On Saturday, May 9th, 2026, the Livonia Area Preservation and Historical Society hosted Celebrate Women of Livonia, an afternoon dedicated to the women whose work has shaped this town.
Much of that work never made the front page of the Livonia Gazette. It happened in classrooms and kitchens, at post office counters and church suppers, in the quiet, unglamorous labor that keeps a place running. Here are the women who were honored that afternoon, with the photographs and recollections their families shared with us.
Milly Annis
How do you introduce Millie Annis? She had a very colorful life full of diverse experiences. If you had ever met her, she was friendly, she always made you feel wanted and important and she was very helpful. She had her first job at the age of nine. She worked at the post office as a rural carrier, licensed Real Estate Broker, she loved to volunteer, which she did faithfully. She even worked at Eagle Crest Winery. When she married, she stayed home and raised her family. There is not enough space in this document to best honor Millie Annis and tell all of her accomplishments in her lifetime. I am not sure that there are many people in this area that did not know Milly. It was such a pleasure to know her.
Dorothy Wilkins
Born Dorothy Meyer in Jacksonville, Florida. From Jacksonville they moved to Rochester and then to Lakeville. Her brother was Walter C. Meyer Jr. She graduated from Livonia High School in 1944 and in 1947 she went to live with her Aunt Dorothy in Rochester so that she could attend a beauty school in Rochester for 2 years. She worked at the Hickory Factory in Livonia in 1949. She married Maurice Wilkins in 1949. Dorothy was very active in community functions, such as the Fresh Air Children Program, the Heart Fund Drive, and became a member of the Livingston County Women's Republican Club. So she could stay active as a hair stylist she set up an area in their garage. After her husband passed away, she went to work as a hair stylist above Wingate's Electric Store on Main Street and then had a shop above the now Livonia Historical Society. In 1998 she became Livonia Historian and remained Historian until 2017. Dorothy always had a smile for everyone and enjoyed visiting with those she met.
Clara Brown Wilkins
Her nickname was "Billie". She was CPL Brown in the US Navy during World War II. She married Victor Wilkins after she was discharged from the Navy. She worked at Livonia High School and was an active member of the Eastern Star.
Norine Meagher
A graduate of Livonia High School who went to SUNY Geneseo with an advanced degree at Syracuse University. She served as a WAC, Women's Army Corps, where she was a physical therapy technician. She taught school and spent 24 years as a guidance counselor. She was a big volunteer at the Livonia Public Library. She spent four years on a book she wrote titled As It Was. This book is a very complete record of the military and government service of our local men and women. It included Conesus, Honeoye and Livonia, and the service men and women from the American Revolution up through and including the Vietnam War.
Faith Booth Knapp
She moved to Livonia in 1967 and she loved living here. She always felt that Livonia was a safe place to raise her two younger children. She was a part-time bookkeeper for Phil Sweeney's Insurance Agency on Main Street. When the insurance agency became Chanler Agency she remained as an insurance agent and continued to work there until 1994. Faith was very active in Livonia community projects and events. She helped with the startup of the L.A. & L. railroad and the scheduling of the tourist excursions from Livonia to Avon and back to Livonia. At the 1976 America's Bicentennial Celebration, Faith was right there doing her part. She would volunteer at the Hemlock Fair every summer and she was so proud to be the first woman invited to join the Rotary. Doing business from her home, she became a freelance tax preparer. One of the best attributes Faith displayed was that she was never too busy to assist in a project if she was needed.
Shirley Gesell
She was the Primary School Secretary in the 1960s and 1970s. She spent many hours of her own time making sure all bus pass arrangements, babysitting destinations and new entrant pickups were safely and efficiently planned. She always had the children's interest at heart. Mrs. Gesell always made sure she was there for the children and that the parents were assured that all children were being well cared for. David DeLoria, past Primary School Principal, stated that the children were very fortunate to have such a "special lady" for their very own friend. She played a big part of our magic in the Primary School.
