This was quite the fascinating project! On this page, you will meet Kappas Faith Louise Dougan and her sister, Margaret. In addition, you will meet their beautiful Kappa mother, Faith Marie Wheaton Dougan. In addition, the girls’ aunt (sister of mother Faith), Grace Ellen Wheaton, was also a Kappa! With the cooperation of the amazing family members, I can share photos of this fascinating Kappa family, including the striking badge of Grace Ellen from her initiation in 1898!
The Badge of Faith Louise Dougan, 1942
This beautiful antique badge popped up on an online site with a very reasonable “Buy It Now” price, and so I jumped on it, and I am so glad that I did! This badge is a treasure from a family with quite a Kappa legacy, and I am thrilled to be the custodian of this key.
Faith Louise Dougan was born on July 12, 1923 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Faith pledged in 1941 and was initiated into the Chi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of Minnesota on January 31, 1942.
As always, I begin my quest to find the face behind the badge by starting at Ancestry. In looking up Faith Louise, I was able to be connected with members of her family who were generous enough to share photos and some personal information about this Kappa sister:
“Faith Dougan was a unique individual. She was highly artistic. She would draw and make sculptures and candleworks. She supported herself with her art. She did the artwork/advertising drawings for Marshall Fields in Chicago, mostly pages of ladies wearing elegant dresses and gowns. She would also work street fairs drawing pictures of people and maybe selling the artwork she created. She married Roy Thumm in about 1963. They had no children. Faith died at the age of 84 in 2008.“
Legacies!
A Sister…
Faith’s sister, Margaret Dougan Wersebe Garfield, was also a Kappa Kappa Gamma! Margaret Dougan was born on December 25, 1917 and was initiated into the Chi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of Minnesota in approximately 1935 or 1936. She does not appear in the list of pledges in 1935, but she is listed as an active Kappa in 1936 and was a senior in 1939.
Also in 1939, Margaret married Edward Ireland Wersebe of Connecticut, whom she met while working summers at Glacier National Park. They moved to Seattle, where he was employed by Boeing, and they had a daughter, Judith. Edward died tragically on February 18, 1943 during a test flight of the B-29 aircraft. This disaster was known as the Frye Plant accident, which took the lives of the entire crew. Edward was only 28. Margaret married Herbert Edward Garfield in 1944, and they went on to have a son and lived happily until Herbert’s death in 1980.
Margaret remained active in Kappa Kappa Gamma alumnae activities until her death. Margaret passed away on January 20, 2002 at the age of 84. (Information from a post on rootsweb.com)
Margaret Dougan, 1939, her senior year
Their Mother, Faith Marie Wheaton Dougan
Faith and Margaret’s mother, Faith Marie Wheaton Dougan, was also a Kappa Kappa Gamma. Faith Marie Wheaton was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1886. She was initiated into the Chi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of Minnesota on October 8, 1904. She married Henry Knox Dougan on September 8, 1914. She passed away on May 18, 1975 at the age of 89.
You can see Faith Marie’s Kappa badge pinned to her lovely gown where we proudly wear our key above our heart. I was so thrilled to look closely at this photo and spot her badge.
Unmistakable!
Yet Another Kappa in the Family…
Sister of Faith Marie Wheaton, Grace Ellen Wheaton.
After my contact within the family checked with her relatives, the badge of yet another Kappa relative, Faith Marie’s sister, Grace, was found safe and sound in the possession of a cousin, and photos of her badge and other related jewelry were generously provided by me for the blog.
More information about Grace Wheaton is coming soon!
Research Information: Grace Ellen Wheaton was born July 28, 1879 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. and was initiated 10-2-1898.
Fun Fact: Grace Ellen’s mother, Grace Minerva Walcott Wheaton, did not attend college and was not a Kappa, as she was born in 1841, 29 years before Kappa was founded. However, it is a very interesting coincidence that her middle name is Minerva, one of Kappa’s most beloved symbols.
Highest & Best 