Mother of the Year

In 1949 Tiger Brotherhood announced that Mrs. Paul Sloan (Lenora) Rochester had been named Clemson's first Mother of the Year. According to The Tiger newspaper article from May 5, 1949, she was chosen because she had more sons (six) graduate from Clemson than any one else.

For many years this award was given during the annual Mother's Day celebration and parade which was one of the college's most attended events on campus. In 1953, over 12,000 people attended the event. The college dropped its mandatory military status in 1955 and in 1957 the Mother's Day festivities were changes to an all-college open house.

Today, Clemson's Mother of the Year is awarded during Parent's Weekend, in front of 80,000+ football fans in Memorial Stadium. She is awarded on the basis of her dedication to Clemson and its students. During the pre-game festivities, the Mother of the Year is given a bouquet of orange and purple flowers as she and her family "dot the i" while the Tiger Band spells out Tigers on the field. Following the game, she is given an engraved silver bowl at a reception in the IPTAY office and people are invited to meet and thank her for her dedication and loving kindness.

Clemson's Mother of the Year List

1949 Mrs. Paul Sloan (Lenora) Rochester
1950 Mrs. M.E. Dyess
1951 Mrs. J.G. Lindsay
1952 Mrs. Oscar F. Danner
1953 Mrs. Dewitt Palmer Cloaninger
1954 Mrs. George H. Hendricks
1955 Mrs. Reed C. Tanner
1956 Mrs. Mittie Merritt Lewis
1957 Mrs. Willard B. (Sybil) Albert
1958 Mrs. Joe C. (Mary) Dowling
1959 Mrs. Thomas S. (Amanda) Moorman, Jr.
1960 Mrs. William Dixon (Nellie) Barnett
1961 Mrs. Carolyn Edwards
1962 Mrs. John Calvin (Elizabeth) Aull
1963 Mrs. Robert F. "Margie" Poole
1964 Mrs. Rudolf Anderson, Sr.
1965 Mrs. Rhett M. McGregor
1966 Mrs. C.C. Corley
1967 Mrs. Hattie V. Skelton
1968 Mrs. M. Stepp
1969 (information unavailable)
1970 (information unavailable)
1971 Mrs. H. Fred Kelly
1972 Mrs. Carmen W. Anderson
1973 Mrs. William R. (Mary) Atkins, Jr.
1974 Mrs. Mary Hood
1975 Mrs. Edward Ducworth 1976 Mrs. Harry (Ina) Durham
1977 Mrs. Witt I. (Helen) Langstaff
1978 Mrs. R.C. (Louise) Edwards
1979 Mrs. Glenn (Martha) Garrison
1980 Mrs. John W. (Joyce) Rheney, Jr.
1981 Mrs. Wilbur J. (Ruth) Mahony
1982 Mrs. WJ "Pap" (Margaret) Timmerman, Jr.
1983 Mrs. Forest E. (Retta) Hughes, Jr.
1984 Mrs. Walter T. (Mary) Cox
1985 Mrs. Joel W. (Anne) Collins
1986 Mrs. Harry J. (Beth) Stewart
1987 Mrs. Tom (Ginny) Skelton
1988 Mrs. Eugene P. (Lou) Willimon
1989 Mrs. Betts (Elsie) Wilson
1990 Mrs. Bill (Evelyn) Jamieson
1991 Mrs. Eloise Dalton
1992 Mrs. Proctor, Birdie
1993 Mrs. Marvin D. "Slack" (Carolyn) Lindsay
1994 Mrs. William J. (Louise) Long
1995 Mrs. T. Ed (Juanita) Garrison
1996 Mrs. Harvey (Mary) Morgan
1997 Mrs. L.J. "Bill" (Carolyn) Hendrix
1998 Mrs. Jerome (Edmee) Reel
1999 Mrs. Skelton, B.J. "Dot"
2000 Mrs. Gene (Lynn) Merritt
2001 Mrs. Charles (Susan) Fagan
2002 Mrs. Ron (Kathy) Young
2003 Mrs. Alton C. (Anne) Whitley
2004 Mrs. Richard (Elizabeth) Bruner
2005 Mrs. William (Nancy) Reid
2006 Mrs. George (Suzanne) Atkinson
2007 Mrs. Sarah Little