March 2014: bakerblockmuseum.org. Visit us at

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1 Visit us at bakerblockmuseum.org March 2014: March is Womens History Month 2013 Okaloosa County Womens Hall of Fame Mrs. Rogene Anchors Hasty Through the Years Women of Okaloosa County Family Heritage Wall of Honor, 2014 The Baker Mercantile Store is located next to the Baker Block Museum on Georgia Avenue, Baker, FL Corner of Hwy 189 and Rt 4. The original Baker Mercantile store opened in The Baker Mercantile, vendor mall is an extension of the Baker Block Museum and a place for folks to sell handmade items, collectibles, and antique items. See more on line at bakerblockmuseum.org Phone for more info

2 2013 Okaloosa County Women s Hall of Fame Pioneer Award Biographical Narrative of Rogene Anchors Hasty Charlotte Wright, Phyllis McGill, Nancy Houseknecht, Cynthia Hasty and Patricia Eby proudly nominate our mother, Rogene Anchors Hasty, to the 2013 Okaloosa County Women s Hall of Fame. A fourth generation native of a pioneering South Okaloosa family that settled here in the 1860 s, Hasty was born and reared in Niceville, living all except seven of her eighty-nine years in Niceville, later in Crestview, and currently in Shalimar. An ardent advocate for her home county, its heritage and its future, Hasty s professional, civic and personal accomplishments reflect her love and commitment to the area and its residents. Valedictorian of her 1942 Niceville High School class, Hasty was also president of the Beta Club and of her church youth group. Immediately after graduation, she began full time employment as a civil service bookkeeper at then Eglin Field prior to attending Asbury College, Wilmore, KY ( ), a private Methodist denominational institution. Completing her freshman year, she returned home, continuing her former job, planning to save her money and return to complete her education. She s one of our own! Fate intervened in the form of handsome Master Sergeant Charles Hasty, recently returned from the South Pacific and stationed at Eglin. Married two weeks after the official end of World War II, they lived in Niceville until 1953, when he was stationed at Travis Air Force Base, CA, where the family resided in nearby Vacaville until From , Hasty was, like so many of her generation, a stay-at-home mom, nurturing a growing family of four daughters and a son. Her busy schedule included teaching Sunday school and vacation Bible school; being a room mother, involvement in PTA, and volunteering with the Girl Scouts; sewing clothes and costumes and chauffeuring her daughters to dance and piano lessons, church choir, recitals, contests and school performances. Upon her husband s military retirement, Hasty and family returned home to Okaloosa County, settling in Crestview where she returned to work, beginning her active professional and service years in tandem with family responsibilities, including the birth of a fifth daughter in 1962, and bookkeeping for her husband s business, working at the Court House, selling advertising for the Okaloosa County Fair program and substitute teaching. Always concerned with what are often referred to as women s issues --home and family--hasty combined her commitment to families and community by becoming Crestview s first Newcomer Greeting hostess, visiting and welcoming new families, primarily wives and mothers, to the area. She provided information, offered gifts and services and often served as their first local contact. She also initiated a monthly Newcomer s Club, hosted a weekly radio show, and established and maintained sponsorships with business, civic, educational and religious leaders, who in turn welcomed the new residents. Hasty continued her Newcomer service for twenty-two years, even after becoming Executive Director of Crestview s Chamber of Commerce in In this new position she became an ambassador for the city, with daily contact with new residents and in correspondence regarding the many inquiries about the area. Hasty increased the chamber membership from fewer than fifty to over three hundred during her tenure, helping business leaders partner to promote growth and prosperity for the city and county; oversaw the planning and relocation of the new office; and began in Crestview the Chamber practice of new business ribbon-cutting ceremonies. She worked closely with the Small Business Development Center, later serving on that Board; organized a number of local events that encouraged the participation of both residents and nonresidents, such as the annual north county Christmas parade and bazaar; coordinated the city s celebration for the nation s bicentennial; and worked with L & N Railroad to plan Northwest Florida s centennial, hosting a Heritage Day for the enjoyment of local citizens. Besides holding successful twice-monthly meetings in Crestview, Hasty worked closely with the other three Okaloosa County chambers, helping form monthly meetings for the presidents and executive officers to discuss ways to mutually benefit the entire county, and, similarly, met with chambers from Escambia, Santa Rosa and Walton counties to promote the region.

