Daughters of Isabella meet, elect officers

“Peace in Our Time” was the theme of the Daughters of Isabella state convention June 29, 30 and July 1 at St. Matthew’s Parish in Kalispell.
Hosted by the organization’s Circle of the Most Holy Rosary, the 69th convention was co-chaired by Marlene Stevens, regent, and Louise Ness, state regent.
Officers were elected during a business meeting Saturday and installed. Antoinette “Toni” Alexander of Bonner succeeded Louise Ness of Kalispell as the new state regent.
Other elected officers are Jamie Costle of Anaconda, vice regent; Kathy Moses of Anaconda, treasurer; Jodi Barger of Helmville, secretary.
The women also voted to donate $300 to each of five different projects – to the clinic, scholarship fund and education fund of the diocese’s Guatemala mission; to Father Herb Pins for the Deer Lodge Prison chapel project, and to the Montana Meth Project.
Genevieve Zahller, queen of the Most Holy Rosary Circle in Kalispell, received the award for “Daughter of the Year.”
Leola Myers, international director of the Daughters of Isabella, joined Montanans from Charlotte, N.C.
Father Victor H. Langhans, the organization’s state chaplain, celebrated a memorial Mass for all members who died during the past two years.
The keynote speaker was Msgr. Kevin O’Neill, vicar general for the Diocese of Helena, and former pastor of St. Matthew’s Parish.
Jean Kellenberger and Aspen Wyman hosted the Friday evening past regents dinner with help from Danielle McFarland and Josie Schuster.
Charlotte Gilley and Mary Skyba presented the brunch on Saturday morning. Marlene Stevens and Sue Murray organized the Saturday evening banquet. Beth Pirrie and Gwenn Hensler, daughters of Betty Hanzel, a member of the Kalispell Circle, provided entertainment during the banquet with harp and flute.

Published in The Montana Catholic, Vol. 23, No. 7, July 20, 2007.