supervisors.
1976-1982 Rev. Ann Suzedell, Interim Associate Pastor;
Mary Ann Chidsey, Church School Administrator
1982–1985 Rev. Meg Boxwell
1985
Kathy Verdier, interim
1986–2007 Rev. Susie Craig, Director of Children’s Ministries
Fundraising
Women continually made great efforts to raise
money for the church or for outreach.
There were twice yearly HUGE rummage sales
in the pre-Rummage Room days where ladies
put collected and made items, putting them up
in the church attics, closets and every nook
and cranny they could find, then bringing them
down for the one-day sale. It was a
tremendous amount of work, and it raised
thousands of dollars.
They also had an annual evening ice cream
social lawn party in summers. There were
booths of items to buy. Amanda Worrell
(Viola’s mother) wrote in 1884 of boys tearing
down the Japanese lanterns on string, saying
"This just won't do! We must use wire to hang
the lanterns”.
The ladies organized many antiques sales over the years as well, often
with a newly made quilt for sale.
They also organized mock weddings (below) as a children’s pagent and as
a fund raiser. Other churches were doing the same in those days.
The Rummage Room began on October 1, 1964, with it being open on
Thursdays, Fridays and half day Saturdays. Barbara Miller and Ruth
Wright were the Co-Chairwomen. Within a few months the weekdays
days were expanded to all 5 and there was a paid manager. Since they
began, the Rummage Room has raised over $4 million for outreach!
Mock wedding pre-1940
church, pews facing east
Rummage Room founders
Helping People
Mary Cordelia Ford went around town on her bike to help anyone in need from about 1880 to 1904.
She was
single and devoted herself to helping others. She wrote a small news sheet called the Sound Beach Beacon. She
would bring coal and bread in winter to poor people, mend or buy clothing for them, or give flowers from the
church to shut-ins – all delivered by bike.
There is a lovely small book written as a tribute to her in our church archives and online on Google Books. Six
ministers came to speak highly of her at her memorial service, one coming from Michigan. She was the next to last
person buried in Tomac Cemetery, in 1904. The last was Lucretia Taylor Peck one month later in 1904.
The War Years - The Women’s Guild began in 1930 or so.
Women of the church made thousands of
dressings for the Red Cross in WWI. In WW I they also sewed new clothing for the cause. The church bought a
sewing machine for them to use.
In 1940-41 the Sewing Committee reported 110 articles of clothing finished for the Red Cross and 6 pair of new
draperies made for the room in basement of the church from material donated by Mrs. Kitchel. This was done by a
total of 45 workers contributing 255 hours of work.
In 1941-42 there were 14 regular meetings followed by teas and seven all day sewing meetings with a luncheon.
Six of those were preceded by food sales and the 7th by a white elephant sale. Because of the war effort two of
the regular meetings were devoted to sewing in order to meet the emergency.
Dr. Ida Scudder
Ida was niece of the famous Dr. Ida Scudder who worked in
India from 1900-1960 and started a nursing school, a
hospital for women and a medical college for women in
Vellore, south India. She was a 4th generation medical
missionary in India until her retirement in 1970, and, thanks
to her sister Lillian and her husband Charlie Fish being active
members at our church, Ida’s work was supported by First
Church. Dr. Ida established the radiology dept. at the Vellore
medical college.
Rev. Duke Potter, who was the pastor here from 1964-1972,
had been born in Velore Christian Medical College to
missionary parents stationed in Velore, India, so he got us
interested in supporting Mission work in India. (His father’s
middle name was Marmaduke and that’s where he got his
nickname “Duke”.)
Helping our Church
Mary Jane Campbell Quintard was Treasurer of our church
for 21 years with her husband, Henry Ferris Quintard, from
1883 to 1904.
Around 1925-27 in the years of Dr. Barney as senior pastor,
church membership fell off. The Ladies’ Aid raised money to
keep the church going by giving turkey dinners two or three
times a year. Because the church basement was small and
had a small kitchen (where half of the Preschool is now),
there were usually two sittings.
