Longtime Chehalis resident Gail Shaw, who died in June 2014, used to speak of Chehalis as a vortex that draws good strong leaders to the community.
Among those leaders was Shaw himself; Larry McGee, who was honored by the Centralia College Foundation in June with the Legacy Award; and Joanne Schwartz, the first female Lewis County commissioner.
The St. Helens Club in Chehalis honored Schwartz last week for a half century of membership, elevating her into an esteemed group of honorary members. President Nancy Leventon gave her a bouquet of flowers.
“I don’t know where 50 years went,” said Schwartz, a Seattle native who moved to Lewis County in August 1963 as a young bride to Harold Schwartz, whose family owned Schwartz’s Men’s Wear. “I don’t know where 60 years went, but even more so, January 1, it will be 30 years since I took office as a county commissioner.”
She broke the proverbial glass ceiling in January 1985 when she was sworn in as the first female Lewis County commissioner.
In 1979, she was hired to run the volunteer program at St. Helen Hospital, a job that morphed into serving as spokesperson for Centralia General Hospital. During the 1980s, she was instrumental in forming the county’s Economic Development Council, today known as the Economic Alliance of Lewis County.
Then, in 1984, she campaigned as a Republican for Lewis County commissioner. She spoke with powerful men in the community before launching her campaign to replace Bob Venemon, who was retiring. She doorbelled throughout the county and promised to work hard, listen and do the best she could.
And she did, although serving as a female in a traditionally male job posed challenges. She succeeded despite facing chauvinism and discrimination. She was reelected and served a second four-year term, focusing on economic development.
“Joanne was always a trailblazer, opening doors that had been previously closed to women,” said Susan Remund, of Boistfort, who has been in the club nearly as long as Schwartz. “Most notable among those achievements was becoming the first female county commissioner, paving the way for fellow St. Helens Club members Edna Fund and Lindsey Pollock.”
“Joanne Schwartz has been a blessing to our county, serving as the first woman commissioner in our county since its founding in 1845,” said Fund, the second female county commissioner. “With my being second and Dr. Lindsey Pollock being the third, we are grateful for her blazing the way.”
Schwartz later worked 17 years for the city of Chehalis in community and economic development. In that role, before retiring in 2009, she helped the city create a master plan for development and form the Chehalis Community Renaissance Team.
Schwartz also has served on the board of directors for Centralia College, the Providence Centralia Hospital Foundation and the Chehalis Foundation.
“I love this community,” she said at the St. Helens Club on Wednesday. “I love all of my friends and activities, and St. Helens Club is right up there.”
She has spoken about the ideal location of Lewis County — two hours from Seattle, two hours from Portland, two hours from the ocean, two hours from the mountains — and described it as a “heavenly place” and an excellent area to raise children, know your neighbors, retire and grow old.
Fifty years ago, in September 1974, she joined the St. Helens Club, where members are assigned to give hour-long lectures on specific topics. She has been both an active member, giving regular lectures, and an associate member who no longer receives lecture assignments. And now she’s joined an elite list of “honorary” members after 50 years in the club, including Luellen Charneski and the late Lisa Blomdahl, Suzi Vander Stoep, Fran Giffey, Karen Gober and June Hansen.
“One other thing, and then I’ll shut up — you know, give me a stage and I’ll talk,” Schwartz said with a laugh. “One of the lectures I gave was for guest day, and I think … I was the only person ever invited to talk religion. I was asked to talk about Judaism.”
She often spoke to church congregations and community organizations about being Jewish, she said.
“Joanne broke an unwritten rule in St. Helens Club about not talking about religion when she was given a topic on Judaism,” Remund said.
“I still remember the lecture she gave on that subject, and it was excellent.”
I’ve admired Schwartz for decades for her strength, courage, tenacity and willingness to devote so much time and energy to improving our community. She’s a local unsung hero who deserves bouquets of flowers and more.
“Thank you, one and all,” she said on Wednesday. “Thank you for this honor.”
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Julie McDonald, a personal historian from Toledo, may be reached at memoirs@chaptersoflife.com.
