STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
One woman started her long career of service in the Wood River Valley chinking log cabins. Another proudly claims that her father scouted potential ski hills in Sun Valley for Averell Harriman.
Geegee Lowe and Peggy Dean are two of four women who will be inducted into the Blaine County Historical Museum’s Heritage Court in its 20th year. The Heritage Court recognizes the contributions that women have made to life in the Wood River Valley.
This year’s inductees are:
- Geegee Lowe
A consummate volunteer, Lowe spends her days flitting from one cause to another, whether it be organizing the Hailey Cemetery Memorial Day ceremony, collecting books for the Friends of the Hailey Public Library’s annual book and bake sale or coordinating volunteers for the Trailing of the Sheep Festival.
She came to the Wood River Valley in 1976, married Robert Lowe and they raised three children until his death in 2014.
- Peggy Dean
One of the very few people born in Yosemite National Park, Dean learned to ski early since her father was the winter sports director at the ski area there.
She married Howard Dean, an avid skier. And, after a few weeklong ski vacations to Sun Valley, they moved here in 1978, establishing a tire and auto repair business they named Dean Tire.
- Carol Eittreim
This Bellevue woman worked for Sun Valley Company and, later, Bitterroot Realty/Property Management. In 1978 she and her husband Bill remodeled a home on Broadford Road, which they made their home for 42 years, raising five children there.
- Becky Payne
This Carey woman has deep roots in the Wood River Valley as one of her grandfathers immigrated from Scotland in 1893, eventually establishing a sheep and cattle ranch along Fish Creek in 1910. Becky eventually married Dick Payne and moved to his family’s ranch on Silver Creek where they ran cattle for a while before shifting their operation to focus on hay.
Payne has been very involved in Carey activities, including 4-H, the Blaine County Fair Board and the Carey Senior Center.
These four women will be honored at a gala Coronation Ceremony at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 11 at the Wood River High School Performing Arts Theater at Hailey’s Community Campus. Former Rep. Wendy Jaquet will serve as Master of Ceremonies and there will be musical and dance entertainment, including a string trio and performance by dancers with Footlight Dance Center. A reception will follow.
The Ladies will ride antique wagons in Hailey’s Days of the Old West Fourth of July Parade, Ketchum’s Wagon Days Parade and Bellevue’s Labor Day Parade. In addition, the Community Library and Center for Regional History will host a Heritage Court Tea on May 23, and The Senior Connection will host a luncheon for the Heritage Court Ladies on Aug. 4.