The Archibald Bulloch Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution recognized six local women in honor of Women’s History Month at its March meeting on Thursday. Each of the women honored was the first woman to earn the position for which she was recognized.

Dr. Jean Bartels, Dr. Dawn Cartee, Jean Coleman, Channie Frazier, Mayor Jan Moore and Jan Tankersley hold varying distinctions of “first in field in Bulloch County.”

DAR member Martha Wells pointed out that much of the emphasis of the organization is to promote American history throughout the year, honoring significant and historic people, places, dates and events.

Because March is Women’s History Month, the local DAR chapter chose to use the occasion to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of Bulloch County women.

Dr. Jean Bartels

When Dr. Jean Kellner Bartels, a 16-year veteran of faculty and administration at Georgia Southern University, was named interim president, she became the first woman president in the university’s 110-year history.

Bartels’ resume contains a host of accomplishments, awards and achievements, including serving as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Georgia Southern, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences, and president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, as well as receiving the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Sr. Bernadette Armiger Award in recognition of her significant contributions to nursing education and the advancement of the profession.

Dr. Dawn Cartee

Dr. Dawn Cartee, who was unable to attend the event due to a prior commitment, holds the distinction of being Ogeechee Technical College’s first woman president. Cartee served OTC in various capacities for 26 years before serving at Southeastern Technical College in Vidalia as executive vice president for academic affairs.

She returned to Ogeechee Tech in 1992 and took on the role as president in 2007. Cartee’s goal, she stated, was to make OTC into one of the best, if not the best, technical colleges in the state. Cartee resigned as president in 2016 to become the director of the Georgia Center for Continuing Education at the University of Georgia in Athens.

Jean Coleman

Jean Coleman has had a 70-year career in medicine. She obtained her nursing training during World War II and met and married Don Coleman, who was stationed nearby. When they moved to Statesboro, she was hired by Dr. Marvin Pittman at Georgia Teacher’s College as the first campus nurse.

She was hired as director of nursing at Bulloch Memorial Hospital at a time when few nurses were available. Coleman also worked for Dr. John Mooney during the 1950s. Serving as the first female president of the Georgia Association of Physician Assistants during the 1980s prompted her to make monthly treks for 10 years to Atlanta to meet with the State Medical Board of Georgia, where important decisions were made to protect patients and employees in the medical field.

Channie Frazier

Channie Hasty Frazier was named the first ever statewide Pre-Kindergarten Teacher of the Year in Georgia for private organizations in September 2016. She was selected from almost 4,000 lead pre-K teachers. Frazier teaches at Kid’s World Learning Center on Savannah Avenue.

Michelle Smith Lank, owner and director of Kid’s World, who nominated Frazier, stated after receiving a request for applications that “if anyone was qualified for the honor of the title Pre-K Teacher of the Year, it was Mrs. Channie Frazier. I knew she would be a shining example for the state.”

Frazier graduated with a bachelor’s degree in child and family development from Georgia Southern University in 2004 and has taught pre-K for 11 years, obtaining two master’s degrees during that time as well.

Jan Moore

The first woman to be elected mayor of Statesboro, Jan Johnston Moore is currently employed at Ogeechee Technical College, where she serves as vice president for economic development. Lori Durden, current president of OTC, said: “Jan’s extensive experience in both higher education and economic development gives her a unique perspective.”

Moore, who previously served as dean of students at OTC, also worked with the Bulloch County Board of Education’s Central Office, where she served as special education supervisor/behavior intervention specialist. Prior work experience includes six years as a school psychologist with the Bryan County Board of Education and 10 years as business editor for the Statesboro Herald.

Jan Tankersley

Jan Black Tankersley was unable to attend but, like Cartee, will receive her award at next month’s DAR meeting. Tankersley’s aspirations didn’t originally include a political career, but extensive community volunteer work put her in the right place at the right time. She is past co-president of the Statesboro High School Quarterback Club, a past member of the Bulloch Youth Leadership Committee, a past member of the Bulloch Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council and a volunteer for United Way.

In 1994 when she volunteered to assist the Brooklet Community Development Association as publicity chair of the Brooklet Peanut Festival, a councilman urged her to run for Brooklet City Council, and, once elected, she discovered that she enjoyed the work. She was later elected to the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners.

In 2004, Tankersley joined the executive board of the Association of the County Commissioners of Georgia. When she became ACCG president, Tankersley was the first woman from Bulloch County to be elected president and the first person from this area for almost 60 years to hold the office. The next step for Tankersley, at the urging of local, regional and state officials, was to run for the soon-to-be vacant seat of retiring state Rep. Bob Lane. That position denoted Tankersley as the first woman to be elected to serve as the District 160 Republican representative for Bulloch and Bryan counties.

Also recognized at the event were Roxie Remley and Judge Faye Sanders Martin, previous women honored by the Archibald Bulloch Chapter of NSDAR.

The local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is always open to new members who can trace their lineage to the American Revolution with an ancestor who fought in the war or supported the war in goods and services.