Monday, July 31, 2023
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We have known and enjoyed Allie Linnea Nelson Withers and her husband, Sydney Withers for many years and considered them as family.
Allie was proud of her Swedish heritage and loved to share with others. She specialized in teaching conversational Swedish at the Scandinavian Studies program in Jamestown, New York for many years. She participated in the much loved Scandinavian Folk Festival as a language specialist.
The Scandinavian Studies Board of Directors at Jamestown Community College honored Allie Nelson Withers of Thule Lodge with an Award of Merit at a reception and musical entertainment at the Sheldon House in Jamestown, New York on Sunday, November 17, 2002.
She was a retired elementary school teacher and before that was a social worker for the Jamestown Public School system.
She was a member of the Viking Inglad Lodge #65 and Thule #127 Lodge, VASA Order of America where she had been the Cultural Leader for many years she also held a Past Chairman’s Status and wore her honored pin proudly.
Another organization that Allie attended as a member was the Lakewood Rod and Gun Club.
She was an active member of the Marvin House and the Westside Ladies’ Club. Allie enjoyed playing cards and met with a group of ladies regularly to play.
Allie also was very proud of her education work and continued to educate anyone after she retired from teaching elementary children. She continued to participate in the Western Zone Retired Teachers Association trying to help her fellow educators.
When Sydney retired, he studied wood working as a hobby and began to make spinning wheels. Allie, studied spinning and the fiber process also. They joined The Hilltop Spinners spinning guild. One could see them at various local fairs and craft shows and schools demonstrating spinning, kitting and natural dying. They loved to speak to interested folks about their craft.
They were active members of the Busti Historical Society and both worked with the Apple Festival held in September. Allie enjoyed teaching about early education in their historic school room. She shared early elementary lessons there.
Anytime when asked, they were there to share and demonstrate! Happy memories are from The Harmony Historical Society, The Amherst Museum, Stockton Old Fashioned Days and The Sinclairville History Fair, The Chautauqua County Fair and The Warren County Fair, The Art Gallery in Chautauqua Institute, Cook Forest Pennsylvania Spin In, just to name some.
Happy are Our Memories~
John and Susan Sipos
