Mary Y. Nakaishi

For over 30 years, Mary operated Uke’s Café with her
husband. She was known as Mama Uke for her grass roots
social work on 25th Street. She gave meals on credit, helped
people find shelter, and aided in completing welfare forms.
She often cashed government checks for patrons and kept the
cash so that they would not spend it all. The Utah Chapter
of the National Association of Social Workers recognized her
for the work she did.

Mae Timbimboo Perry

Mae was born in Washakie, Utah and was a member of the
Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation. She was a born
storyteller and for many years shared the stories of her heritage
to countless schoolchildren and community groups. All her life,
she delved into the history and folklore of Indians. As a dedicated
historian, Mae made sure that important dates and events in
her tribe were recorded for future generations. She served as a
representative on the White House Council for Indian Tribal
Affairs, which coordinated federal programs and resources for
tribes.

June K. Phillips

June began working as the first female dean of a college at
Weber State University in 1993, over the College of Arts and
Humanities. During her time as dean, June helped lead the
college through a time of great development. The Browning
Center received a remodel during her time, along with the
building of Elizabeth Hall, and the Kimball Visual Arts
Center. Under her leadership as dean, the Communication
and English departments developed their master’s programs.

Virginia Nelson Rich

At ages 14 and 15, Virginia competed for Weber College and
won the Intermountain AAU Junior Swimming and Diving
Championships in 1938 and 1939. She later finished first in
diving in the Senior AAU Championships in 1939. In winning
the 1939 Junior National AAU Diving Championship,
Nelson became the first woman in Utah to claim a national
championship. She also became the first woman in history
to earn a letter in men’s intercollegiate athletics. Virginia
Nelson Rich is a member of the Utah Sports Hall of Fame.

Emily Tanner Richards

After moving to Ogden in 1869, Emily began working in
the Relief Society and Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement
Association. In 1895, she was a delegate to the Women’s
Suffrage Association. She worked alongside Susan B. Anthony
as the president of the Utah association. Emily emerged as
a standout speaker, organizer and the public face of Utah
Suffrage.