Edith Chase
Edith Chase (25 November 1924 – 13 June 2017) was an American environmental activist and community leader.
Early life and education[edit]
Edith Chase was born on 25 November 1924 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her parents were Floyd Cates and Aimee née Fisher Cates. Chase attended Antioch College, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry in 1945. She then earned a Master of Science in chemistry from the University of Minnesota.[1]
Environmental science and activism[edit]
Chase moved to in Kent, Ohio in 1958[2] and ended up residing there for over fifty years, during which she was involved in environmental study and protection.[1] Her interest in environmental activism stemmed from reading the book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. She was further galvanized when the Cuyahoga River caught fire in June 1969.[3] In 1970, she was a founding member of the Kent Environmental Council.[1] In 1982, she was a founding member of the Ohio Coastal Resource Management Project.[4] She was also one of the first members of the Coastal Resources Advisory Council. She was a contributing author to reports on hydrology published by the United States Geological Survey.[1]
League of Women Voters[edit]
Chase served as president of the League of Women Voters of Kent from 1965 to 1967.[5]
Awards and honors[edit]
In 1992, Chase was inducted into the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Hall of Fame.[6] A park in Franklin Township, Portage County, Ohio was named Chase Park in honor of Chase and her husband, with the county Trustees describing her as a "respected member of this community and a valuable asset to all of the residents of Franklin Township".[7] In 2014, Chase received the Outstanding Environmental Leader Award from the Burning River Foundation.[4]
Later life and death[edit]
In 2014 at age 90, Chase moved to Ithaca, New York to be closer to her daughter. The move was precipitated by her declining health.[2] She died on 13 June 2017 at the age of 92.[1]
Personal life[edit]
While working at the pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. in New Jersey, Edith Cates met Richard Chase, whom she married. Together they had two children.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f "Edith Chase '45". Antioch College. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
- ^ a b McCarty, Lorraine (20 June 2017). "Edith Chase–In Memoriam". Kent Environmental Council. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
- ^ Meltzer, Iris (2017). "Edith Chase: In Memoriam" (PDF). League of Women Voters. p. 7. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
- ^ a b "Edith Chase honored". Record-Courier. 10 August 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
- ^ "About the League of Women Voters of Kent". League of Women Voters of Kent. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
- ^ "ODNR Hall of Fame". Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
- ^ "Chase Park". Franklin Township Ohio, Portage County. Retrieved 17 March 2019.