Chapter History
The Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter was founded in 1913, during a time that Tri Delta was expanding both collegiate and alumnae chapters, then called alliances. The Indianapolis chapter has actively supported the Delta Lambda chapter at Butler University throughout its history. Despite the 10 years the collegiate chapter was closed in the 1990s and early 2000s, the chapter relationships have remained strong.
The Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter celebrated its 100th birthday in 2013 with a cake-and-ice cream birthday party.
In 2021, the Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter is excited to support Tri Delta Housing in a brand new house for the Delta Lambda chapter. Though many of our chapter members come from other collegiate chapters, we are happy to see our local collegiate chapter's house undergo a massive construction project, taking the house down to the studs and remodeling, with an addition that creates a new kitchen and dining room and many more bedrooms on the second and third floors. An elevator improves accessibility as well.
Photo from Tri Delta Housing
Indiana Tri Deltas have gathered for State Meets since Tri Delta came to Indiana in the 1910s. State Meets were held nationwide for a time, but only Indiana still holds State Meets in odd (non-Convention) years. Various chapters throughout the state host State Meet, taking turns. The Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter awards two chapter awards at each year's state meet.
Mary K. Jensen Award
The Mary K. Jensen Award was established in 1954 by the Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter of Delta Delta Delta to honor our Past National President, Mary Kay Jensen, of Indianapolis and Delta Lambda (Butler) Chapter, for her service to the fraternity.
The Award is made each year at the Indiana State Meeting to an active member of the Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter who has contributed most to the fraternity and community service for that year, in the opinion of the selection committee.
The nominee must be an active dues-paying member of the Alumnae Chapter, and must be serving Delta Delta Delta in some capacity as an officer, committee member, meeting hostess or assistant, chapter advisor, or worker on the National level, during the current year. Her community service activities for the current year as well as her accomplishments accumulated over the years, should be listed and considered in the selection.
Bertha Lugar Caldwell Award
The Bertha Lugar Caldwell Award was established in 1992 by the Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter of Delta Delta Delta to honor Bertha Lugar Caldwell for her participation in and support of community service over the years and her always proud acknowledgement of Delta Delta Delta as her sorority.
The award is to be given every other year at the Indiana State Day Meeting to an active member of the Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter who has contributed most to the Indianapolis Community for the preceding two years, in the opinion of the selection committee.
The Bertha Lugar Caldwell Award selection committee is to be appointed by the President of the Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter and at least two (2) other members. It is the duty of this committee to solicit nominations for the award from the members of the Alumnae Chapter and from other Delta Delta Delta members. The committee may also make nominations of members whom they deem worthy of consideration.
The nominee must be an active dues-paying member of the Alumnae Chapter. Her community service activities for the preceding two years as well as her accomplishments accumulated over the years, should be listed and considered in the selection.
The award was set up by the Alumnae Chapter Board during the administration of Ann Cassidy Bernard, 1991-1994, as president, is to be perpetual.
The list of award recipients from the Indianapolis, kept over the decades, originally listed each recipient under her husband's name. In 2017, we sought to update the list with the recipient's own name, retaining her husband's name, where applicable, in respect for our chapter's history.
Bertha Lugar Caldwell Award recipients
1992 Bertha Lugar Caldwell (Mrs Howard) - Butler
1997 Kathryn (Katy) Kirkpatrick Huehl (Mrs. Walter - Indiana
1999 Dolores Steinsberger Lilly (Mrs. John - Butler
2001 Mary Evans Calkins (Mrs. Ronald) - Butler
2003 Ruth McClure Tout (Mrs. Frank) - Butler
2005 Helene Stone Lohss (Mrs. Richard) - Butler
2007 Margaret (Blythe) Guy Potts (Mrs. Jack) - Kansas State
2009 Valerie Knoll - Rose-Hulman
2011 Ann Dettwiler - Butler
2015 Katie Wagner - Butler
2017 Gail Stumpf Watts (Mrs. John) - Wisconsin
2019 Jenny R. Vinson Sherrill (Mrs. Tim) - Franklin
Mary K Jensen Award Recipients
1955 Hariette Trinkle Baker (Mrs. Seward) - Butler
1956 Kathryn (Katy) Kirkpatrick Huehl (Mrs. Walter) - Indiana
1957 Bertha Lugar Caldwell (Mrs Howard) - Butler
1958 Mrs. Henry C. Miller
1959 Mrs. Charles N. Rice
1960 Dr. Elizabeth A. Graves
1961 Helen Patrick Heeter (Mrs. Meade) - Butler
1962 Mrs. Elizabeth Moore
1963 Virginia Townsend (Mrs. J. Russell, Jr.)
1964 Miss Frances Longshore, Miss Helen Tichenor
1965 Elizabeth Schmidt Baumeister (Mrs. Herbert) - Indiana
1966 Mrs. Richard D. Light
1967 Mrs. Floyd D. Wallace, Jr.
1969 Bettie Breech Nave - Butler
1971 Pamela Herring Hicks (Mrs.David) - Franklin
1973 Martha Bolte McCardle - Butler
1975 Mrs. Edward Knorr
1977 Ruth Burslem Gue (Mrs. Edwin) - Maryland
1979 Elizabeth Bowman Reilly (Mrs. George) - Butler
1981 Dorothy Barnard Hutchison (Mrs. Dale) - Franklin
1983 Gladys Hooker Troy (Mrs. Edward) - Butler
1985 Mary Evans Calkins (Mrs. Ronald) - Butler
1987 Jane Coffman Miller (Mrs. Alec) - Ohio State
1991 Barbara Renick Ulrich (Mrs. Robert) - Butler
1993 Ann Cassidy Bernard (Mrs. William) - Butler
1995 Helene Stone Lohss (Mrs. Richard) - Butler
1997 Sarah Tout Davison (Mrs. Matthew) - Butler
1999 Beth Hough Winegardner (Mrs. Richard) - Ball State
2001 Gail Stumpf Watts (Mrs. John) - Wisconsin
2003 Ann Dettwiler - Butler
2005 Amy Harrell Riebe (Mrs. Thomas) - Butler
2007 Jenny Vinson Sherrill (Mrs. Tim) - Franklin
2009 Laura Rossi Henderson - Butler
2011 Valerie Knoll - Rose-Hulman
2013 Joyce Russell - Ball State
2015 Kristy Guthrie Karpinski (Mrs. Tod) - Butler
2017 Erica Eck Crowell (Mrs. Clark) - Butler
2019 Stephanie Truchen - Valparaiso