A Legacy of Service and Support

Founded in 1941, the Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art actively supports the museum through volunteerism, philanthropy, and interest in the museum’s art education programs and exhibitions. Through these experiences, members build lifelong connections with other arts supporters in the community and become more involved with the museum. To highlight the profound impact of this group, we present four recent gifts to the CMA, each inspired by women whose unwavering commitment to the museum was demonstrated through their leadership in Womens Council.

Helen Champney Cole was a devoted CMA member, Womens Council chair, and lifelong artist whose earliest art classes were at the museum. As she grew as an artist, the CMA remained an integral part of her career, featuring 41 of her paintings over the years in its annual May Show. To continue her lifelong commitment to the institutions she loved, Helen established the Helen C. Cole Charitable Trust, which provides an annual bequest to the CMA. In memory of Helen, a portion of her bequest supported the renovation of the newly named Helen C. Cole Womens Council Office.

Susan Larson, a lifelong learner and lover of the arts, was intrigued by the CMA’s international reputation. Upon retirement, she pursued a deeper relationship with the museum, joining Womens Council in 2015 and serving as its chair, chair of the Cinema Club, and cochair of programs within the Education Committee. Susan treasures her work, describing it as a crash course in art. In gratitude to the CMA for all it has done for her and Cleveland, Susan and her husband, Lee, made a gift to the museum to support its programs, recognized in the Susan Larson Conference Area in the renovated Womens Council office.

“Womens Council provides opportunities for women interested in the museum and its work to deepen their knowledge of its programs, exhibitions, and collection; give back through volunteering and fundraising; and build lasting friendships with its nearly 600 members.”

Susan Loessin, 
Chair of Womens Council

Brit Stenson’s late wife, Kate, loved the museum and worked tirelessly on its behalf. A CMA inaugural docent class member, she guided and inspired children for more than 20 years, shaping the program with her insights. Kate also lent her time and vast talent to Womens Council, where for 25 years she served as both a member and a term as its chair. Honoring her legacy at the CMA, Brit, in conjunction with memorial gifts in Kate’s honor, created the Kate Stenson Director’s Fellowship, making it possible for HBCU or first-generation college students to pursue a paid summer internship at the CMA.

A CMA member for nearly 60 years, Dorothy “Dee” Schafer brought a vibrant spirit and boundless energy to the Womens Council, where she was an engaged member for many years. Her husband, Robert King Schafer, recounted that Dee’s proudest achievement was her work as chair of Womens Council. During her tenure, she helped to establish the Womens Council Flower Fund Endowment and prepare for the CMA’s 75th anniversary. In her memory, Robert and their daughter, Elizabeth, made a significant gift to sustain the museum’s most critical work.