Elizabeth W. Clarke and a committee of 26 researchers, most
of them women, wrote the fabulous "The First 300 Years: The
history of the First Congregational Church of Greenwich,
Connecticut, 1665-1965" book about our church history up to
1965, published in 1967. They searched archives in Hartford,
Greenwich Historical Society and the Greenwich Library. She
also wrote the Greenwich Historical Society’s book on the
chronology of Greenwich History 1640-1976, and “Before &
After 1776: A comprehensive chronology of the town of
Greenwich: 1640-1976”.
Alice Stead Binney
She and her family gave so much to the church and town. Alice gave us the
June Binney Memorial Parish House in 1930-31, and the 1937 organ in
memory of Edwin Binney. Most of the 1962 organ in memory of Mr. and Mrs.
Edwin Binney was given by family, Alice got Edwin to buy Binney Park, and
Helen did much of the landscape planning. Alice was a former English teacher,
a published poet and songwriter. She and her daughter Helen co-founded the
Greenwich Historical Society in 1930, which was then located in Perrot Library,
and they joined with architect Dan Everett Waid to buy the woodlands along
Harding Road which became the Helen Binney Kitchel Natural Park. Alice and
Helen also bought the pocket park kitty-corner from Perrot Library so a gas
station would not go in there.
Helen Binney Kitchel
(1890-1990) was in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1931 to
1939 and got legislature to agree to forbid billboards within 500 feet along CT
roads in 1939. In 1962 her husband, Allan F. Kitchel, gave the Flower Room to
the church in her honor, and in 1963 Helen and her children gave the chapel
reredos and dossal hangings in memory of Allan (1885-1963). She also gave us
the Memory Garden in memory of her mother. Helen had a long and
distinguished career in Greenwich as a member of the Representative Town
Meeting, the Chamber of Commerce, the Greenwich Reorganization
Committee and the Greenwich League of Women Voters.
Helen Sickles Hull Allen
Her oral history is on our church’s FCCOG.ORG
website and has some interesting stories. Her father
was Senior Deacon in Vincent Daniels’ time.
1959 She headed the Handicraft Committee.
1961-2 She was Assistant Day Camp director, headed
the youth group’s Mission Mart and was part of the
Choir Mothers Guild. Later she headed the Arts and
Crafts for the Day Camp and the Memorial Gifts
Committee.
1972 She designed the usher badges that we still use
today that women made from needlepoint.
Later she worked on the Stewardship and Worship
Committees.
1974 She began the Chancel Committee.
1990 She wrote the 25 years booklet and did many,
many drawings for the church over the years.
Betty Woodman
1961
President of Evening Guild
1968
Chair of Religious Education Committee
1972
Chair of Youth Program Committee
1974
one of four receptionists
1975-1976 Religious Education Committee
1976-1977 State President of the Women’s Fellowship
1977-1980 Deaconess
1978-1981 Head of Church and Society Committee
1985
UCC Board of Homeland Missions
1986
She and Harry were delegates to the annual CT Conference and to the
Fairfield West Association
1994
Church Women United
1995-1996 Attended with Lois Berlin the UCC's Third National Meeting of Women
1996-1997 Secretary of Back Bay Mission Board of Directors (Biloxi, MS, shrimp sales)
1998-1999 WF Board for Rummage Room, Church school teacher and receptionist
Needlework, calligraphy, baking,
decorating and flower delivery
Some ladies were fine calligraphers for our
Memory Gifts book, some made the fine
needlework usher badges, and some did the
needlework on the cushions on the lovely
carved wooden chairs up front and in the
Narthex.
Many ladies of the Women’s Fellowship baked
pies for pre-annual meetings when they were
held on Thursday evenings (1984 to 2007).
The Chancel Committee, all women, decorates
the chancel for Christmas and Easter, orders
flowers every Sunday and delivers leftover
flowers to shut-ins and those in the hospital or
local rehab places.
Firsts for Women in our Church
(1835-36) The women members (only nine women then) of our church excommunicated all of the men for
swearing, drinking, and not attending church regularly. Rev. Thomas Payne helped them to mend. He felt he had
to ask the Western Division of the Fairfield County’s Consociation at their annual meeting in 1836 if it was proper
for him as acting pastor to administer the Lord’s Supper to the all female membership without the help of a
church committee, traditionally all male.
