The following is the history of the National Depression Glass Association as taken from past issues of the News & Views newsletter.
In the summer of 1974, after much planning, three meetings were held:
The St. Louis organizational meeting was planned by the Ozark Depression Glass Club and was chaired by the Rev. Leslie Wolfe. During the meeting, the name "National Depression Glass Association" was selected, and officers and Board members were elected. The decision was made to hold an annual meeting in July, but no arrangements were made at that time. The founding Board Members were:
Tammy Brooks - Oklahoma | Ellis Powell - Louisiana | Melba Fry - Missouri |
Betsy Knight - Illinois | Charles Smith - Maryland | Fern Angus - Missouri |
Iris Slayton - Texas | Jim Leffler - Illinois | Joyce Mefford - Illinois |
Luther Kolstead - Michigan | Pat McGrain - Missouri |
The next meeting, July 27-28 in Atlanta was also fruitful. The organization selected Washington D.C. as the site of the first annual Convention, sponsored by the Southern Depression Glass Collectors Club and co-sponsored by the Del-Mar-Va Club. Nora Koch was selected as General Manager of the Convention and Chuck Smith was picked as Show Manager.
The third meeting, in Euless, TX, was an open meeting for all members. The site of Washington, D.C., was ratified and plans were set in place for a newsletter, membership cards and a copy of the By-Laws to be sent to each member.
It wasn't until 1999 that the National Glass Collection was started, and it quickly grew to over 1,000 pieces of glass, plus paper goods and even some etching plates through the generousity of members. It has continued to grow through donations and selective acquisitions. The goal of the organization was to eventually acquire a museum to house the collection. That goal was realized with the grand opening of the National Glass Museum in Wellington Kansas in May 2012.
The following table lists the four major office holders of the NDGA from the first year through the current year. These people gave of their time to serve in this all-volunteer organization, and deserve recognition from all of us.
Term | President | Vice President | Secretary | Treasurer |
---|---|---|---|---|
1974-75 | Tammy Brooks | Ellis Powell | Melba Frye | Melba Frye |
1975-76 | Patrick McGrain | John Knowles | Vera Redmond | Jan Leffler |
1976-77 | Chuck Smith | Mark Nye | Madge Klein | Fern Angus |
1977-78 | Mark Nye | H.T. Norris | Rosemary Triplett | Fern Angus |
1978-79 | Gene Loveland | Larry Turner | Helen Allen | Fern Angus |
1979-80 | Gene Loveland | Dorothy Leffler | Norma Rehl | Fern Angus |
1980-81 | Dorothy Leffler | Mark Schliesmann | Michael Shue | Fern Angus |
1981-82 | Dorothy Leffler | Beverly Hines | Michael Shue | Fern Angus |
1982-83 | Dorothy Leffler | Beverly Hines | Marty Harty | Fern Angus |
1983-84 | LeRoy C. Sanders | Jo Ann Schliesmann | Georgeann Hemry | Peggy Scott |
1984-85 | Jo Ann Schliesmann | Gene Loveland | Deb Pugliese | Peggy Scott |
1985-86 | Jo Ann Schliesmann | Gene Loveland | Deb Pugliese | Peggy Scott |
1986-87 | Peggy Scott | Bill Smith | Sandi Boone | Dick Spencer |
1987-88 | Peggy Scott | Bill Smith | Anita Wood | Dick Spencer |
1988-89 | Jo Ann Schliesmann | Dan Kramer | Pat Rose | Peggy Scott |
1989-90 | Jo Ann Schliesmann | Dan Kramer | Pat Rose | Peggy Scott |
1990-91 | Anita Wood | Dick Spencer | Marilyn Loveland | Peggy Scott |
1991-92 | Anita Wood | Dick Spencer | Marilyn Loveland | Peggy Scott |
1992-93 | Anita Wood | Robert McGinnis | Marilyn Loveland | Peggy Scott |
1993-94 | Anita Wood Jim Garrison |
Robert McGinnis | Carol McEwen | Peggy Scott |
1994-95 | Jim Garrison | Linda Gordy | Carol McEwen | Aleta Herr |
1995-96 | Jim Garrison | Linda Gordy | Carol McEwen | Aleta Herr |
1996-97 | Jim Garrison | Linda Gordy | Carol McEwen | Aleta Herr |
1997-98 | Jeff Settell | Linda Gordy | Carol McEwen | Aleta Herr |
1998-99 | Jeff Settell | Joyce Nichols | Carol McEwen | Aleta Herr |
1999-00 | Kent Washburn | Joyce Nichols | Carol McEwen | Aleta Herr |
2000-01 | Kent Washburn | Joyce Nichols | Carol McEwen | Aleta Herr J.R. Johnston |
2001-02 | Kent Washburn | Rogene Clements | Carol McEwen | J.R. Johnston |
2002-03 | Kent Washburn | Rogene Clements | Carol McEwen | J.R. Johnston |
2003-04 | Kent Washburn | Rogene Clements | Carol McEwen | J.R. Johnston Melanie Hildreth |
2004-05 | Kent Washburn | Rogene Clements | Carol McEwen | Melanie Hildreth |
2005-06 | Kent Washburn | Rogene Clements | Carol McEwen | Melanie Hildreth |
2006-07 | Kent Washburn | Jim Rose Bert Kennedy |
Carol McEwen | Robert Henicksman |
2007-08 | Kent Washburn | Bert Kennedy | Carol McEwen | Robert Henicksman |
2008-09 | Kent Washburn | Ed Staley | Carol McEwen | Robert Henicksman |
2009-10 | Kent Washburn | Ed Staley | Carol McEwen | Robert Henicksman |
2010-11 | Kent Washburn Linda Bredengerd (Pro Tem) as of Feb 2011 |
Linda Bredengerd | Carol McEwen | Robert Henicksman |
2011-12 | Danny Cornelius | Linda Bredengerd | Carol McEwen | Robert Henicksman |
2012-13 | Danny Cornelius | Linda Bredengerd | Carol McEwen | Robert Henicksman |
2013-14 | Danny Cornelius | Linda Bredengerd | Carol McEwen | Robert Henicksman |
2014-15 | Danny Cornelius | Linda Bredengerd | Carol McEwen | Robert Henicksman |
2015-16 | Danny Cornelius | Pam Meyer | Linda Bredengerd Betty Buersmeyer as of Jan 2016 |
Robert Henicksman |
2016-17 | Danny Cornelius | Pam Meyer | Betty Buersmeyer | Robert Henicksman |
2017-18 | Pam Meyer | John Fields Jane Schleinzer as of Dec 2017 |
Betty Buersmeyer | Robert Henicksman |
2018-19 | Pam Meyer | Trudy Norman as of 8/21/2018 | Betty Buersmeyer | Robert Henicksman |
2019-20 | Pam Meyer | Trudy Norman | Betty Buersmeyer | Karyn Hilliard |
2020-21 | Pam Meyer | Trudy Norman | Betty Buersmeyer | Scott Pierce |
2021-22 | Pam Meyer | Trudy Norman | Betty Buersmeyer | Scott Pierce |
2022-23 | Pam Meyer | David Hollingshead | Betty Buersmeyer | Scott Pierce |
2023-24 | Danny Cornelius | David Hollingshead | Andrea Henne | Scott Pierce |
2024-25 | Danny Cornelius | David Hollingshead | Andrea Henne | Scott Pierce |