|
by Rosemary Smithson
 It is with much sadness that I write this tribute to a long-time friend and activist, Doris Quinn, who died on May 22, 2003, at the age of 79. Doris was a nationally known leader in the second wave of the women's movement. As an industrial editor she was a member of Women In Communications and attended the group's national convention in 1971. At the meeting she was inspired by a speech given by Congresswoman Martha Griffiths who announced that a National Women's Political Caucus was being formed in Washington.
Doris came back home and with her buddy Norma Storms, and convened the first Missouri state caucus meeting in February 1972. Shortly after, she launched the GKC Caucus at a meeting at UMKC and served as its first president. Doris herself ran for political office and in 1974 joined the three "D's" (Doris Quinn, Della Hadley and Dottie Doll) and took Jefferson City by storm.Doris instilled the Caucus with the spirit of women helping women. It was her heart cause and she was the soul of the organization. Doris personally helped hundreds of women reach their goals. It is clear that one of the reasons the GKC Caucus is alive and well 31 years later is that its founder was a woman of incredible integrity and unique people skills. Beneath that halo of white curls and behind those innocent brown eyes was the spirit of a first-class troublemaker.
Doris and I always joked that we should turn our passing into a fund raising opportunity. So her friends, Carol Bates and Biddy Hurlbut have done just that. They have started a Doris Quinn Tribute Fund for the WPC Endowment. Please pledge in Doris' honor and help keep her passion for women's political equality well-funded!
Click here to donate to EEF
|
