PULLMAN, Wash. — Delgadina Alepuyo of Pullman and Ginny Boyle of Albion were named Washington State University Moms of the Year for 2001 at the annual Mom’s Weekend Brunch April 21 in the Compton Union Building.
Ellsbeth “Val” Alepuyo, a senior in women’s studies, nominated her mother. Tamara Tremblay, a junior in public relations, nominated Boyle.
Alepuyo said her mother is the driving force behind the success of her immediate family. Delgadina Alepuyo resigned from her civil service job in Saipan to move to Pullman to care for her daughter’s son, Ulen. She has been heavily involved with the Micronesian community at WSU.
“My mother has often taught members of our (WSU) extended family how to make traditional dishes, given advice about life and love, and acted as a sounding board to anyone who needs someone to talk to,” her daughter said in the nomination.
Tremblay said her mother, associate director of WSU Alumni Relations, helped her when she suffered from meningitis and was diagnosed with a probable brain tumor. Tremblay said she is now healthy, and she owes it to her mom.
“Encouragement is what my mom gives constantly,” she said. “My mom is always generous, positive, happy, laughing, joking, bubbly, understanding, energetic and has a thrill for life.”
Boyle is involved with Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, various WSU committees and the National Lentil Festival hosted by Pullman. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from WSU in 1977 and 1991.
Other finalists were Linda Chalich, Pullman, nominated by her daughter, Alison Keck, a sophomore; and the late Margaret (Meg) Paul of Uniontown, nominated by her daughter, Veronica Paul, a freshman. Paul, the mother of 10 children, died of cancer just a few days before Mom’s Weekend.
The award is presented annually to acknowledge the influence that mothers make on their children’s lives, to honor their personal achievements and to recognize the diverse contributions that they make to their communities.
The finalists were selected based upon a review of nominations and the recommendation of the Mom of the Year Selection Committee. The selection criteria was based on students’ descriptions of why they nominated their mothers, including such factors as unique characteristics or accomplishments, contributions to family, vivid memories of experiences together and special shared relationships. It also included the mother’s contributions to her local community and to WSU.
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