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DATE OF BIRTH: April 28, 1866DATE OF DEATH: November 4, 1920CEMETERYOak Grove CemeteryLeRoy, IL 61752Bessie Grooms Keenan (Alpha, DePauw University) shares a headstone with her husband, Luther Courtland Keenan. Her daughter's stone lay next to hers, Hannah Kennan (Alpha, DePauw University).
Founder Bessie Grooms Keenan (Alpha, DePauw University) writes to Mabel Siller Nafis (Gamma, Northwestern University), author of the 1916 edition of The History of Alpha Chi Omega, about the founding of Alpha Chi Omega and details of her family.
In 2006, The Alpha Chi Omega Foundation built and dedicated the Founders' Forum on the headquarters property. There were seven pillars on the outside featuring the signature of each Founder. The large sculpture in the center represented the connection of the Founders to the organization.
This program is for Homecoming Day of the 1935 National Convention, which took place at DePauw University where the Fraternity was founded. It includes a poem by Founder Olive Burnett Clark (Alpha, DePauw University), the words to the Toast and a program of the day's events.
Hannah Keenan (Alpha, DePauw University) hand-painted this plate for her mother, Founder Bessie Grooms Keenan, when Hannah was 12 years old. Hannah served as director of central office from 1937-66 and later as archivist.
Hear from our Founders about the beginning of our sisterhood at DePauw University. This presentation was shared in celebration of Alpha Chi Omega's 125th anniversary.
Bessie Grooms Keenan (Alpha, DePauw University) began studying music as a young child and was an accomplished pianist by the time she entered DePauw. Near the end of her first year there, she strained the muscles of her left hand from over-practice and had to give up the ambition of her life. However, she gave much of her time to help build Alpha Chi Omega. Her daughter, Hannah Keenan, eventually became director of Alpha Chi’s central office, today known as headquarters.