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Dedication for Louise Gasser Kirtley Memorial

Daviess County celebrates the life of Louise Gasser Kirtley with the dedication of a new memorial on the Courthouse lawn.

The unveiling ceremony was held on Wednesday, August 26th to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.

“This monument is dedicated to the on-going struggle of equal justice under the law,” said Jeanie Owen Miller, Treasurer of the Daviess County Bar Association.  “It is the first in Daviess County celebrating women’s right to vote and honoring Louise Kirtley who epitomized that milestone. We are honored to present it to the community. It was a combined effort of many hard-working and dedicated individuals.”

Mrs. Kirtley is being recognized for her extraordinary achievements in public life.  She was the first woman to practice law in Owensboro, the first woman to act as a judge in Daviess County and the first woman elected to the Kentucky General Assembly from Daviess County.

The memorial is a community-wide effort, with support from the Daviess County Fiscal Court, the City of Owensboro, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the Daviess County Bar Association.

“I am proud to come from a line of strong women,” said Al Mattingly, Daviess County Judge-Executive.  “I am grateful for their impact on my life.  May we remember their sacrifices and support them in ‘leveling the playing field’ in all walks of life.”

To see video of the dedication ceremony, click here.

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