Dede Kirwan
The University of Delaware’s Women’s Club is pleased to announce this year’s Woman of the Year, Dede Kirwan. We all know Dede from her participation in our club’s fundraising activities. She and her husband Denny (who is chair of the Physical Ocean Sciences and Engineering Program in the College of Marine and Earth Sciences) hosted the fundraising events, “April in Paris” (2002) and “Into the Woods” (2001) in their home. In 2003, Dede was the co-chair of “A Country Evening in Fair Hill” which was a barn dance and candlelit supper. She was also co-chair of “A Fall Harvest Dinner” which was held in a November 2007. Her current project is the upcoming event, “A Kentucky Derby Day Party” to be held on May 3, 2008. As Dede was born in Lexington and graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Home Economics, it will come as no surprise that the menu will feature a number of Dede’s favorite Southern recipes, including one for Mint Juleps.
Since arriving in Newark in the summer of 1999, Dede has become well known not only for her hospitality, but also for her volunteerism. She is a board member of the Newark Area Welfare Committee and has been their Correspondence Secretary since 2001. She has been a volunteer for Good Neighbor Day and the Flower Market in Wilmington. She has purchased holiday gifts for needy children through the Angel Tree program. She belongs to the Presbyterian Women’s group and has served as Chair of the Nominating Committee as well as a co-chair for the bake shop of the May Fair fundraiser. Nationally, she supports the Children’s Tumor Foundation and the Epilepsy Foundation.
It is hard for anyone to resist Dede’s charms and talents. She has an army of supporters, friends and admirers. She makes friends wherever she goes. She has lived in Kentucky, Michigan, Virginia, Florida, Rhode Island, Texas and Delaware. When Dede was the membership chair of the St. Petersburg League of Women Voters, she garnered so many new members that the group received a national award.
Other fun facts about Dede : Dede was voted “Miss Flame” for her high school in 1948. (Her prizes were a red cashmere sweater and a chance to ride on the town’s fire truck). In 1975, she and her partner won the Northeast Texas regional mixed doubles tennis tournament. In 2005, she swam around the Great Barrier Reef while visiting Australia. Come to the spring luncheon to learn more and to help celebrate the achievements of this amazing woman!
Congratulations Dede!