New Members/Goodbye to Pearl

Fall 2010 / 12

IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES
Continued from page two

women’s rights in this country many of our sisters would choose to sit out an election must surely make our IWPA founders roll over in their graves. They understood what Ms. Steinem reinforced during her remarks at the luncheon I attended – that there is power in participation.

One hundred twenty-five years ago, our founders believed in the importance of organizing to advance their careers. They also worked on behalf of women’s rights – including the right to vote. 90 years ago, a nation of women would not rest until
the 19th Amendment passed.

In 2010, females comprise slightly more than 51 percent of the population of the United States.

You have power in your vote.
Imagine the possibilities.

IWPA November Breakfast Saturday, November 13, 2010 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Networking, Continental Breakfast, Speaker Re-invention – Career, Spirit, Self Suzanne Stempinski The Chicago Methodist Temple James Parlor, 2nd Floor Accessible by elevator 77 W. Washington St. Chicago, Illinois IWPA members: $15.00 Non-Members: $20.00 Reservations: Online at iwpa.org Or call Angie: 708.833.9602.

IWPA Says Goodbye to Pearl Serbus Craft
By Marlene Cook, Historian

Pearl Serbus Craft, nee Dieck, died September 27, 2010, at the age of 95. Pearl maintained membership in three NFPW affiliate: Illinois, since 1944, Indiana, and Arkansas. Serbus served in many capacities including president of IWPA from 1957 to 1960. She was Illinois Woman of Achievement in 1968 and national first runner-up Communicator of Achievement in 2002 when nominated by Arkansas Press Women. A founding member of POPPS (Parley of Past Presidents Past) in 1972, she served as its president until 1989. POPPS honored her in 2000 at the Nashville, TN conference with a lifetime membership.

Pearl’s career began as a food writer at the encouragement of NFPW founding member Leona Malek, who wrote for the Chicago Herald Examiner. Pearl assisted Malek with the popular column under the penname ‘Prudence Penny.” During World War II, she wrote Victory Meals, a cookbook. Her many media hats included reporter, feature writer, radio broadcaster, columnist, book author, freelancer, consultant and editor.

Starting as a correspondent for the Calumet Index, Pearl rose to Editor-in-Chief of Index Publications, a chain of 10 newspapers. After her retirement, she pursued travel writing and consultant work.

Pearl contributed greatly to her community and was honored by many local organizations including the Chicago South Chamber of Commerce, the Calumet Valley Division of Illinois Education Association and was listed in the International Biography of Women.

She is survived by three sons, Allan, Bruce and Curt, their wives, eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and one brother, Elmer Dieck, who is 97 years old. She was preceded in death by husbands Gerald Serbus and James Craft. Pearl is interred in the Serbus plot at Oakland Memory Lanes in Dolton, IL.

Her son Allan said, “When my brother went back to the nursing home on the day she died, he found her fresh morning paper delivered onto her bed. Despite all, she looked at a paper every morning and it had to be unread when she started. That day, the paper was there and she wasn’t. Mom really didn’t understand the stories at the end, but somehow she understood it was important and it gave her comfort to have it. Truly, she had a lifetime involvement with the press and she would have been happy to know that the paper was there. On her behalf, please tell the press women (and men) to “Rock On.”.