Sigma Alpha Iota

GRACE NOTES Memorial Service Held for 'Mr. Ruth Sieber Johnson' A s all SAIs who have been to National Convention since 2000 are aware, the nametag for our executive director's husband always said "Mr. Ruth Sieber Johnson." At his request, Friend of the Arts John Johnson wanted his position in SAI to be absolutely clear. A letter from the National President, Liz Nordling: It is with great sadness that I inform you of the death of John Johnson, husband of Ruth Sieber Johnson, on March 19, after a struggle with cancer. John was initiated as a Friend of the Arts in 2000 and wholeheartedly supported and cared for his SAI "sisters". Those of you who have attended conventions might have met John, who helped behind the scenes with the many details of a convention. Or, if you had the opportunity to go to National Headquarters, it might have been John who picked you up at the airport or who stopped by to greet you while you were there. John's warm and caring spirit has been an inspiration to all who knew and loved him. He always asked us to "be the love" for each other and I hope we will never forget that, or stop doing it. SAI has lost a dear friend and member. Musicians and friends from all walks of life gathered in Asheville on May 7 to wrap their arms around Ruth and to celebrate John's life. The Memorial Ceremony from the SAI Ritual was conducted by the National President. These words were shared at that time: John's service to the Fraternity started because of his support for his wife, Ruth, in her duties as the Executive Director. He loaded boxes and bags for the national conventions — five of them over the course of thirteen years. When a National Headquarters building was purchased, he was the supervisor of all renovations, using his many years as a skilled woodworker and his keen sense of what was "wanted and needed" to shape the furnishings of the office. And of course, he supported Ruth in her daily work. But he did much more than that — he provided inspiration for hundreds of SAI members as they came to National Headquarters for leadership training, he encouraged new members to learn all they could about this wonderful organization, he offered new ideas to officers who wanted to help carry out the ideals of Sigma Alpha Iota. As one province officer wrote: John is one of the few people that I have met in my life that is a truly good soul. He loved you dearly. I know that you know that. When he talked about you he lit up like it was the first time he realized that you were the one for him. I will remember the two Friend of the Arts John Johnson days that he drove me around for the rest of my life. He just had a way of making you know that he cared about you .... and he did not even know me. I hope that I can take part of what I have learned from my short time with him and apply it in my life. We do not always know what kind of legacy our lives will leave. But in the case of John Johnson, we know that the Fraternity and the world are forever made better by his love and devotion. E. Melba Kirkpatrick Dies at 105 F on the mantle as MacDowell Colony Liaison, managing ormer SAI Philanthropies Board Member E. fundraisers for the arts community in New Hampshire, Melba Johnson Kirkpatrick died Jan. 27 at the which SAI has supported for nearly 100 years. She age of 105. received the Rose of Honor in 1974 as a member of the Kirkpatrick's career in the arts spanned Bloomington-Normal Patroness Group and was honored decades. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with Distinguished Membership in 1978. in drama and English literature from Illinois Wesleyan A 1977 PAN PIPES article details her presentation of University (IWU) in 1932, she received her Master's "An Afternoon with Melba" for a group of Central Illinois from Northwestern's School of Speech and studied at the women at the Bloomington Country Club. The program Theodore Irving Studio for the Theatre in New York City. benefited for local scholarships, the SAI Foundation, and She oversaw the IWU Theatre Department before the Pan's Cottage at the MacDowell Colony. serving as theatre director for the University of Kansas Named an IWU's Distinguished Alumna in 1968, she City. In Kansas City, she founded the Melba Johnson also served as president of IWU's Alumni Association and Players, a touring summer stock theater group. While as a member of IWU's Fine Arts Visiting Committee, the lecturing at Illinois's Bradley University, she appeared Board of Visitors, and the President's Club. She donated in theatre productions and specialized in one-woman E. Melba Johnson Kirkpatrick a portion of her collection of plays and recordings to performances. IWU's Laboratory Theatre was named in IWU for use by the students. She was a member of the her honor in November 1993. Initiated as a Patroness of SAI in 1946, Kirkpatrick served as Financial Amateur's Musical Club, the Bloomington-Normal Area Symphony, and the Art Association. Chairman for the SAI Foundation, the precursor to SAI Philanthropies, Melba will be missed by the entire arts and SAI community. Inc, and continued as a board member as the name changed. She later took sai-national.org SPRING 2011 PAN PIPES 7

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