WAEA Past Board Member and WAEA Member, Edith DeBrue will be missed by all!

Edith DeBrue

Longtime WAEA Board member Edith DeBrue has passed on.  Edith was born on March 5, 1941 and died June 19, 2013.  Her friend Diane Gilles said, “On the day an artist dies, they get to paint their first sunrise or sunset from Heaven.”  Edith worked on many conference committees including the Fall Conferences at MIAD and Concordia College.  She was a YAM participant and VAC judge.  Edie worked as an art teacher for 2 years on the Caribbean Island of St. Vincent, for 2 years in Cedarburg, and for 31 years in West Allis.  She was active in her Catholic Faith Community, especially the Haiti Women’s Support Group.  We will remember Edith for her hand painted clothing, stylized tote bags, gardening skills, and her never ending support of the arts. Edith crafted a Peace-Dove for use in public protests advocating for the arts.  She always had a smile.  Edith and her husband Thomas volunteered for WAEA to drive the artist Faith Ringgold from Madison to Milwaukee from one lecture for WEAC to our lecture at the Milwaukee Art Museum.  Edith was in the back seat and couldn’t get in a word as Faith Ringgold only wanted to talk about her plumbing problems with her husband Tom.  We will miss her.