THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT

Betty Blaisdell Berry

October 6, 1922 – February 8, 2007

“When I first came to NOW, I felt scared. My early recollections are hiding behind the picket signs. Jacqui Ceballos got me involved and always said, ‘don’t worry Betty’ and it always worked out.”

Economist for the Rockefeller family projects. Executive director of the Industrial Designers Society of America. Director of public relations for the American Arbitration Association. A charter member of the New York chapter of the National Organization for Women, 1967. Served as national coordinator of the NOW marriage and family relations task force, 1968-1973. Along with Edwin Dexter, founded the Marriage and Divorce Press Inc. and the “Marriage and Divorce” newsletter, 1974. Worked for laws concerning marriage, tax deductions for childcare expenses, compulsory financial disclosure and equitable division of property in divorce; individual Social Security benefits for homemakers; continued health insurance and Social Security benefits for divorced persons; equal division of property; and compulsory payroll deductions for child support. Served as a consultant on marriage and divorce education for the United Presbyterian Church. Member of the Homemaker Committee of the National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year of the U.S. State Department (1975-1976). Member of the steering committee of the Divorce Task Force of the National Council of Family Relations, 1974. Member of the Task Force on Economic Power for the Women’s Action Alliance, 1976. Founding member of the Veteran Feminists of America.