Rev. Marion Faye Stickney
She came in 1954 as the first woman on our staff to serve in an ordained capacity as Director of Religious
Education. Even though she was an ordained minister she was called as Director of Religious Education and was
not considered one of the pastors since she was a woman. (It wasn’t until 1976 when Rev. Ann Suzedell became
our first woman Interim Associate Pastor.) She played the organ for Youth meetings on Sunday nights and
embroidered the six images of our historical church buildings and had them framed as wall hangings.
Emily Lent
She volunteered to be our first front desk receptionist in 1964 as something to do after her husband
died. She brought home made corn chowder for each staff meeting and a cake for each staff person’s
birthday. Ruth Reed got a copy of Emily’s delicious corn chowder recipe, and always makes it for a
Souper Bowl Sunday soup. In honor of Emily, it is the only recipe allowed by the Women’s Fellowship
to list the name of the recipe creator! Emily took over managing the College and University Loan Fund
(CULF) after Vincent Daniels started it in 1959, and she continued until 1984 – 25 years! She had also
been church Treasurer, a Sunday School teacher, and head of the Women’s Fellowship.
Brenda Stiers
She was our first pastor’s wife who became a pastor herself.
She gave several sermons here. She was mainly based at
Riverside Cathedral in Manhattan. She graduated from Yale
Divinity School and Princeton Theological Seminary. She was a
leader on the Commission on Aging in Greenwich, Council of
Churches and Synagogues of Lower Fairfield County, Greenwich
YWCA, National Council of Churches, and on the Board of
Advisors of Yale Divinity. She worked for the homeless, hunger,
and elder organizations.
In 1969 women ushered for the first time. Ironically, the usher badges which are hand embroidered,
were designed with a fixed clip pointing down to clip onto a man’s suit jacket pocket. Only in 2015 were
these clips made more flexible to suit women’s clothing, thanks to Betty Bonsal speaking up about it!
The Kettle Quilters, first began in 1973 and continued by Inge Thalheim, have made over 180 quilts!
The quilters started by quilting for each other and for anyone for a modest price, with the proceeds
going to our church. This quickly grew into making quilts for the Women’s Fellowship Antique Shows
1974 – 1990. New England antiques dealers displayed their wares but the highlight of the show was the
raffle of the handmade quilt. Perrot Library and Hill House have also benefitted. Some quilts were gifts
to pastors when they left. These lovely quilts are now on our website, thanks to Hilary Lawrence for
scanning, naming and dating them all.
Allie Holmes in 1975 became the first woman Senior
Deacon.
Beth Rollins in 1991 became the first woman Head of the
Board of Trustees.
In 1976 Rev. Ann Suzedell became the first ordained woman to
serve as Interim Pastor.
Allie Holmes
Our Parish Nurse first began in 1998 with Mary Ann McDevitt,
then Dee Coover in 2000.
A Wellness Committee began in 1997 to help our Parish Nurse by
taking blood pressures after church, giving flu shots and helping
at Red Cross Blood Banks at the church. Rev. Kitty Garlid was a
visiting pastor at local hospitals for years. These ladies have
helped people in body and spirit!
The diaconate in 1931 was a group of four men, which grew to a
group of 12 men. But by 1949 the Church Committee had a
diaconate of twenty four: twelve deacons and twelve
deaconesses. The ladies could prepare communion, but only the
men could serve it. In 1989, they all merged into one board
giving everyone equal responsibility.
Mary Leinbach
Mary Leinbach counselled high school
students from 1982-2006 (27 years!) on
getting into college and choosing the
right college for them. She always
donated her fees to the church.
