www.nevadawomen.org April 2016 News Volume 21, Number 2 To provide visibility and support for the gathering and dissemination of history about the roles and contributions of all Nevada women. State Senator Debbie Smith Passed away on February 21, 2016 Debbie Smith, Nevada Women's History Project member, Nevada State Senator and former State Assemblywoman, died Sunday, February 21, 2016. Her death was the result of a malignant brain tumor. She was 60 years old. She will long be remembered for legislation to better public schools and prevent abuse and bullying of students. She also championed "Brianna's Law" which requires DNA samples from individuals arrested for felony crimes Nevada State Legislature's 100th anniversary of women's suffrage in and she was a co-sponsor of the bill 2014. Senator Debbie Smith, center in red, presents the “Centennial of the Nevada Women’s Suffrage Campaign” Proclamation to Patty Cafferata, that created Nevada's 2-1-1 line. both are NWHP members. Other members pictured left to right: Kathy Noneman, Gloria Jaureguy (DAR member), Donna Clontz, Isabel Espinoza, Barbara Finley, Holly Van Valkenburgh and Mary Anne Convis. Debbie was first elected to the Photo by Mona Reno state Assembly in 2000 where she served in 2 sessions and 3 special sessions. Nevada State Legislature's 100th anniversary of She won a seat in the Senate in 2012. She was women's suffrage in 2014. She had been a guest the recipient of several lawmaker of the year speaker at a luncheon meeting in Gold Hill some awards and was the president of the National years back and was a longtime supporter of Conference of State Legislatures among her women's history in Nevada. We will miss her as other many accomplishments and awards. will the people she served in Nevada. Prior to her election to the state legislature she By Marcia Cuccaro had served on the Lander County School Board and as president of the Nevada Parent Teacher Association. She was a retired benefits information representative for the International Union of Operating Engineers. Debbie made it possible for members of NWHP to sit with her in the Senate at the NWHP News Volume 21, Number 2 April 2016 Page 1 www.nevadawomen.org Happy Birthday to Gertrude Gottschalk 100 Years “Young” Gertrude Gottschalk Gertrude was born in Preston, Nevada Long-time NWHP on February 4th, 1916. Her parents’ planned to member, Carson City make it to Ely from their ranch in White River Resident, & Native Valley for her birth. But a terrific snowstorm Nevadan Celebrated overtook them in Preston and a Mormon th Her 100 Birthday in midwife helped with her delivery. February Her first job was with the Nevada State Highway Department in Ely. In 1936 she Gertrude Riordan transferred to Carson City. In 1937 she met and Gottschalk married George Gottschalk, a University of celebrated her 100th Nevada graduate, Lovelock native, and Nevada birthday in Carson State Highway Patrolman. Their wedding took City with 150 guests place at St. Teresa’s Catholic Church in Carson in attendance at the Photo by Patti Bernard - NWHP City. They had two sons, Mark and Kerry. Kerry Carson Nugget on died at the age of 40 leaving his wife and four February 7th. Her friends and family joined in children. Mark is living in Vancouver, honoring her life with its many achievements Washington and is a retired businessman. Her locally and nationally. Gertrude has resided in grandchildren have been a source of special joy Carson City for close to 80 years. Reflecting on to her. her age she said: “I wish I knew how it felt (to be Travel was one of her top priorities. She 100 years old). It still hasn’t caught up with me, visited many different countries including trips to but it is quite a milestone. I can’t say I ever Canada, Ireland, South America, Germany, expected it. All my life I never really thought Austria, Switzerland, Scotland, France, Egypt, about age.” (1) England, Jordan, Turkey, Greece, Israel, Gertrude worked on a number of Democratic Budapest, and Czech Republic. One of her campaigns for notables as Senators Pat favorites was a vacation in Hawaii in the ‘30s. McCarran, Alan Bible, Howard Cannon, and Her Nevada roots run deep. All of her Harry Reid, and Governors Grant Sawyer, Mike grandparents came from Ireland and both sets O’Callaghan, and Richard Bryan. During the of parents settled in Nevada before it was a Kennedy-Johnson era, she served as state. Her mother, Jennie O’Hare Riordan, was Democratic National Committeewoman. For born in Carson City in 1874. The Riordan ranch many years she also served as secretary to the located south of Ely in White River Valley was Eleven Western States Democratic Conference. 