Members of the Woman's Club of Steubenville said their final goodbyes during Monday's meeting at the Main Branch of the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County. During the meeting, the club's remaining assets, totaling $155,000, was presented to 12 area nonprofit agencies. Among those taking part were, from left, front, Cookie West, club treasurer; Berna White of the LAWS Movement; Marge Bedortha, lifetime club member; Eleanor Welday, club member; and Kimberly Hahn, club member; second row, Bobbyjon Bauman of the Ohio Valley Youth Network; Kimbria Lance of Little Branches; Marci Snider-Crawford of the United Way of Jefferson County; Ann Quillen of the Ohio Valley Health Center; Alycia Clark and Mindy Aleksiejczyk of Special Connections; and back, George Spiers of Homeward Bound. (Photo by Julie Stenger)

STEUBENVILLE — Monday afternoon was a somber occasion for the Women’s Club of Steubenville. When the clock struck noon, it marked a moment in time which many throughout the community might not even have realize had passed.

For a dedicated few, it was an instant they will never be able to forget.

That moment was officially the start of the final meeting of a club that has stood as a pillar of grace and service for the last 126 years, a club that began with 12 forward-thinking women in January1899 and one that reached its sunset on Feb. 9, 2026.

Club Treasurer Cookie West welcomed those gathered inside the Main Branch of the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County.

Although there were only five members of the club present for the final goodbye, the weight of the moment could be felt.

The club, which had more than 300 members in the 1950s but has seen its membership fall to around 20, awarded $155,000 — the remaining assets in the club’s bank account — to 12 local nonprofit organizations. The hope, as expressed by West, is this final act will serve as a seed being planted within the community … one that will grow and thrive for years to come to benefit the very people who live and work here.

West noted that while the day weighed heavy on members’ hearts, it also was a blessing to be in a position to invest in the future. She stated this investment is a seed that will ultimately multiply. This legacy will extend to local students through scholarships to be awarded down the road, West added.

Joined by life member Marge Bedortha, West began the process of awarding the monetary gifts. But not before Kimberly Hahn offered a prayer, noting the responsibility and great joy of blessing that belonged to the organizations.

Member Kimberly Hahn commended the women who have served the club throughout its history, acknowledging the hard work that made this final generosity possible. The afternoon was filled with reflections on a deep and rich past, as Bedortha shared the history of a group that was formed 20 years before women were even granted the right to vote.

Those women, Bedortha explained, wanted a voice in their community and sought to address the neglected corners of society, even attending council meetings to advocate for the city’s first garbage treatment plant when refuse was being dumped along the Ohio River, causing health concerns.

By the 1950s, the Women’s Club of Steubenville had grown into the largest Federated club in Ohio, with more than 300 members, even producing two state state presidents. Bedortha stated that while the dissolution of the club marks the end of an era of service that has touched people of all walks of life, the dispensing of these assets is intended to perpetuate their mission.

She expressed a heartfelt appreciation for the friendship of the Herald-Star, thanking staff members and Executive Editor Ross Gallabrese for keeping the club’s work in the public eye for all these years.

A member for 48 years, Bedortha took a moment to recognize lifetime member and past president Eleanor Weiss, who now resides in Columbus, calling her the epitome of the club’s dedication.

The history of the club can be tied to its physical home. Members once met inside the ballroom of the Fort Steubenville Hotel, a bequest from Beatrice Kelly Sharpe allowed the group to purchase a home at the corner of Sunset and Braybarton boulevards, making it one of only two clubs in the state to own its own facility.

Though the house was sold in 2009 due to rising maintenance costs, it was the money from that sale that made Monday’s $155,000 in gifts possible.

The decision to disband after more than a century was not made lightly, coming after months of discussion as membership dwindled and participation changed with the times. The final act of the club included choosing 12 agencies they knew would do positive things with the money.

The recipients included: Homeward Bound, which received $7,500; Unlimited Play, for a new park at Jim Wood Park, which was presented with $25,000; St. Paul’s Center, which received $7,500; the Fort Steuben Visitor Center, which received $20,000; Special Connections, which received $5,000; and Little Branches, a mental health support for children, which received $7,500.

Additionally, the Jefferson County Historical Association received $12,000 to help preserve the building that includes the club’s memorabilia among its collections; the Ohio Valley Health Center received $10,000; the United Way of Jefferson County was presented with $10,000; the Ohio Valley Youth Network received $20,000; the LAWS Movement received $10,000; and the Aim Mother of Mercy Home received $17,000.