3 (Anchors Hasty continued). Additionally, she annually coordinated the chamber s banquet meeting, inviting as speakers nationally prominent leaders USAF generals Chappie James and Robert Bond and Congressman Earl Hutto, hosted a coffee honoring the Spanish consul and attended military briefings at Eglin AFB. Hasty participated in professional training seminars at UWF, Gulf Coast CC, Disney World, and in institutes for chamber executives at the University of Georgia (Athens). Among her honors and achievements, Hasty was appointed by former Gov. Bob Graham to a regional education committee, and former OWJC President Dr. McCracken appointed her to a board whose purpose was to secure a nursing department and a beauty college to provide training and to foster local employment opportunities, especially for women. The planning for that early nursing program eventually resulted in one of the first four-year degrees available at NWFSC. She enjoyed participating in a VIP flight with Gen. Gordon Fortner and other local leaders to tour NASA s Space Center (Houston) and the Aerospace Medical Center (San Antonio). Later, Hasty enlisted her husband and a committee to design, build and display the Okaloosa County exhibit at the Florida State Fair in Tampa, competing with other counties. The Okaloosa exhibits earned awards in the top ten judging eleven of twelve years, including First Place in 1991 and promoted the entire county and was displayed publicly prior to traveling to Tampa each year. Her scrapbooks documenting these exhibits are now preserved at the Baker Block Museum. Hasty s civic organizations and personal activities during her career years were varied. A twenty-five year honoree of the Woman s Club, member of the Home Demonstration Club, Garden Club, elementary school PTA and President of Crestview High School PTA, she also served as deacon of the First Presbyterian Church, president of the Women of the Church, chairman of her circle and church historian. She was an election polls worker, chaired the March of Dimes drive, and volunteered for the Heart fund. She and her husband were active members of Los Cabelleros, an organization which promoted and celebrated the Old Spanish Trail heritage and fostered cultural, historical and civic ties through community festivals and other celebrations as well as by participating in the activities of sister clubs in Ft. Walton Beach, Pensacola, Mobile, Tallahassee and Bradenton. In turn they hosted these groups to the Crestview events. For her years of service, Hasty was named Queen of Los Cabelleros in Another affiliation was Hasty s membership in the Old Niceville Historical Group, which met monthly to record the area s local history. Presently she continues to attend the monthly and annual meetings of the Niceville High School Alumni and also attends the All Faiths Chapel at Bob Hope Village. In 1986, after fourteen years with the Chamber, Hasty was honored at a retirement reception by city officials, family and friends. At that point, she was the Crestview Chamber s longest serving Executive Director, providing much needed continuity to the Board, even during a period of great personal tragedy, her seventeen-year-old son s 1975 death from a rare form of cancer. After her retirement, the Hastys enjoyed traveling, spending time at their vacation home in Seagrove Beach, and visiting and hosting their daughters, spouses and grandchildren. Several years after her husband s death, Hasty relocated to Bob Hope Village in Shalimar, sadly leaving Crestview after almost forty-eight years. Throughout her long, productive life and many years of community service, Hasty has set an incredible example of leadership, dedication, and concern for her native county and its citizens. Based on her conviction that encouragement of positive growth leads to civic pride, economic prosperity and enriched lives, she made many contributions and has seen much change in Crestview, Okaloosa County and NW Florida. She genuinely enjoyed her various roles and the people she served and worked alongside, yet has always been first a loving, supportive wife and mother. Her daughters believe we represent her commitment to women. She instilled in us to believe in our own abilities, avail ourselves of every possible opportunity, be tolerant and respectful of others, and commit ourselves to our families, careers and communities. Thank you to our mother, Rogene Hasty, and to the OCCSW in consideration of our nomination of her for this honor. Garner and Pearl Anchors Rogene s parents

4 (Cont ) Rogene Anchors Hasty Rogene marries Master Sergeant Charles Hasty, recently returned from the South Pacific and stationed at Eglin. They married two weeks after the official end of World War II, they lived in Niceville until Niceville/Boggy. Rogene, Zelda Smith, Mary Long as Daisies in school play, ca The couples entries in the Okaloosa County Fairs also won State of Florida awards. Boggy Bayou. Rogene stands with her mother, Pearl and her grandmother Rebecca Bolton

5 Meet the Future Homemakers of America of Laurel Hill High School, 1960s If you didn t know Mrs. Margaret Keith when she was Secretary at Bob Sikes School, perhaps you remember her from the 1st Baptist Church, Crestview...a great lady.

