Scholarships

The Missouri Basketweavers Guild in recognition of the contribution and dedication to basket weaving offers scholarships in honor of Roger Curry and the Founding Members.

Roger Curry Scholarship

Roger was born into a long line of basket makers tracing his roots back to Christopher Columbus Gibson who started weaving this distinct style of oak baskets in the 1840s. Roger would fell the trees, split them, carve handles and rims, and pull weavers and uprights – a very labor-intensive process!

In the late 1970s, Roger and his wife Betty, were asked to teach at the Christianson Native Crafts Workshop in Shannondale, where they were told to anticipate about 20 students in their class. Instead, 70 students signed up for their class – a daunting excess which they somehow managed to get through. Shortly after, they were asked to teach a class in Clarksville, MO. Thus, launched a new direction for them – teaching workshops.

As a Missouri craftsman, Roger shared and continued a tradition of basket making throughout much of his life. It is an honor for the Missouri Basketweavers Guild to present the Roger Curry Scholarships at the annual convention to a first time and a returning attendee in the amount of the convention's registration fee.

Roger Curry Scholarship Awards

Year	First Time Attendees	Returning Attendees
2011	Karen Gentry	Marilyn Wayman
2010	Carol Tripp	Mary Ann Allen
2009	Melissa Smith	Jeannie Sisson
2008	Diane VanOsdol	Lynn Touchette
2007	Yvonne Fahringer	Jeanie Dresslaer Smith
2006	Shirley Bowers	Bonnie Schreckengast
2005	Lynn Elbert and Marsha Foster	Susan High and Shalon McPhee
2004	Amy Hamilton and Debra Mann	Beth Proctor and Carolyn Slaughter
2003	Jean Fisher and Jane Rundlett	Karen Ferbezar and Bev Larson
2002	Mary McKinzie and Diane Wilson	Vicki Arnett and Judy Yeages
1998	Janet Dillman, Rita Nardin and Jennifer Miller	Doris Hynes and Gloria Little
1997	Beth Babb and Candy Reed	Nicki Janczak, Sandy Schmidt and Cindy Smith
1996*		Marjorie Bretzler

* The Roger Curry Scholarship was established in 1995 and originally set up to give one attendee paid registration to the next annual convention. Marjorie Bretzler was the scholarship winner in 1995 for the 1996 convention. The following year awards were given for first timer and returning attendees for the current convention registration

** We are searching for the names of Curry Scholarship winners for the years 1999 and 2000. If you know the names of any winners for these years, please contact

Founding Members Memorial Scholarship

In 2005, the guild established the Founding Members Memorial Scholarship to honor dedicated founding members who have passed away. Each year at the annual convention, two scholarships winners are selected from the general membership to receive the convention registration fee for the next annual convention. The scholarship is presently in honor of Ann Clark and Lillian Hoyt.

Ann Clark made her first basket in 1980 in a white oak tree-to-basket class with Roger and Betty Curry. From then on, she was hooked. Her favorite weaving material was white oak and naturals. Ann was a founding member of the Woven Circle guild and was instrumental in joining forces with members from the St. Louis Missouri Basketweavers Chapter to form what we know today as the Missouri Basketweavers Guild. Ann was in attendance at the first meeting of a state-wide organization in Hannibal. A few years later, she suggested Missourians needed a basket weaving convention; a feat that some said could not be done. With her great organization skills and love for basketry, she made it happen in a big way. The first annual Missouri Basket Sampler Convention was held June 13-14, 1992, in Kansas City, with 115 weavers in attendance. Ann was enthusiastic in her love for the art of basket weaving and radiated that zest all who knew her. Ann passed away on September 17, 2002, which happened to also be her birthday.

