Author Archives: lhsittig@verizon.net

Ann Goldman Cohen: Perseverence Was Her Key to Survival

by Linda Harris Sittig Strong women don’t always live extraordinary lives, but they often live during extraordinary times. Like Ann Goldman Cohen. Annie was born on December 5, 1885. That, in and of itself, is not extraordinary until you learn … Continue reading

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Florence Owens Thompson and Sharbat Gula: Profiles in Courage

By Linda Harris Sittig Florence Thompson image from New York Public Library. Photographer: Dorothea Lange Sharbat Gula image from Global Student Square. Photographer: Steve McCurry You may not recognize their names, but their photos were two of the most famous … Continue reading

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DorisMarie McCormick, Diane Peedin, Fay Payne, Gene Townley, and Carol Wooten: Strong Women Forced by Fate

by Linda Harris Sittig What bound these five women together was their courage in the face of an appalling shared tragedy, a tragedy that befell their husbands and altered the life of each family. The Beginning All of their husbands … Continue reading

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Mamie “Peanut” Johnson: Pitching Her Way Forward

by Linda Harris Sittig “Take me out to the ballgame, take me out to the crowd…” A strong woman and outstanding baseball player, Mamie Belton (Johnson) was born in 1935, Ridgeway, South Carolina. Her mother soon moved them to Washington … Continue reading

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Katie Walker, Vigilant Keeper of the Light

By Linda Harris Sittig Katie’s Story When petite Katie Gortler Walker followed her husband up the stairs to their new home, she peered at her surroundings with dismay. No matter which way she looked, her gaze fell upon water. Their … Continue reading

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Kate Warne: The Detective Who Refused to Quit

By Linda Harris Sittig Today the threat of cyber-security is on many people’s minds as criminals hack into our privacy. But back in the 1800s, the security business was usually a male-dominated world. Until 1856. That year, a slender, brown-haired … Continue reading

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Leonie von Zesch: More Than Just a Pretty Smile

I can not fathom what it would be like to put my fingers in peoples’ mouths all day long searching for cavities and other dental problems. That career takes a combination of professionalism, dedication, and compassion. Before 1900, almost all … Continue reading

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Bertha Benz: the Woman Who Taught Us How to Drive

By Linda Harris Sittig On a travel poster for Southwestern Germany, you might see images of rolling hills, verdant pastures, and ancient stone castles. Vineyards, quaint villages, and the entrance to the Black Forest are not far away. But neither … Continue reading

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Mary Eliza Mahoney: Determined to Overcome Medical Training Prejudice

by Linda Harris Sittig In 1985 my father lay immobile in a hospital bed in Florida, a viral infection victim with Guillain Barré.  For a 71-year-old previously healthy and active man, we were all in shock that his body had … Continue reading

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Anna Asbury Stone: Courageous American Patriot

by Linda Harris Sittig What would you do if you found out your two brothers and your husband, all three serving in the Continental Army, had run out of food and supplies, and your brothers were sick, encamped 200 miles … Continue reading

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