A snapshot shows Ouida M. Okey in her U.S. Marine Corps uniform during World War I.

Two years before she was given the right to vote, Ouida Mabel Okey was chosen to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps.

She was born in Graysville on Sept. 4, 1893, graduated from Woodsfield High School and attended Marietta Commercial College, located at 113 Front St.

She was also one of 200 women to be chosen from about 5,000 applicants to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War I. She enlisted in October 1918, almost two years before she could vote.

Scott Britton, historian and executive director of The Castle Museum in Marietta, said the Marine Corps started accepting women on Aug. 12, 1918, and she enlisted two months later.

She actively served from 1918 through July 31, 1919, and was discharged in 1922, according to the Ohio History Connection.

The female Marines, called Marinettes, were not involved in active combat, but helped in many military departments. While in the service, Okey worked in the casualty section of the Adjutant and Inspector’s Department.

“She was also a charter member of the Belleau Wood American Legion Post 1 in Washington, D.C.,” Britton said. “It looks like it was a separate American Legion Post.”

The post was founded in 1919 and 150 women signed up to be members.

“That post met at the Marine barracks in D.C.,” Britton noted.

Little is known about Okey’s life.

“We have nothing about Ouida Mabel Okey here in Special Collections,” said Linda Showalter, special collections associate, Marietta College Legacy Library. “A search on ancestry.com shows that she was the daughter of James W. and Margaret Watson Okey of Monroe County.”

A year after she enlisted, she married William Sharp on Christmas Eve, 1919, in Monroe County.

By 1920, she and her husband had moved to Cleveland, according to the 1920 census.

“The 1920 census lists her with her husband in Cleveland. He was a bookkeeper then, but by the 1940 census, had risen to be a bank vice president,” Showalter said. “Ouida has no occupation listed in any census.”

She died in March 1974 in Cleveland.

Marietta College

Several activities were announced for Women’s History Month at Marietta College.

¯ The first event was Wednesday – a virtual presentation by Dr. Winsome Chunnu, strategic director for diversity and inclusion and multicultural programs and initiatives at Ohio University.

As part of her presentation, she discussed microaggressions women face on a daily basis, including sexist language, sexual harassment, victim blaming, language policing, mansplaining, mom shaming, stereotypes and objectification.

¯ The Office of Campus Involvement and the Panhellenic Council will celebrate the Circle of Sisterhood Week starting March 22.

The first event will be a fundraiser for the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation at Over the Moon Pizza on March 22.

The Circle of Sisterhood Foundation works with sorority women to raise funds to assist organizations working to remove barriers to access to education, according to the college.

¯ The Panhellenic Council and the Pioneer Activities Council will co-host a paint-by-number sisterhood activity on March 23.

There are nine portrait options to choose from representing a variety of notable women: Lena Horne, Amanda Gorman, Anna May Wong, Malala Yousafzai, Frida Kahlo, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Coretta Scott King, Michelle Obama and Rosa Parks.Portrait kits can be picked up at Andrews Hall.

¯ Also In honor of Circle of Sisterhood Week, the Panhellenic Council will host a virtual Afternoon Tea and guest speaker at 3 p.m. March 25.

Sorority members and faculty and staff guests will be invited to pick up an Afternoon Tea box-to-go that will include tea sandwiches, macaroons and fair trade tea.

Boxes can be picked up between 2 and 2:45 p.m. on The Christy Mall.