Lillian Hoyt was another who also attended the first meeting of the Missouri Basketweavers held in Hannibal trying to create a State Guild. Lillian discovered basket weaving in 1985 when she took a class in North Carolina. Over the years, Lillian took many classes, taught many classes, wove many baskets and attended many conventions. Lillian loved to talk about the way they used to do things, about various teachers that she took classes from, and about the clothespins with hooks on them that you can't buy anymore. Lillian wove from 1985 until January of 2008. Lillian passed away on March 23, 2008.

Founding Members Memorial Scholarship Awards

Awarded In	Award Winners
2011 for 2012 Registration	Neta Sanders and Wahleah Walker
2010 for 2011 Registration	Linda Ponsler and Judy Rains
2009 for 2010 Registration	Clo Cass and Carol Smith
2008 for 2009 Registration	Susan Bell and Pat White
2007 for 2008 Registration	Lynanne Keleher and Judi Miller
2006 for 2007 Registration	Brenda McPheron and Deanna Waddell
2005 for 2006 Registration	N. Louise Page and Donalene Wright

Distinctive Scholarships Awarded

August 2008

A few months after Lillian Hoyt passed away, her husband Harold contacted us and wanted to provide an additional scholarship this year in Lillian’s memory. Harold said that for years it had been his pleasure to help Lillian with her basket activities and he graciously donated the reimbursement of the 2008 convention registration fee for one attendee. The winner of the Lillian Hoyt Scholarship Award was Joanne Howard.

August 2009

Southside Weavers Guild, St. Louis, Missouri honored two of their members with monitory scholarships to two attending members of the 2009 convention.

Jan Deal passed away at the age of 54 from breast cancer in February 2009. She had been a basket weaver for almost 20 years. She loved attending conventions and basket classes. It gave her a freedom of self expression. She was a member of the Southside Weavers Guild and Missouri Basketweavers Guild for many years. She was a true "Artist of the Heart." The winner of the Jan Deal Scholarship Award was Onita Lynch.

Carol Sanders was tragically killed in a car accident in May 2009. She was 50 years old. She had only been weaving about 3 years. She quickly became a passionate weaver; creating her own baskets and teaching. She was an inspiration to all she met and loved sharing her passion. She was a member of the Southside Weavers Guild and Missouri Basketweavers Guild. The winner of the Carol Sanders Scholarship was Pat Walden.

August 2010

Southside Weavers Guild, St. Louis, Missouri provided a memorial scholarship to honor departed members whose lives touched their hearts and left a legacy of weaving memories. The winner of the monitory scholarship was Sheila Reese.

Weaving Fellowship Guild, Florissant, Missouri provided memorial scholarship in remembrance of Carol Sanders and for her love of the art of basketry. The winner of the monitory scholarship was Vivian Havenstrite.

August 2011
Southside Weavers Guild Scholarship Award
Southside Weavers Guild, St. Louis, Missouri provided a memorial scholarship to honor departed members whose lives touched their hearts and left a legacy of weaving memories. The winner of the monitory scholarship was Gayla Mayhugh.

Sue Chatfield Scholarships and Membership Award
Sue Chatfield passed away December 10, 2010 leaving a legacy of fond memories that touch the hearts of family and many friends. Sue was gifted in many art mediums including basket weaving and painting. As a basket weaver, her love of basketry was evidenced in every aspect from weaving for her own pleasure to teaching others. From 1999 to 2000, Sue served as president of MBG and chaired the 1996 and 1997 annual conventions. She was a founding member of the Basket Buddies guild and opened her home studio for the meetings. She was a teacher and mentor in the encouragement of new weavers. Her weaving legacy lives on today through many weavers who wove their first basket in one of her classes. In her honor, one membership award and three scholarships were presented at the 2011 annual business meeting:

Scholarship in the amount of convention registration provided by Norman Chatfield and family was presented to Suzanne Proctor.
Scholarships in the amount of the convention registration provided by Basket Buddies Guild, Kansas City were presented to Karen Ferbezar and Mickey Sherman.
An award in for one year membership provided by Matt Chatfield and family was awarded to Sue Travis.

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