LWVLL Member Spotlight: Pat Stephen

Karen Dienstbier met Pat Stephen at the Unitarian Church in 1969. Pat had moved to Lincoln eight years earlier when her husband, the Rev. Charles Stephen, was called to be minister of the Unitarian Church at the church’s then-new location at 6300 A St.

Pat first joined the Provisional League of Women Voters when she and her family lived in Billerica, Massachusetts, in 1958. In order for a new LWV chapter to get started, the National LWV required the members of the group to complete a two-year study program. Pat and the other members worked on the Know Your Town and on the study of the Massachusetts Teachers Colleges bringing them into the state college system. The Teachers College study was the LWV State study. The Know Your Town was a study of Billerica. Once the prescribed two-year study had been completed the Billerica LWV was able to form and call themselves the League of Women Voters.

After Pat and her family moved to Lincoln (1961), she was approached by the President of the League of Women Voters Lincoln inviting her to get involved. The President of LWV Billerica called the local League President to suggest that she contact Pat. That call resulted in Pat’s participation as Unit Chair. At this time, many women did not work outside the home, so they had time to become involved with the League, and they did so with energy.

LWV Lincoln was the first local league in Nebraska, followed shortly by Omaha and hundreds of provisional leagues and units across the state. Most did not last. Men became full voting members in 1974. In 2000, the State League of Women Voters was supported by local leagues in Greater Omaha, Lincoln/Lancaster County, Seward, and Hastings, plus a Grand Island Unit and many members at-large.

Lincoln elected a LWVLL member (President 1957-1959) as Mayor of Lincoln: Helen Boosalis. Lincoln also elected our first woman County Commissioner, Jan Gauger who was a mentor to Pat. There were many other LWV members who served in public office after having years of experience working on studies for the Lincoln League of Women Voters.

During this time, LWV Lincoln had over 500 members with 28 board members and three Vice Presidents. Each board member had a portfolio; Pat became organizational Vice President and then President. This was at the same time the LWV moved to the N Street location, and hired an office manager. Pat later became Financial Director for the LWV Nebraska. She organized the first state-wide fund drive. She traveled the state and visited with company leaders inviting them to support the LWVNE. She was able to raise over $5,000 for the State League, all while she and Charles were raising their five children.

Charles, had an opportunity to go to England in a ministerial exchange program with an English Unitarian. She resigned her position on LWVNE Board to accompany him. While in England, Pat was called by the State League to take on the state president’s position as that woman had stepped down. Pat became president of LWVNE (1979-1981) when more women were going back to work and volunteerism was dramatically diminishing. She, too, went back to work, but stayed busy with the LWVLL by becoming chair of the Education Fund.

Pat also worked at the Election Commission. “My League education helped when I decided to work part-time for the Election Commission,” she said. “When I began working there, we counted the ballots by hand.” Karen Dienstbier followed in Pat’s footsteps, also working for the Election Commission.

Pat volunteered with LWVLL for more than 60 years in every capacity. She also worked at Lincoln Public Schools, chaired various Unitarian church committees, and was a member of the church women’s group. Charles was also an active member in Lincoln. He was a founder of Lincoln’s Planned Parenthood, a founding member of the Nebraska Civil Liberties Union, and a supporter of the Fresh Start Home for Women. If you listened to KUCV, Charles was, with the late Otis Young, a host for the program “All About Books”. Charles died in 2017.

Pat celebrated her 90th birthday this year. She lives in Maine and stays in touch with Karen and other LWVLL members. She returns to see her family still living in Lincoln.

LWVLL recently received a note with a donation to LWVLL’s Education Fund. We appreciate Pat’s work and dedication to the League of Women Voters and our work.

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January 2025 Voter article written by Karen Dienstbier and edited by Janet Chung and Kim Hachiya

Pat Stephen 2013