SRWC...defending life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness since 1965
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*These gorgeous patriotic wreaths made by SRWC member Susan Maguire! Contact her to purchase.
 *You can purchase patriotic wreaths from SRWC member Susan Maguire!

Historical Highlights

March 1990 - March 1st Coffee to meet Tim Lawless, 10th District State Assembly. 
March 14th - "Trashing of America" -  Our own member Gail Miller Wray, a political appointee, has been EPA's recycling coordinator since May, 1989 where she is developing a model for the whole government. She started with recycling in 1977 when she worked for the American Can Company and on a recycling project for the City of Milwaukee. Prior to her appointment Gail served as Executive Director of Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful, Inc.


February 1990 - Lincoln Day Luncheon - Guest Speaker Supervisor Tom Bailey at Town Club Cost $10.00
Following the Milwaukee County update, Tom will open the meeting for discussion. He welcomes questions on higher property taxes, child abuse crisis, O'Donnell Park, drugs, 911, intergovernmental relationship, the new jail, drug courts and anything else of interest to you. 



January 1990
- Open Board Meeting to plan SRWC activities for 1990. 

December 1989 - A Christmas Tea - Wisconsin Women's Council Guest Speaker Ruth Godar at home of Betty Sills
"Elephant Ears" Cookbook Ready - Our new cookbook will be introduced at the December meeting. an excellent stocking stuffer, "Elephant Ears" is a compilation of over 50 recipes suitable for coffees, teas and cocktail hours. Our thanks to all members who contributed their favorites and, special thanks go to Inspirer, Mary Hoffman, Editor Jo Beightol, Artist Betty Sills, and Producer Del Rice.

New Officers Elected in November - SRWC officers elected to two-year terms at the November meeting were: President Mary Hoffmann, 1st  Vice-President Beverly Schwann and Recording Secretary, Lucille Atlas. Continuing in office are 2nd Vice-President Carol Carpenter, Treasurer Jean Schramm, Corresponding Secretary Betty O'Neill, Advisor Fran Courtney 

SRWC Presidents


1965 – 1970  Mary Grueninger O’Leary*

1960 - 1970  Gloria Johnson*

1970 – 1971  Lyle Barr

1971 – 1973  Evelyn Wallace

1974 – 1976  Trudy Smith*                                     
1976 – 1978  Nancy Carpenter                              
1979 – 1983  Lee Daehling*                                  
1984 – 1985  JoAnn Beightol

1986 – 1987  Fran Courtney*

1988 – 1990  Mary Hoffmann                               
1991 – 1993  Beverly Schwan

1994 – 1997  Lee Daehling*                                  
1998 – 1999  Melinda de Coriolis
                      
2000 – 2001 Polly Oppenheim*      

2001 – 2002 Lee Daehling*

2002 – 2004 Polly Pakenham Porter                                  
2005 – 2006 Debbie McNear Wheeler                             
2007 –  Jane Carpenter  

*deceased 

In Memoriam

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The SRWC honors Mary Grueninger-O'Leary as the Founder of our club and have a webpage devoted to our founding, which you may want to look at: SRWC History. She stayed in touch with our club through the service that her daughter, Toni, continues to provide! In fact, last year Mary's companion and nurse, Gisela, was one of our keynote speakers telling how she escaped from communism and ended up in a land promising freedom (and warnings of deja vu).

As Mary is quoted as saying: "We must educate ourselves and then, with our new knowledge and insight, proceed to educate others... And, to promote true Republican principles which, of course, are the concepts of freedom. The true concept of freedom is people as individuals rather than the masses." Mary lived her values to the end, and it is an honor to keep the SRWC going today and continue her fight for freedom. Click here for Mary's obituary in the MKE J/S.


Strong WI Roots - The SRWC Began During a Time of Turmoil - 1964

Click for larger image.
Our country's and our club's founders were strong, principled people who believed in limited government, the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence's assertion that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

The following article, in the Milwaukee Sentinel 2/20/1967, highlights one of our club's founders and the focus and drive of our longstanding membership.

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The SRWC is affiliated with the Wisconsin Federation of Republican Women and the National Federation of Republican Women.
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To Friends of the SRWC

SRWC Logo
Words from Mary Grueninger-O'Leary (shown above) who founded our club.

"We had worked our hearts out for the nomination and election of Senator Barry Goldwater as President of the United States of America. He was the first Republican for a number of years to be able to explain what being a Republican is all about in his book, The Conscience of a Conservative.

It was a real shock to many of us who worked at the North Shore Republican Club Goldwater Headquarters to realize that some people who called themselves "Republicans" did not know the meaning of the word, nor why they were Republicans.

Several women, Fran Courtney, Pat Pfeifer, Gloria Johnson, Nancy Ethier, and Harriet Kenyon, asked me to join them to go to Washington to the NFRW Women's Conference. We were inspired to do something about educating women, because at that time, men were busy making a living for us and our children.

We returned to Milwaukee to do something new. We got 10 members together, as required by NFRW bylaws, to start a new club, dedicated not only to education, but to combine it with fun!

Isn't it fun to learn while enjoying socializing with other women who share our Republican values while recruiting more? It proves we are right to be celebrating our 47th anniversary, doesn't it? It never could have been done without those who continued to carry the torch.

I, personally, am thrilled that my daughter, Toni, who "cut her teeth" on GOP principles at the dinner table with her late father, Jim Grueninger and yours truly is involved with the SRWC.

Our club has come a long way in the past 45+ years, and we should be proud of our accomplishments. While much as changed in the world since the Goldwater days, the SRWC continues to promote our tried and true Republican values (as paraphrased from the Blue Book):"

  • Individual States Rights. We believe the states need to reclaim all power not expressly given to the federal government.
  • Traditional Family Values. Faith, family, personal responsibility and a belief in the dignity of human life.
  • Limited Government. Governments should exist only to serve the needs of their citizens and must continue to be accountable to them. They must act with fiscal responsibility to prevent unnecessary taxation, regulation, and interference in the lives of our citizens.
  • Education. We believe education should be controlled by parents and teachers.
  • An end to governmental discrimination against religion.
  • Lower taxes.
  • Protection of private property rights.
  • Free speech. The right of individuals to freely express their political opinions through their financial contributions (with full, prompt disclosure).
  • Second Amendment. We believe in the Constitutional Right to keep and bear arms.
  • Equal treatment for everyone.
  • A strong National Defense.



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Helpful Resources
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Related Groups
Wisconsin Federation of College Republicans
Committee to Elect a Republican Senate (CERS)
National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW)
Republican Assembly Campaign Committee (RACC)
Republican Women
Republican Young Professionals
WISGOP - Republican Party of WI