Remembering Mildred Arnold on her Birthday
Mildred Arnold, SDA/C
October 13, 1917 - July 22, 2010
You can’t talk about Mildred Arnold without talking about SDA—they just go hand in hand. If you knew Mildred, you knew about SDA. And if you knew about SDA, you knew about Mildred Arnold. The Society for Design Administration (SDA) members are very proud to say we wear many hats, but how many of us can say we did it for over half a century? Mildred Arnold did!
Mildred started working at Grayson Gill Architects and Engineers in 1954. Think about that--1954! She was a Mom and a homemaker and working for an architecture and engineering firm when most women were stay-at-home moms. She was a real trailblazer. Tom Workman, one of the architects at Grayson Gill and one of Mildred’s closest friends, said “Mildred Arnold was a POWER! Every time I spoke with her I walked away feeling reinforced......she was so overwhelmingly genuine, considerate and life wise. Yes, she loved to talk. ..........yet, what she said was worth hearing!” From the beginning of that career, Mildred jumped in – feet first – and discovered a passion for the design and construction industry that she would share with her fellow administrators until the day she died.
Passion, dedication, enthusiasm, loyalty – these are all words that have been used to describe Mildred ever since. So it comes as no surprise to find out that when she joined the Architectural Secretaries Association in 1971 (which was the predecessor to SDA) she became a trailblazer again. She jumped in feet first and became a leader and champion for the organization.
Mildred not only served in many capacities for the local chapter—as Vice President several years, a Director, and many committee chairs—but she also served SDA on a national level as Education Chair and Historical Chair. She was so committed and passionate about SDA, that in 1988 when the National President, Wanda Holcombe, decided to try and record the SDA story, she knew she could call on Mildred to take on the task. So Mildred jumped in again. Imagine little Mildred in the middle of a ton of storage boxes during one of the worst heat waves Dallas has seen.
And once again, her hard work and expertise resulted in a detailed chronology of the events that helped SDA grow from a fledging group in1959 with just a few members to the thriving national organization it is today, with over 600 members and chapters all over the country.
Wanda Holcombe remembers: “Mildred had a "feisty" side of her personality that challenged us & kept us on our "toes," which was one of her gifts. In particular, I remember her part in creating the ASA STORY & History of SDA, plus seeing that it was kept up. There was no greater master of details than Mildred. We all loved her for keeping us on track even when it flustered & challenged us at the same time.”
In 1999, Mildred was given the SDA National Member of the Year Award. When most of us would have been happy to settle into retirement, Mildred – at the age of 82 – was still working in the design field, still contributing to SDA, and still committed to the education and development of her fellow administrators.
Carole Steadham, who became our National President the following year, recalls: I can still see Mildred, “on stage” at the Convention in Dallas, holding up her medal as she just received the SDA Member of the Year Award and, shouting “I will decide when I leave this Industry, and I’m not through yet!” Mildred addressed a note to Carole later that said:”Words cannot convey what is in my heart for submitting my name as SDA National Member of the Year—what an honor and historic event for me. In my wildest dreams I never envisioned I would be honored at the Convention in Dallas when you became “The Star,” Our President. With love and a Texas sized thank you, Mildred”
Shirley Pope, who served as one of the Presidents of the Dallas Chapter, also remembers Mildred at that convention: At the Host Chapter party in Dallas, Mildred showed up at the Sons of Hermann Hall wearing red cowboy boots and a red cowboy hat. Of course her denim shirt and plaid blouse were topped off with her red bandana. All she needed was a couple of six shooters to corner the market on the rootin'est tootin'est cowgirl of the ball.
Mildred’s dedication to SDA went beyond caring about the organization – she cared about the members, too. She took the time to meet each member, and kept in touch with us. Judith Nix, President of the chapter in 2010, said “I am going to really Miss Mildred because she was my biggest cheerleader – a true friend who I could depend on for support.”
SDA will remember Mildred as a leader, a visionary, and a champion for education but I will remember her as a friend. I will remember her pretty blue eyes and the stubbornness she had for things she believed in. I will remember her sweet nature and her graciousness. She was a wonderful mentor and an inspiration and generous with her time and energy. She was always willing to lend an ear and offer her support. Our Dallas Chapter has been so blessed to have her energy and spirit and I know we will never forget her. She was, and I hope will continue to be, the wind beneath our wings.
Mary Beth Parker, SDA
