East Dundee woman installed as Illinois State P.E.O. president

Submitted by P.E.O.

East Dundee resident Mary Schmitendorf was installed as president of the Illinois State chapter of P.E.O. on June 3 in Davenport, Iowa. Schmitendorf has been an active P.E.O. since she was initiated into Chapter DY, Elgin, in 1979. Her mother, June Ziegler, was a longtime P.E.O. member. Other P.E.O. relatives include; two aunts, a cousin and her daughter Sara.

The P.E.O. Sisterhood, founded Jan. 21, 1869, at Iowa Wesleyan College, Mount Pleasant, Iowa, is a philanthropic and educational organization interested in bringing women increased opportunities for higher education. There are approximately 6,000 local chapters in the United States and Canada with nearly 250,000 active members.

After being active in the organization for many years, Schmitendorf received the consent to select a charter list which resulted in the organization of her current chapter, Chapter NW, Dundee, in 2001. It currently has about 40 members.

Schmitendorf was born and raised in Elgin. She is a graduate of Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill. Recently she concluded a 25-year career as a realtor. She is an active member of First Congregational Church of Dundee, and has played in the handbell choir for 33 years. Mary, her husband, Steve and daughter Sara (Neil) Seeger all reside in East Dundee.