Famous Sisters

[AOII*Azra-elle]

There is a lady in Denver that works at NineNews and does the NineNews Investigates. She's an AOII.

[Stacekat]

I heard the woman who played "Marcy Darcy" in Married with Children was an AOII. I don't know if it's true though.

[MSKKG]

Originally posted by Blue Violets
The family to which you are referring is the Beidenharn family. Several Biedenharns also live in Jackson & I know two Biedenharn girls from horse back riding with them (they also used to go to my school). I wasn't aware of their family connection to AOII though, although I was aware of their Coke connection. Emily Biedenharn (my friend my year, aka collegiate class of 2006, and part of the Coke family) is a member of Chi Omega at Vanderbilt. Her younger sister Caroline is a freshman this fall at Sewanee.

Yes, indeedy. One of my blood sisters is married to a Biedenharn family member (different last name because he's related on his mom's side). Coke was 1st bottled in Vicksburg, Mississippi. There is a Biedenharn museum in downtown Vicksburg.

[Roses121]

Originally posted by aabby757
Is it true that the two girls that were most featured in MTVs True Life: I'm a cheerleader (the squad from Kentucky) pledged AOPi at their schools?

Are they still active?

Just curious.

I know of one of them who is still active at WKU. She is currently the chapter president.

Originally posted by rosejoy
One of the Miss Americas, Heather Whitestone, was an AOPi , I am not sure which school. It is in her autobiography. She was the deaf Miss America.

I read her book after her yr as Miss America and she was at jackson state. Though i think she depledged if i am not mistaking from what the book said.

I met her once when she was miss america. My roommmate was a KD and was deaf and they grew up together and when she came to campus i got to meet her, She is the nicest person you will ever meet.

Laura

[rosejoy]

Thanks for sharing trhat info cutie!!! I wish we could say she was a sister, but it is great that she was briefly an AOPi.

BTW...APhi is a strong sisterhood here at ECU!

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by justhey76

Someone verify this for me if you can. I had NEVER heard of any "notable" so to speak AOII's until just last night when our president and I were speaking. She told me that the reason a Coke can is red and white is because the guy responsible for making tha can (i dont even know if that was the pres of coke or just somebody in charge of making the can design), his daughter was an AOII. Origionally the design was green or something, but she asked him to make it cardinal red and white. Also, i was told that if you go to the Cocacola museum that there is a decorative fountain there, and if you know to look, the fountain spurts and the trees or landscaping around the fountain make an AOII. Anybody know if there is any validity to this??
justhey

Joe Biedenharn was the first bottler of Coca cola. His daughter Emy-Lou was an AOII. I have never heard that she asked him to make the label Red and white, but who knows? Emy-Lou was an active alumna member of AOII, who let her home be used for Preference party for the NLU or now ULM chapter of AOII (Lambda Tau.) As the story goes, she would sit at a window overlooking the ELsong gardens where the lovely sisters of AOII would stand and sing for rushees. I was in the last group of rushees allowed to use the site for preference party. We still used it for other events, but all rush parties had to be on campus after 1993. There indeed is a fountain that is in the shape of the badge. An A surrounded by an O of potted plants is secured to a red brick wall. The PI is a fountain (that I never saw working) that would shoot out water to complete the symbol. Emy-Lou's will stated that AOII would always be allowed to use her home, which is now a museum, for special events. Her badge and other AOII paraphenalia is on display in the museum.

[IlliniMeg]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Joe Biedenharn was the first bottler of Coca cola. His daughter Emy-Lou was an AOII. I have never heard that she asked him to make the label Red and white, but who knows? Emy-Lou was an active alumna member of AOII, who let her home be used for Preference party for the NLU or now ULM chapter of AOII (Lambda Tau.) As the story goes, she would sit at a window overlooking the ELsong gardens where the lovely sisters of AOII would stand and sing for rushees. I was in the last group of rushees allowed to use the site for preference party. We still used it for other events, but all rush parties had to be on campus after 1993. There indeed is a fountain that is in the shape of the badge. An A surrounded by an O of potted plants is secured to a red brick wall. The PI is a fountain (that I never saw working) that would shoot out water to complete the symbol. Emy-Lou's will stated that AOII would always be allowed to use her home, which is now a museum, for special events. Her badge and other AOII paraphenalia is on display in the museum.

Yep! The lovely ladies of Lambda Tau took me there when I was a CC as a sisterhood event. It's an amazing home.

Everyone knew the story ahead of time so everyone was on the lookout for sheafs of wheat in crown molding or roses in wallpaper and paintings. Even though every thing is what you make it and we really got carried away (Is that a picture of a panda, no just the family dog!) it was a great time. I don't remember the fountain as vividly though... they were my last chapter of the year and the memories sort of blur together by that point. But I do remember their amazing hospitality and they held formal chapter in a church so my last ritual of the year was in such a beautiful place, quite fitting.

