Peg Vines

is honored with a Brick from Childen: Melissa, Monte, Jennifer, Ross, Claudia, Marilee, and Rebecca.

On our mother's 70th birthday we--that is, her seven grown children, their spouses, and seven grandchildren--honor her by designating a brick with her name in the Plaza of Heroines.

She may not think of herself as female hero, even on a local scale. But, for as long as we can remember, "Mom Peg," (as she signs her notes to us), has been sticking her neck out for unpopular causes and hanging in until they get noticed by the media, lawmakers, and general public. When we were young, we were often embarrassed by this tendency of hers, especially when she was "on her soapbox" decrying discrimination against women. Now we take for granted many of the rights she struggled for: women getting credit cards and loans in their own names. . . being hired in non-traditional jobs. . . running for political office. . . becoming entrepreneurs in their own businesses. . . even such simple "honors" as having their given names listed in the newspaper along with their husbands as parents of newborn, or in the phone book with his name.

Now we've also come to understand that her commitment to empowering women meant finding options for those who were suffering from violence and addictions. Thus, her volunteer work with the YWCA Women's Crisis Center, the Sexual Assault Center, and alcoholism treatment programs.

Those many activities she was so prone to tackle over the years were, naturally, in addition to full-time employment, mothering, and running a busy - often chaotic - household alone since the late 1960s. It was a juggling act and balls were dropped at times. That is, disappointing a child by missing a school event to stay at work. Or relying on others for endless chauffeuring. And always, it seemed, serving too many meals of liver and lima beans!

Our mother was the 11th of 12 children born to Kate and Roy Boemecke in Waterloo, Iowa. Neither parent had the privilege of completing high school, but were determined their children would. Peg's dream was to write for newspapers, so she went on to work her way through two graduate degrees. She worked for weekly and daily papers in Iowa and Nebraska, married a colleague, moved to Kansas in 1956, and eventually returned to the paid work force, this time writing advertising. During those years and yet today, she's often at the computer banging out freebie assignments for worthy causes: brochures for non-profit groups, ads for political candidates, or rhymes for grandkids' birthday parties. As a hobby, for 15 years, she's been invited to clubs and public events to portray Eleanor Roosevelt, a woman she much admired who is surely her role model.

We feel very blessed to have such a courageous, intelligent, creative, committed, and loving mother, who has been a wonderful role model for all of us.

Submitted by the Vines family

August 31, 1998 (for Peg Vines)