Accidental Mentors: Start Here!

Inspirational Stories of Women Who Shaped My Life by Just Being Themselves

Thank you for visiting Accidental Mentors. Using this table of contents you can access any Accidental Mentors post, read them in order, or skip around to whatever inspires you. Enjoy!

Introduction: Who and what are Accidental Mentors?

The 1950s

1. Keep loving and keep hoping: Helen Marguerite Zentner Smith Marquis (1913-2002)

2. Grief doesn’t ever let us go: Marlee Lou Smith (1937-1949)

3. Defying societal expectations of what it means to be a lady: Wilma Zentner Scholbe (1909-1998)

4. Listen to the stories of our elders: Anne Marie Cheff Marquis (1888-1974)

The 1960s

5. Bridging differences across a chain link fence: Margo

6. Being trusted makes a person trustworthy: Mary Jo Cowan (1934-1981)

7. My surrogate healer: Carolyn Fugedy (1932-2021)

8. Expanding my definition of creativity: Leanna

9. Deep listening opens doors: Sister Stephen

10. Embrace everything life has to offer: Mildred Marquis (Sister Patricia Anne) (1909-1965)

11. A tragedy that saved the lives of countless others: Susan

12. Bringing me closer to understanding myself: Nancy

The 1970s

13. Never give up on those you love: Joy Christi

14. Coming home to myself: Renee

15. Navigating through one's Black Sabbath: Loretta Kroetsch (1955-1990)

16. Let's try it! Sister Eileen Rice, OP (1944-1994)

17. College-bound: Pam

18. My point guard for life: Lisa

19. Not all mentees apply all the lessons of their mentors: Carol

20. There is no deeper grief: Kim Annette Bow (1974-1975)

21. Lessons of Faithfulness: Clare Shaw (1950-2019)

22. The Power of Persistence: Bonnie

23. Music that changed everything for me: Holly Near

24. It's all about relationships: Susan Walker (1943-1997)

The 1980s

25. Sometimes it’s the mundane that illuminates the way: Anne Sutherland (Maryanne Beaumont Sutherland -1948-2010)

26. Appreciate a person's strengths as well as challenges: Elaine

27. Look up to the stars: Bobbe

28. Determination to be your best: Kim

29. It's all about faithfulness: Sharon

30. The mentee becomes a mentor: Valerie

31. The highest degree of trust: Rianne

The 1990s

32. How to live a life of faith with integrity: Charlotte

33. Learning to relish appreciation: Gini

34. Asking the right questions is often more important than finding the answers: The Rev Dr. Carter Heyward

The 2000s

35. Sharing the salt of the earth: Janice Marie

36. What we don't know: Anne-Michelle

37. Resilience takes commitment: Bebyion

38. The definition of loyalty: Marcia

39. It's a woman's world: Amy

40. Showing up can make all the difference: The Rev. Jeanne Marie Pupke (1955-2022)

41. Doing what needs doing: Regina

42. Relationship building takes time and patience: Nan

43. The power of touch: Sam

44. Heaven or hell? It's our choice: Linda Kraeger (1947-2008)

45. Speaking the truth in love: Rev. Dr. Hope Johnson (195x-2020)

46. Letting it Go: Sue

47. Saying yes no matter what: Denise

48. I have a dream: Joanne Bland

49. Doing what needs to be done: Dr. Shirley Cherry

50. Generosity as a spiritual practice: Wendy

51. Accepting no for an answer: Terasa

52. Never stop learning: Sue

The 2010

53. Sharing life's most intimate moments: VJ

54. Getting it done: Lisa

55. Learning to write is a collective process: Meg

56. Sharing myself: Kassie

57. Giving feedback that can be heard: Anne-Marie

58. Writing to inspire: Amy

59. Uncovering secrets to claim the truth: Ann

60. Keeping love at the center of our relationships: Gloria

61. Living with passion and authenticity: Charlotte

62. Speaking up against the isms: Anita

63. Accessible to all: Sally

64. Diving into the unknown: Jan

65. Lessons from the Zombie Apocalypse: Katharine

66. Medical care the way it's supposed to be: Drs. Shannon Weatherford and Ceceila Boardman

Bonus

A Big Job for a Little Bear: Earth Bear

Epilogue: The circuitous journey from idea to online