Lucile Beckwith Gesell
Born in 1902 in South Lima. She married a dairy and muck farmer. She was a member of the South Lima Presbyterian Church and when the South Lima church dissolved she became a member of the South Livonia church. The family moved to a house in the village that had been moved from the salt mine that existed in the late 1890s behind Willard Reed's farm on Route 15. She was a member and matron of the Eastern Star. She belonged to Home Bureau and hosted many parties for Avon, Tupperware and Home Beautiful. She worked housekeeping at the Conesus Lake Nursing Home. She was a seamstress and quilter. She had several siblings and nieces and nephews that also lived in the Livonia area.
Harriet Crocker Jackson Schirmer, M.D.
Harriet was born on September 25, 1926. Her father, MD Myron Robinson Jackson, and her mother, MD Mildred Wicker Jackson, were both doctors. In high school Harriet was very active in competitive sports and after school she also went to medical school. Harriet's first medical practice was in 1959 in Bethel, Alaska. She married Don Schirmer in 1961 and in 1964 they moved to the Livonia area. She set up a successful practice on Pennemite Road in the house that Ray Connell lived in for many years. Harriet's grandfather was a doctor in Hemlock and the Livonia area. In 1970 Harriet and her husband felt the pull back to Alaska. She loved the library, she published a book, made quilts, and she had many other interests. Harriet is the daughter of Mildred Wicker who grew up in Hemlock.
Thelma Arnold, Gwen Stephens and Dawn Woodburn
Thelma Arnold was mother of four, one son and three daughters: Ted Arnold, Gwen Arnold Stevens, Cheryl Arnold and Dawn Woodburn. She was a member and matron of the Eastern Star. She was also employed by the Conesus Lake Milk Co-op.
Gwen Stephens was a mother of two sons, Jason Stephens and Kurt Stephens. She was a practical nurse who worked at the Conesus Lake Nursing Home and at Highland Hospital, where she worked as a nurse in the hospice cancer ward. Gwen was a practical nurse for Dr. Harriet Schirmer here in Livonia. She also did in-home nursing care.
Dawn Woodburn is a mother of three sons, Aaron Woodburn, Justin Woodburn and Josh Woodburn. Dawn worked at the Conesus Lake Milk Co-op, Sara Coventry, the Livingston County News, and the Town of Livonia in the Assessor's Office. Dawn also was a member of the Eastern Star.
Shirley Mulvaney
Shirley grew up in Groveland. She graduated from Geneseo Central School and Rochester Business Institute. She worked at Fanny Farmer Candy after graduation. She met the love of her life, Dan, at her cousin Jean's rehearsal dinner, married in September 1950 and raised 8 children on the farm. They were happily married for over 60 years. After Dan lost his arm in a farm accident and Bob, the youngest child, started school, Shirley returned to the workforce. She was hired by Chet Haak to work at Security Trust Bank in Livonia and enjoyed working there until the bank was robbed. She supported Dan as Town Supervisor for over 20 years. After retiring from the bank she went to work at Livonia Central School. Shirley was also involved with St. Williams Rosary Altar Society, St. Matthew's Martha Ministry, Greeter and Eucharistic adoration, Conesus Senior Citizens, Conesus Democrats, Livingston County Democrats, Conesus History Keepers, and the Alger Cemetery Association. Shirley was a faithful woman who loved her family, flower gardens, her community and her church. She was a grandmother to 20 plus grandchildren and 28 plus great grandchildren.
Betty O'Brien West
She was a generous woman of many talents. She loved music and played many instruments, including the piano, organ, violin, accordion and dobro. Along with giving free piano lessons to anyone who was willing to learn, she served as organist for St. Michael's church for many years. She loved to sew, a craft she learned from her seamstress mother, and she made many of the altar cloths and chalice covers for St. Michael's church while serving as secretary for Father LeFrois. She worked at Fisher's Department Store on Commercial Street and Security Trust bank, in the building which now houses the Historical Society, and stayed with the bank when they built the new building and went through many name changes. Originally a city girl, she moved to Livonia when she married Frank West and was proud to call Livonia her home.
Thank You
Thank you to everyone who attended, to the families who shared photographs and stories from their own collections, and above all to the women who were honored that afternoon.
If you have photographs, letters, newspaper clippings or recollections relating to the women of Livonia, the Society would be glad to see them. We can scan originals and return them to you the same day. Stop by the Maurice F. Sweeney Museum on a Friday or Saturday between 10am and 2pm, or call us at 585-346-4579.