This event is special in that it celebrates four outstanding women who have enriched our community by giving of their time and resources.
The Societies of Oklahoma City University will honor four distinguished women of Oklahoma during the annual Awards of Excellence luncheon April 26 at the Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club. The Societies of Oklahoma City University focuses on recognizing women for outstanding volunteer service in Oklahoma and providing scholarships for OCU students.
Honorees are Teresa (Terri) Lee Cooper, Dulaney-Browne Library Society Award; Beverly Funke, Kirkpatrick-Petree Music and Performing Arts Society Award; Aimee Harlow, Norick-Hulsey Gallery Society Award; and Alyce (Sue) Homsey, Oklahoma City University Distinguished Philanthropist Award.
Ann Johnstone and Judy Love are the co-chairs of the event in its 29th year. “This event is special in that it celebrates four outstanding women who have enriched our community by giving of their time and resources,” said Johnstone.
Cooper is a native of Tulsa and has lived in Oklahoma City for more than 40 years. She received her BA in geography from Middlebury College in Vermont, and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. She was married to the late Bert Cooper and is retired from Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company where she served as assistant general counsel for 20 years.
Cooper currently serves on the Board of Governors for the Oklahoma State University Foundation and is a member of the board of trustees of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. She is also a member of the Boards of Directors of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Foundation. She is an advisory director of Leadership Oklahoma City and a member of the Board of Visitors for the University of Oklahoma Honors College. Cooper served as co-chair of the Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts and is a past board member of the Central Oklahoma Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Arts Council of Oklahoma City and Leadership Oklahoma City, and will serve as its president for 2016-17.
Funke graduated with a degree in fashion marketing from Kansas State University. After working in retail marketing a short time, Funke joined a large law firm where she worked as a legal assistant. After four years with the firm, she began her career as a stay-at-home mom. She and her husband, Mark, have two grown children, Bill and his wife, Lauren, who reside in Norman, and Annie, who resides in New York City.
Funke is currently on the board of St. Anthony Hospital Foundation and serves on the fundraising committee. She served as president for the last two years of the OU Breast Institute Community Advisory Board. Additional involvement at OU includes serving as secretary of the board of the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts Musical Theatre Guild. She also is a founding member of the United Way Women’s Leadership Society.
Funke has served on committees benefiting a variety of causes including the Girl Scouts Juliette Low Leadership Society; OU’s Arts, Arts, Arts; Allied Arts Lyric Theatre’s Broadway Ball and Catholic Charities’ Green Tie Gala.
Harlow graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in marketing and is the senior account manager at the Financial Services Industry (FIS) Organization. She has been active in the Pi Beta Phi sorority in raising funds for children’s literacy programs. She is married to David and has two children, Kristina, a sophomore at SMU in Dallas, and Will, a senior at Casady High School.
Harlow has served on the Allied Arts Board of Directors, as the chair of the leadership division for the Allied Arts Annual Campaign and as the chair of the Westminster School Auction. She has been the Lyric Theatre Broadway Ball chairman, St. Anthony Hospital Saints Ball co-chair and is currently on the executive committee of the Oklahoma contemporary capital campaign to construct a new center in downtown Oklahoma City.
Homsey was born in Waynoka, Okla., and moved to Perryton, Texas, where she attended high school. She earned a BS in secondary education, with honors, from Texas Christian University. While at TCU, she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma and served as the sorority pledge trainer, rush chairman and a member of Kappa Pickers.
Homsey taught junior high science and math at Mustang schools and Heritage Hall, and taught chemistry and biology at Edmond schools. She began her interior design business, Finishing Touch, in 1983.
Homsey has served as president of the Ladies Guild and co-chairman of the booth at the Festival of the Arts. She served as a board member and as a docent at the Art Center and was involved in fundraising for Dinners a la Art.
Homsey joined the Children’s Hospital Foundation Board in 1999 and served until 2012. She presently sits on the Board of Advocates for the CHF and helped to establish the Patricia Price Browne Endowed Chair. She was president of the board, Starlight Ball Chairman, Wine Event founder and chair, Board Member of the Year, development chair, special events chair, nominating committee chair and a member of the strategic planning committee. Homsey is married to Gary and they have three children, Kristin K. Homsey Carson, J.D., Benjamin B. Homsey, and Dr. Anna L. Homsey, MD.
For more information on the Awards of Excellence or about OCU Societies, contact Judy Reyes-Henderson, director of development for the OCU Office of Advancement and External Relations, at 405-208-5435.