And I believe that the family was a major manufacturer of coca-cola and distributor which is different than being at their corporate office. So this is why coca-cola's stance is what it is.

[IlliniMeg]

Also some more random stuff that I just thought of:

- I had heard that Sheryl Crow's sister is an AOII (although Sheryl is a Theta).

- Frank Capra (director of It's a Wonderful Life, pretty big in the golden age of Hollywood), his wife was an AOII (Kappa Theta, UCLA chapter). I believe, but don't quote me, that she is the one that came up with PiOA concept. If you look in old To Dragmas there is mention of PiOA's, which are the reference to AOII's husbands or significant others - because when an AOII hugs her husband with her badge on, it makes Pi - on top of the O on top of the A. The reverse of our badge. I always thought that was really cute.

And Phyllis Diller was not an AOII nor was Mary Tyler Moore for some reason those are the most ill-quoted.

The neighbor from Married with Children is also an AOII. And of course there is an AOII who was on the Apprentice and on Survivor.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by IlliniMeg

The neighbor from Married with Children is also an AOII. And of course there is an AOII who was on the Apprentice and on Survivor.

I'd heard she was an AOII from Pi chapter at Tulane.

As for It's a Wonderful Life...my dad is obsessed with that movie. My older sister and I watched it so many times that we tied at a church lockin for a prize about It's a Wonderful Life trivia (they showed the movie and then asked really specific question like what was on the mailbox infront of the old house in the scene where she loses her dress.) We had actually fallen asleep during the showing, but we knew the movie by heart! Ha! Nice to know Capra was a IIOA!

[kp123605]

I don't know if any of you are as big of Survivor fans as I am, but . . . a current contestant, Parvati Shallow, is a member of AOII. She went University of Georgia. She was originally on Survivor: Cook Islands and is currently on Survivor: Micronesia Fans vs. Favorites

she also has a myspace for those of you who are into that

[kp123605]

Hey girls Parvati Shallow just won Survivor!!

GO AOPi!

[twinkle555]

YAY AOII!! Great job Parvati!!

[AOIIGal]

Saw this on a website awhile ago... needs updating to include our "Biggest Loser" and "Survivor" winners, and of course our fabulous moderator Christin.

Notable Alumnae
• Stella George Stern Perry - Author and AOΠ founder, Alpha Chapter, Barnard College of Columbia University
• Heather Whitestone McCallum - Miss America 1995, motivational speaker, business owner, Delta Epsilon Chapter, Jacksonville State University (Heather's duties as Miss America prevented her from initiating)
• Margaret Bourke-White - photographer and journalist, her works were donated to Alpha Omicron Pi upon her death in 1971, and today are displayed at the international headquarters, Omicron Pi Chapter, University of Michigan
• Linda Barth -Senior Articles Editor at YM Magazine, Delta Chapter, Tufts University
• Heather Buck - Internationally known opera singer, Delta Chapter, Tufts University
• Wendy Chamberlin -Former U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, Rho Chapter, Northwestern University
• Jennifer Wallen- Featured on NBC's "The Apprentice" in Fall 2005, Delta Omega Chapter, Murray State University
• Cathy Grimes- Starred as a bachelorette in ABC's first installment of "The Bachelor." The youngest contestant in the field, Cathy reached the final group of 8 before not getting a rose, Kappa Kappa Chapter, Ball State University
• Katie F. Ward- Appearing in nationally run ads for Starz! Network, Visa Commercials, San Jose Sharks, Fantastic Sams, & Kroger, Nu Beta Chapter, University of Mississippi
• Alexa Jones- Miss Alabama 2005, 2nd Runner up in the Miss America 2006 Pageant, Tau Delta Chapter, Birmingham Southern College
• Courtney Kupets - Olympic and World Champion Gymnast, Lambda Sigma Chapter, University of Georgia
• Heather Soriano - Miss Mississippi 2002, Nu Beta Chapter, University of Mississippi
• Debbie Matenopoulos - Actress, TV personality Rho Beta Chapter, Virginia Commonwealth University (Debbie pledged AOII but was not initiated)
• Natalie Overall Warren - Philanthropist, Nu Omicron Chapter, Vanderbilt University
• Katrina Overall McDonald - Philanthropist, Nu Omicron Chapter, Vanderbilt University
• Chantel McCormick- Socialite and Philanthropist, Alpha Phi Chapter, Montana State University
• Betty Sullivan Precht - Author and Daughter of Ed Sullivan, Kappa Theta Chapter, UCLA
• Nicole Jeanine Georghalli - Miss Pennsylvania USA 2004, Phi Beta Chapter, East Stroudsburg University
• Aphrodite Salas - Canadian TV Journalist, Beta Tau Chapter, University of Toronto
• Janis Mackey Frayer - Canadian TV Journalist, Beta Tau Chapter, University of Toronto

[AOII Angel]

I don't think Heather Whitestone and Debbie Matanopoulis should remain on the list.They are NOT AOIIs.