Sedalia Business Women Celebrate Centenary By Honoring Shero Hazel Palmer

Coming up later this month, the Sedalia Business Women is reaching a remarkable milestone.

It's their Centenary (or, if you're like me and needed that Googled, it's a hundred year anniversary).  That's amazing!  One hundred years of Sedalia women getting out there and taking care of biz-nazz.

It's going to be held at the Courthouse, where they're going to dedicate a portrait of Hazel Palmer.  Now, you may be saying to yourself, "Self, who is Hazel Palmer?"  Well.  Let me tell you about that.

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Hazel Palmer was a badass before the word badass was a thing. Her Dad was a lawyer and a US Congressman. She assisted him while he was in office in Washington.  She got her law degree and decided enough was enough, and she was going to get into action.  She became the first female assistant prosecuting attorney, and county revenue collector for twelve years.  In 1958, she was the first woman to win a major party nomination for U.S. Senator in Missouri.  She beat THREE DUDES to get the nomination.  She didn't win, but decided to keep justice movin' by working as association circuit judge from 1972 to 1982.  And then, still a little bored, she got back into her law practice at the age of EIGHTY.   No big.  I mean, just LOOK at all the groups she was involved with.

She was past president of Sedalia Business and Professional Women's Club, Missouri Federation of BPW Clubs, and National Federation of BPW Clubs. Her memberships included the Sedalia Knife and Fork Club, Pachyderm Club, Altrusa International, Retired Judges Association, National Association of Women Lawyers, Missouri Bar Association, National Women's Party, the League of Women Voters, and First Baptist Church in Sedalia.

I almost got winded just copy and pasting that.  And yes, sadly, that was from her obituary, 'cos although she kicked butt and took names all her life, she did pass in 2002.

So yeah, that kinda lady deserves a portrait hung in the courthouse. And, you can meet her, in a way.  I mean, Becky Imhauser will be playing her at the event.  Her ghost isn't going to haunt anybody or anything like that.  So why not stop by and see the big celebration and dedication! It'll be at 10:30 a.m. on March 25th at the Pettis County Courthouse.  They're going to have a little lunch after, but it requires an RSVP, and I didn't tell you about that in time, sorry.  But if you have questions or anything, you can always email sbwmail@sedaliabwm.org.

Portraitly yours,
Behka