22 miles below Preston. In the 1960s Gertrude became heavily involved We feel fortunate to have her as a long-time with the Democratic National Party, travelling member of the Nevada Women’s History around the state to organize for the party. She Project. Her mind is keen; her enthusiasm and met President John F. Kennedy as well as good humor are contagious. She plays bridge Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. She ran weekly, keeps up her membership in the Mark for the Nevada State Assembly the first year that Twain Garden Club, Chapter X in P.E.O., and Ormsby County was joined with Douglas County the Carson City Democratic Women’s Club. for that position. She won in Ormsby, but lost the Happy Birthday, Gertrude! We send our best race in Douglas. In 1947 she was recruited by wishes for the coming years. Mildred Bray, Superintendent of Public Instruction, to help form a women’s Democratic (1) Pettaway, Taylor, “100-year-old Carson City woman has had group. This she did and the Carson City fascinating life.” Nevada Appeal, February 6, 2016. Democratic Women’s Club has been successful as an active force in the community for over 70 By Kay Sanders, Gertrude’s niece years. NWHP Website Biography Editor Page 2 Volume 21, Number 2 April 2016 NWHP News www.nevadawomen.org Upcoming Events for NWHP 2016 Women of Achievement Luncheon Thursday — May 26 — 11:30-1:30 — Grand Sierra Resort, Grand Ballroom Christianne Hamel, NWHP’s Woman of Achievement honoree for 2016, attended UNR with the thought of obtaining a Nursing degree. Marriage and a move to Wisconsin changed her focus. She obtained a degree in Horticulture Marketing and Production at Gateway Technical College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She subsequently moved to Las Vegas, NV where she owned an interior plant maintenance company. Christianne is married to Jon Hamel and resides in Reno. She serves as Membership Chair and Correspondence Secretary for NWHP. To attend and congratulate Christianne, please send a check for $125 to the NWHP. The Annual Pink Tea & Member’s Meeting at the Governor’s Mansion When: Saturday, May 28, 2016 Time: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Where: Governor’s Mansion 606 Mountain Street, Carson City Cost: Members-$40, Non-Members - $45 and children under 16 - $15 Our Pink Tea Social is our way to say “Thank You” to those brave women who worked hard to help women get the “Right to Vote.” Under the disguise of a ladies’ pink tea social, they were able to plan suffrage events without the knowledge of the women’s men folks. Period dress admired, not required Annual Wildflower Hike A Hike in our own backyard 9:30 a.m. Saturday, July 9, 2016 To accommodate all of our members, this lunch menu of sandwiches, wraps, and salads. year’s hike will be on the Tahoe Meadows You can check out the menu and location on Nature Trail, a 1.3-mile loop, wheelchair their website at tunnelcreekcafe.com. accessible, trail through the wildflowers. Following lunch, those who would like to To reach the trailhead, take the Mt. Rose extend their hiking can hike up behind the café Highway (State route 431) to the Tahoe Rim on the Tunnel Creek Trail for spectacular views Trail trailhead parking lot on the south side of of Lake Tahoe. Please contact Jacki Falkenroth, the highway, 0.7 miles west of the Mt. Rose [email protected], phone: 841-5595, if you plan Summit. For those coming from Carson via to attend or have any Incline, the parking area is about 7.3 miles east questions. of the 28/431 junction. After exploring Tahoe Meadows, we will drive to the Tunnel Creek Café for lunch. The café is on the south end of Incline, where the Ponderosa Ranch used to be, at 1115 Tunnel Creek Road. The café offers a NWHP News Volume 21, Number 2 April 2016 Page 3 www.nevadawomen.org Profiles of Members Jacki Falkenroth Social Psychology and Anthropology. Later she would earn a Master’s Degree from the University of Nebraska in Urban Studies. She met her husband, Chuck Falkenroth, while attending UNR and in 1970 they married and moved to Nebraska where they subsequently became house parents at a residential center for children with learning disabilities. Throughout their marriage, as with Jacki’s childhood, they lived in many places until finally settling in the Bay area. Jacki worked as a substitute teacher throughout the years they were raising their son who now lives in Santa Cruz with his wife. Jacki Falkenroth was introduced to the Nevada Women’s History Project by Carleen In 1999 the Falkenroths retired to Washoe Ernst around 2005. She was interested in Valley, NV. They have traveled to 80 countries, capturing the history of her mother, Patricia 7 continents, all 50 states in the U.S.