OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SAYRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
MARY LOU PALMER
President
Mary Lou Palmer has been involved with the Sayre Historical Society since 1990.
She is presently the secretary of the Sayre Historical Society, serves on the Administration Committee and is on the Board of Directors.
In the past, she has served as secretary, treasurer, editor of "The Quarterly", and has served on the Board of Directors and the "Century of Memories" staff. She is the maker of the Sayre Centennial Quilt which has been displayed at the Society's History Fairs.
Mary Lou resides in Waverly, NY and is one of the owners of the Friendship Star Quilt Shop in Sayre. She is a lifelong resident of the Valley, attended and graduated from Sayre Area Schools. She is a member of the Endless Mountain Quilt Guild and the Valley Business Women's Network.
Her interests include traveling, theater, reading, and quilting
AARON DICKSON -
Vice President
Aaron has been involved with the Sayre Historical Society since 2016. He is a life long resident of the Valley, graduating from Athens High School in 1197 and Mansfield University in 2001 with a degree in Criminal Justice. He is currently employed with Cabinet Works Group in Sayre.
Aaron is a master model railroader, having been published in Model Railroad Craftsman Magazine. He brings an advanced knowledge of the railroad history to the society. He is also active with the Boy Scouts of America as a Merit Badge counselor, and a member of the Crossroads Family Ministries.
He was instrumental in the restoration of both the HO scale train layouts at the museum and has organized community service projects for the Boy Scouts to the benefit of the museum. In addition, Aaron has been a demonstrator and speaker at the Society’s Model Train Day.
STEVE BOWEN
Treasurer
Steve is a retired Credit Union Lending Manager who was born and raised in Towanda and has been a resident of Sayre since 1975 when he moved here with his wife Jackie who is a retired teacher. They have one son and daughter-in-law, Christopher and Andrea, and a beautiful little granddaughter, Lucy Catherine.
Steve was a Past President of the Valley Jaycees and Sayre Rotary, an instructor for the "Choices Program" in the Valley, Past Treasurer of the Sayre Incubator, and he served on the Sayre School Board for 14 years - many of those as Vice-President.
Steve's interests include woodworking, golf, cars - old and new, and home improvement projects.
HENRY G. FARLEY
Secretary
Henry G. Farley a founding member of the Sayre Historical Society has been involved since the days of the planning for the Centennial of Sayre in 1991. He served on the Century of Memories staff contributing the histories of the Robert Packer Hospital and the Guthrie Clinic for that publication. He was appointed to the Quarterly staff in 1992 and was elected to the board for the first time in 1995. He left the board after 14 years only to return for a second stint in 2017. 2021 will be his 19th year of service as a trustee for the society. A past president of the board he played an integral part in securing a 99-year lease on the old Lehigh Valley Passenger station for a museum from Sayre Borough. In 2010 the Society honored Farley by naming the community room on the second floor for him.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
|
Stephan Bowen Aaron Dickson Scott Chaffee Tom Collins Henry Farley Meade Murtland |
Mary Lou Palmer Joe Quatrini Mary Sargent, Emeritus Gregory Deibler, Member-at-Large Jesse Buck |
Sayre Historical Society dedicates Rotating Exhibit Room to the late Ken Bracken
On Saturday August 15, 2020, the trustees of the Sayre Historical Society invited the family of the late Ken Bracken to the Sayre Museum for a ceremony to dedicate the Rotating Exhibit Room of the museum to Ken's memory. Ken Bracken a lifelong resident of the Borough of Sayre was instrumental in the acquisition, design and build of the Sayre Historical Society Museum located in the historic old Lehigh Valley Passenger Station in downtown Sayre. Sayre Borough Mayor and long-time trustee of the Sayre Historical Society Henry G. Farley spoke about Ken and his many contributions to the society. Farley said that Bracken had joined the board of trustees in 1994 and was soon after elected president. Farley continued saying that in those days the museum had no home we lived out of boxes and moved from place to place. Ken Bracken was instrumental in holding the group together and when Sayre Borough turned the station building over to the society Ken took the ball and ran and kept running leading us through many projects that all contributed to the completed highly acclaimed museum dedicated to the history of all aspects of Sayre and the railroad. Farley also said that when Ken passed so suddenly November 13, 2019 the trustees of the Sayre Historical Society immediately decided to honor Ken's memory by naming the rotating exhibit room in his honor. Farley concluded saying that Ken is missed and told Ken's family that if they wanted to connect with Ken's memory just come to the museum because his signature is on almost every inch of the building.
Photo caption: The family of the late Ken Bracken at the dedication of the Ken Bracken Exhibit Room left to right: Justin Will, Scott Will, Stephanie Will, Jennifer Will, Alyssa Wimsatt, Kathy Wimsatt, Paul Satterley, John Wimsatt, Jason Coyle and Justine Coyle not pictured was Ken's son Kevin.
