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The Women Behind the Jaycees

Even though the Jaycees were an all-male organization when it was started back in 1920, Women have played an important role all along the way. In Michigan, the Jaycee Auxiliary was officially started in 1944. The local auxiliary organizations names varied including the use of: Women of the Jaycees, Jaycettes, or Jaycee women. The organizational meeting of the Michigan Junior Chamber of Commerce Auxiliary was promoted and arranged for by interested Jaycees, who foresaw the virtues of forming a state auxiliary.

The organizational meeting of the Michigan Junior Chamber of Commerce Auxiliary was promoted and arranged for by interested Jaycees, who foresaw the virtues of forming a state auxiliary. This meeting was held in the Aviation room of the Rowe Hotel, Grand Rapids, in May, 1944. The charter member organizations were Adrian, Highland Park, Holland, Kalamazoo, Muskegon and Saginaw.

In 1984, when the United States Jaycees voted to give women full membership rights in the Jaycees, the Auxiliary was disbanded. During its 40 year history, the Michigan Jaycees Auxiliary was guided under the leadership of the following Presidents:

President #  Years Served  Name  Home Chapter
1st  1944-1945  Betty Sexton  Muskegon
2nd  1945-1946  Ruth Golden  Highland Park
3rd  1946-1947  Dorothea Burua  Detroit
4th  1947-1948  Joan Bassett Muskegon
5th  1948-1949  Jeanette Arnold  Ypsilanti
6th  1949-1950  Skeets Strom  Highland Park
7th  1950-1951  Arlyne Welling  Holland
8th  1951-1952  Jessie MacLeod  Albion
9th  1952-1953  Ester Stacy  Lapeer
10th 1953-1954  Jane Maslin  Ann Arbor
11th  1954-1955  Marian Seitz  Ypsilanti
12th  1955-1956  Lillian Craig  Howell
13th  1956-1957  Ruth Dean  Albion
14th  1957-1958  Rose Halman  Ann Arbor
15th  1958-1959  Dolly Gardner  Adrian
16th  1959-1960  Marguerite Falk  Milan
17th  1960-1961  Jean Kenz  St. Clair Shores
18th 1961  Phyllis McPherson  Howell
19th  1961-1962  Arlene Eigdon  Rochester
20th  1962-1963  Beth Clary  Redford
21st  1963-1964  Doris Brohman  Berrian Springs
22nd  1964-1965  Pat Bechtel  Wayne
23rd  1965-1966  Jeanne Beauvais  Detroit
24th  1966-1967  Patti Lance  Madison Heights
25th  1967-1968  Dixie Parks  Milford
26th  1968-1969  Lee Formicola  Rochester
27th  1969-1970  Clarice Vasold  Freeland
28th  1970-1971  Anne Steinaway  Chelsea
29th  1971-1972  Pat Schoenfield  Swartz Creek
30th  1972-1973  Carol Miel  Stanton
31st  1973-1974  Stancey Henne  South Lyon
32nd  1974-1975  Judy Ettinger  Waterford
33rd  1975-1976  June Mason  Lansing
34th  1976-1977  Vickie St. Louis  Auburn Heights
35th  1977-1978  Sue Pogarch  Taylor
36th  1978-1979  Joyce Julius  Holly
37th  1979-1980  Sharon McGill  Clinton Area
38th  1980-1981  Pat VanWormer  Hartland
39th  1981-1982  Molly Spencer  Garden City
40th  1982-1983  Linda Smith  Milford
41st  1983-1984  Carol Thompson  Howell
42nd  1984-1985  Cheryle Barton  Niles