Women Senior Deacons
Allie Holmes
1975
Ruth White
1981
Joyce Carlson
1992
Vickie Altmeyer
1994
Judy Goodchild
Ruth Davidson
Women Heads of the Board of Trustees
Beth Rollins
1991
Emily Jostrand
1993
Julie Jones
1995
1995
Frosty Friedman
2005
1997
Betsy Moore
2011
Caralliene Westbrook 1999
Robin Loughman
2002
Pat Mendelsohn
2005
Barbara Davidson
2007
Pat Geismar
2009
Lynn O’Gorman
2010
Lesley Schless
2011
Elaine Teeters
2014
Elaine Teeters
2015
Pam Grunow
2016
Three Anecdotes about our Pastors’ Wives
Martha Burritt, Rev. Blackleach Burritt’s wife
In the early morning hours of February 11, 1779, our pastor was captured by the British for his
passionate advocacy of the American cause.
At 4 am he was sleeping at the parsonage with his wife Martha and their eight children. The
British raiders broke in by shattering their windows when they refused to open the door. The
raiders, fearing an attack by his fellow patriots, did not have enough time or kindness to let the
Reverend dress. Martha, seven months pregnant, left their eight young children at home and
followed clothes in hand, begging for a chance for her husband to put on some clothes. The
raiders finally allowed it, after giving her a hard time, and ordered her to leave. But she kept
following, pleading for two of her cows. She followed all the way to the water’s edge, where
they boarded the prisoners and stolen animals onto a boat.
One of the raider officers finally caved, saying “let the damned rebel Minister’s wife have one
of her cows!”
Mary, Rev. Allan Lorimer’s wife
In 1928 Rev. Allan Lorimer's wife Mary used to put their baby boy outside
the parsonage at 106 Sound Beach Avenue to nap in his playpen in the
summer sun - totally naked.
The church ladies were shocked - what if a young girl came by and saw him!
Young 8-year-old Carolyn Colegrove overheard the ladies talking about this
in her home, so the first chance she got on a warm day to slip out of the
house and walk to the church, she saw that the playpen was out on the
front lawn of the church. When she looked inside, she saw an adorable
redheaded baby boy sleeping naked on his stomach, and wondered,
“What is all the fuss about?”
Mary, Merton Libby’s wife: “The Joyous Abduction of Mary L.” by Ruth N. Morris
It was a perfect weather day in August, 1967, when four “presumably
reliable” women suddenly decided to kidnap Mary L. and whisk her away
to a picnic at Tod’s Point. They figured that on a minister’s salary, her
husband could hardly afford to pay a ransom!
Mary L. was painfully shy, modest and unassuming – the perfect minister’s
cheerful wife. She taught Sunday School, had a lovely soprano voice,
attended all meetings of the Afternoon and Evening Guilds and helped
those true saints who sorted stuff for the church Rummage Sales.
The rumor was she had cancer, but she never spoke of it. One morning,
because she didn’t drive, she asked me to drive her to an appointment in
Greenwich. I was delighted. We first went to the rose garden in Bruce
Park where the pink tea roses were in full bloom. Then we went to the
supermarket, where we met Marion Ficker, a special friend. I said, “Let’s
make sandwiches and go to the beach at Tod’s Point. This will be YOUR
day, Mary.”
Mary explained that her husband came home every day at noon for his lunch. “We’ll kidnap you! Nelda Teague
and Beverly Bradham will join us, and the good minister will just have to get his own lunch.” Mary gave in to the
four desperados. We taped a message to the back door of the parsonage: “Mary L. has been kidnapped. No
lunch today.” and took off.
Mary was proud of her own daring and we were delighted in her complete joy, enhanced by the beauty of the
dark, sparkling waves, warm golden sands and the screaming gulls circling above. It was a magical day. She had
lived in town for many years and had never been to a picnic at the Point. We laughed so much she said, “Please
abduct me again.” But we never did.
The next week she was driven to Maine to visit her elderly parents, but she became very weak and came back to
Greenwich to die at the hospital. Her memorial service was on a beautiful day and the church had many vases
of pink tea roses. Because her parents were unable to make the long trip, I wrote them how beautiful it all was
and told them the story of the day we abducted her. They were so happy to hear it and replied, “Mary was
always so self-effacing and modest we were afraid no one would know what a fine person she was.”
Betty Wiiken recently gave this story to Ruth Reed,
who passed it on to Pat Larrabee for the church archives.
Nelda Teague
Betty Wiiken
Ruth Reed