Sigma Alpha Iota

PAN PIPES • WINTER 2017 • sai-national.org 8 M N O P R S T U W X Y Z GRACE NOTES Ruth Fields Sickafus, 91, died on January 2, 2017. She had an extensive career as an arts administrator and was a strong force for SAI Phi- lanthropies, Inc. and People-to-People through- out her lifetime. Ruth was born in Grayson, Kentucky, on September 7, 1925. She majored in English, mu- sic, and business at Morehead State University, graduating magna cum laude in 1946. She also received a degree in anthropology from the Uni- versity of Maryland. She was married in 1946 to Charles R. Sickafus, who preceded her in death in 2010. In 1956 she moved to the Washington, DC area with her husband and became Executive Director of the People to People Music Commit- tee, aer it was created by President Eisenhower (see "A History of People-to-People," page 9). She directed its activities for over 30 years, carrying out music projects in more than 60 countries and receiving a citation from the United States Government "in recognition of outstanding ser- vice in advancing understanding and goodwill between the peoples of the United States and the peoples of other countries." She was on the staff of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts at the time of its opening in 1971, and later served for 12 years as administrator of the Na- tional Opera Institute. For four years she served as Chairman of the Washington International Competition, an annual program for young performing art- ists, and was for many years on the board of the George London Foundation for Singers in New York. She worked as a volunteer for more than 25 years with two major international student ex- change programs, Youth for Understanding and Future Leaders Exchange. A longtime member of National Presbyte- rian Church in Washington, she was in the choir, served on the music, sacraments, and Care Team committees, and worked regularly in the church's library. Aer moving to Lexington, Kentucky in 2008, she was active in Second Presbyterian Church and the Bravo Opera Guild, and served on the boards of the International Book Project and the Kentucky Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters. Ruth Sickafus was initiated by Gamma Epsilon at the University of Maryland in De- cember 1963. She was affiliated with the Wash- ington DC Alumnae Chapter until moving to Lexington. Ruth served as the Vice Chairman of the Philanthropies Board for 16 years, was the People-to-People Project Director from 1963 until 1993, and she also served as the Chairman of the Na- tional Bylaws Committee from 1998-2003. She was awarded the Rose of Honor in March of 1967. Ruth was the featured speaker at the 1968 National Convention, speaking on the topic: "e Larger View—Op- portunity and Challenge." She presented a survey of what had been done and what needed to be done through music all over the world and concluded, "Someone must lead the way. Why Sigma Alpha Iota? Why not Sigma Alpha Iota?" Ruth received the Ring of Excellence in 1971 at the National Convention, where she was the principal speaker at the IMF luncheon. Sickafus received the SAI Philanthropies, Inc. Distinguished Service Award in 1993, and she was given the seldom-awarded Dorothy Whinery Special Leadership Award at the 1997 National Convention. In her final report as Director of People- to-People in 1993, Ruth concluded with: "It's quite a gi — the gi of music. SAI can take much pride in having given that gi in so many ways — to people in so many places- -over all these many years." The Legacy of Ruth Sickafus At top, past People-to-People Director Ruth Sickafus with convention guest speaker Sister Leslie Ann at the 1993 National Convention in Cincinnati. At top, Executive Director Ruth Sieber Johnson (left) helps National President Dr. Brenda Ray, present Sickafus with the Dorothy Whinery Special Leadership Award at the 1997 National Convention in Denver.

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