6 The staff at City Hall We believe these ladies were at the Niceville City Hall. Perhaps in the 70s or 80s?

7 By 1931 she was teaching in Okaloosa County schools. In the 1950s she was Principal of Niceville School (grades 1 through 12). In 1968 she became an Assistant Superintendent for Instruction in Okaloosa County. She was the first woman to attain a senior management position in our county public schools. Her work and dedication to public education continued. She helped introduce guidance programs and foreign languages into the school system. She spoke of working with the then-superintendent of Okaloosa County Schools, Mr. Lance Richbourg, at the time when the school system gave birth to what would become Okaloosa-Walton Junior College. Learn more at bakerblockmuseum.org under Educational Services > Okaloosa County Biographies...and Quizzes Addie Rushton Lewis she died in 2001 at the age of 100. Edge led a busy life as an equestrian, writer, musician and wife. At the age of 80, she became involved in politics and was appointed by the NW Florida Council on Aging to represent Okaloosa County Senior Citizens as a member of the Florida Silver Haired Legislature. The following year, she served as a Florida Delegate to the White House Conference on Aging. At the age of 83, she filed for a seat on the Niceville City Council and took 52% of the vote defeating a lawyer and a local businessman. Jessie Alma "Granny" Edge Read and study more about the achievements of women in Okaloosa County in A History of Florida & Okaloosa County available in our bookstore and on-line at bakerblockmuseum.org Caroline Baker Allen (Educator; Public Figure, Crestview) Gladys Milton (Midwife) Mayme Tyner (Pioneer Family) ) Pearl Tyner (Business woman; Philanthropist, Laurel Hill) Mrs. Jessie Alma Edge (City Council of Niceville, FL) Agnes Hall (Florosa, FL)

8 Caroline and her husband taught at Drew School in Baker from August 1949 until May, That is when Carver Hill School was built in Crestview and they were transferred to teach there. When the public schools were integrated, Caroline was transferred to teach at Crestview High and her husband to Richbourg Junior High School. They remained there until they retired; Caroline retired in Her contributions to our community did not stop with teaching school. She served as President of Carver-Hill Memorial and Historical Society and led the drive to establish the Carver-Hill Museum, fund its new building, and served as Director. She was an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, the NAACP, the African American Community Council. Most important to her was her church family Lebanon Baptist Church of Baker, Fl. Recognized and honored for her major achievements in religious education, historical preservation and community service, she was inducted into the Okaloosa County Hall of Fame in Caroline Baker Allen Agnes came to Fort Walton Beach, Florida in That is when the area was known as Camp Walton. Through the efforts of Gerlach and her family, St. Mary s Catholic Church and School were formed. Because of her musical talent, she assumed the responsibility for the music at the church and bought the first organ, which had to be operated with a foot pump. Her other activities included the formation of a garden club and the Camp Walton Woman s Club, which was established to do everything - start a health clinic, eradicate mosquitoes, keep cattle out of the streets, found a library & bring culture to the area. Agnes Catherine Gerlach Who is Eligible: Individual (s) who have lived or worked in Okaloosa County, male or female. And have made a contribution to the formation, or positive enhancement to our communities in Okaloosa County. May be nominated posthumously. Assistance finding family history is available in the research library at the Baker Block Museum. Each Nominee will be an honored guest at a special ceremony hosted by the museum. Their names will be placed on the Family Heritage Wall of Honor at the museum. A picture and short bio and or story, highlighting their contributions, will be placed in the Heritage Family Wall of Honor our permanent museum display library binder. A Commemorative Program will also be available at the Induction Ceremony. Learn more on-line at bakerblockmuseum.org > Family Heritage Wall of Honor. (See Application on next page )

9 2014 Nominations due no later than 31 March 2014