Category: Born or raised in Newark (high school or before)
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Margaret (Peggy) Officer Lista
1913-2013 Margaret (Peggy) was inducted into the Newark Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994 for being a basketball and track standout at Central High in the late 1920s. She also was a cheerleader and dancer. She was president of the Girls Athletic Association. As of 1930, she was the only girl at Central ever to…
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Mildred Roberts Helms
1907-2002 Mildred Helms was a community activist, who encouraged the building of affordable housing in Clinton Hill. In 1972, she helped found the Clinton Hill Area Development Corp which built 151 units of housing in Clinton Hill Community Gardens. Mayor Sharpe James said, “She was a creative, wonderful, hardworking woman….With a ready smile, winning sense…
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Asimina Speros Zois
1909-1987 Asimina Zois began sending care packages back to her native village in Greece after WWII, and later sent packages to Vietnam servicemen all over the world. In 1969 the post office gave her a Humanitarian Award for her work. She said, “What we throw away in this country they can use over there. The…
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Rose Slavitt
1895-1969 Rose Slavitt was the first woman to manage a department at Prudential Insurance Co in 1952. She was manager of Debit Policy Division 2 and worked for Prudential for many years, starting a messenger. She said, “This is a terrific challenge to me…The confidence my superiors have shown by giving me this promotion is…
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J. Isabelle Sims
c. 1873-1952 J Isabelle Sims was a prolific Newark social worker and lifelong Newarker. Isabelle directed Fresh Air Fund Camps for 32 years and would travel to be at the Summit camp even when in a wheelchair in later life. She was an executive of 1923 Community Chest Campaign and director of the Newark Welfare…
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Dr. Sarah D. Smalley
1875-1952 Dr. Sarah Smalley was native of Newark who practiced in Newark from 1900-1952, for 52 years. She was active in the Newark Equal Suffrage League and a charter member of Zonta International. She was active in the Essex County Medical Society, practicing at multiple hospitals. Sarah was educated in Newark and a graduate of…
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Aileen Fong Shane
1926-2017 Born and raised in Newark’s Chinatown Aileen Fong Shane was an early woman engineer, graduating from Newark College of Engineering in 1946, at just age 19. In a 1947 article in the Star Ledger she was called an “outstanding female student” who graduated “near top of her class.. one of few woman mechanical engineers…
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Helen Pollard Zimmer
1910-1980 Helen Zimmer was corporate secretary (secretary/treasurer) of Fidelity Union Bank from 1964-1975 and previously assistant secretary 1961-1964 and with Fidelity from 1956. Helen was the first woman officer of the bank in Newark and the first woman in Newark to be elected corporate secretary. She said, “I’m waiting for company. There’s plenty of opportunity!”…