GALLERYOF presidents
Jane Koch Ohio
Starr Hull Pennsylvania P.E.O. Stars Provide Inspiration Starr Hull grew up on a farm near DeKalb, Illinois. Going to the National 4-H Club Congress in Dress Review was a highlight. She received her B.S. from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and later an M.S. and Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction from Illinois State University in Normal while raising a family. She was initiated into Chapter B, Clinton, in 1971 then transferred to Chapter JW, Lincoln. She married William (Bill, now deceased) in 1964. Together they raised two daughters, Kimberly and Tiffany. Five grandchildren and a great-grandchild, provide much joy. Starr’s professional life was spent in education. She retired from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, in 2006 with emeritus status as the coordinator of clinical and field experiences and certification officer. Moving to Sewickley, Pennsylvania, in 2008, she transferred to Chapter BN, and studied oil painting with palette knife. More recently, creating abstracts in acrylic has been her forte. She was recently featured in an art show in Florida. From the age of 10, Starr has been active in community organizations and has held many leadership positions. Since 2018, P.E.O. has been her focus. In 2021 she became a 50-year Golden Girl. She loves to read, travel, take photographs, play bridge, attend symphony and theater shows and spend part of the winter in Florida.
Elizabeth Freer South Dakota The Future is Bright
P.E.O.: A Beacon of Light Jane Koch has lived in Ohio all her life. She was born and raised in Delphos, Ohio, and currently lives in Munroe Falls, Ohio. Jane received a B.A. in education from Capital University, Columbus, Ohio, and an M.A. in math education from Kent State University. She was a secondary math teacher and principal for 31 years in the Cuyahoga Falls City School System. After retiring from education, she was a vision therapist for 10 years. As a single parent, Jane adopted her daughter, Amanda, from El Salvador and has two adult grandchildren, Victor and Gabriella. Upon her retirement from public education, Jane was introduced to P.E.O. by a former colleague. She was drawn to the Sisterhood because of the scholarships for women. Jane is a teacher at heart and has applied this talent to all of her P.E.O. involvement. Most of Jane’s volunteer work has been through her church affiliation. She has taught church school, served on various church committees and been president of her congregation four times. Currently, Jane is serving on a committee to work with another congregation to provide community assistance to those in need. Jane enjoys reading, golfing and attending plays at local theaters. She also enjoys traveling. Jane believes in the mission statement of P.E.O. where we celebrate, educate and motivate
Elizabeth Freer was raised in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and “grew up” as an adult in San Francisco, California. She now enjoys living with her husband, Mike Headley, and bonus-daughter Alex, 14, in Spearfish, South Dakota. Elizabeth is a second-generation P.E.O. who was initiated into her mother’s chapter, BW, Cleveland, Ohio, in 2003. She was an active member of Chapter EN, California, from 2005-2018 and was honored to represent EN as a delegate to Convention of International Chapter in 2017. After she and Mike married in 2016, she relocated and joined Chapter BW in Spearfish. Elizabeth holds a B.A. in art history from the College of Wooster (Wooster, Ohio) and a Graduate Certificate in nonprofit management from Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, Ohio). She has worked for over 25 years in various positions on a variety of projects focused primarily on complex teams, mission-driven projects and community-building organizations. She was principal of a project management consulting firm in San Francisco, and started her own management consulting business, dialogue LLC, in 2016. In her spare time, she enjoys time with family, traveling the world, knitting, hiking in the woods, kayaking, golfing, downhill skiing, quilting/sewing, reading and really great food.
women in our chapters and throughout our community.
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THE P.E.O. RECORD | September–October 2022
Women helping women reach for the stars
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