From the Editor: Say goodbye to a little more history

A bit of Green Valley and American history died last month. But like so many service organizations today, the local chapter of the National Association of Railway Business Women went out slowly, and with a lot of heartache.

The association began informally in the Twin Cities in 1921, with a goal of uniting women working in a man’s world. They promoted the railroad industry, supported its workers and dived into volunteerism. It went national about 20 years later, and peaked at more than 60 chapters. Today, there are about 20.

The Green Valley chapter, which moved from Tucson 10 years ago when interest there waned, lasted 70 years and at one point had 50 members. They had a float in the annual White Elephant parade until about eight years ago, and gathered for a variety of volunteer efforts, including helping the local food bank and the Veterans Administration.

Green Valley also had the distinction of being the site of the association’s retirement home — 10 one-bedroom apartments just south of Villas West. The group swapped Florida for Arizona in 1951.

But the national group sold off the home two years ago, and now just two members live there under private ownership. That likely accelerated the march to the finish for the Green Valley chapter.

Membership dwindled, and it all came down to a single vote last month among the 11 remaining Green Valley women. In the end, it was a 7-3 decision to close the doors. One member didn’t vote.

Gerry Rodgers, who lived in the retirement apartments 11 years before moving out two years ago, has been an association member for 35 years.

“A lot of the chapters have folded because there’s no joiners anymore,” she said, likening it to the pieces of railroad history we’ve all watched die off over the decades.

“It’s sad.”

Gerry worked 25 years for the Burlington Northern and Southern Pacific railroads in four states. She was a clerk then a telegrapher in New Mexico, working with train dispatchers, typing train orders and doing radio work.

She was one of the three votes that didn’t want to see it end.

“I’m a railroad buff and I worked for the railroad,” she says, explaining what drew her to the association. “It was a group of ladies that got along with each other.”

The journey’s not over yet for Gerry. She has joined a California chapter as a member-at-large.

She is the only Green Valley member to sign up elsewhere.

— Dan Shearer

TV book: It’s free

A decision by that newspaper to the north to start charging for its TV book prompted a lot of phone calls to the Green Valley News & Sun. Ours is free and it will stay free.

So stop calling.