Well, the tribute for Judy Starr Confer was a big success.

It was intended to be the opener for the first Historical Society dinner meeting of the season, but when guest speaker Bernadine Burnett chose to speak about the retiring executive director of the River of Time Museum as well, the tribute tuned into the entire program.

Burnett is the vice president of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Tribal Council. She said, “Judy reached out to our community and that made a difference.

“And whenever she came to our offices or to a council meeting she usually came with her baked goods. At least we hoped so and she is always welcome.”

Burnett asked how many in the audience were aware that the tribe had a museum of its own. A few people raised their hands. She laughed and suggested that maybe the tribe could now have Judy run their museum.

Historical Society President Debbie Skehen said, “My comments tonight center on Judy as a person. I’ve always been in awe of her . . . of her artistic creativity and her knowledge of history. But also her total interest in and fascination with people and the stories they have to tell – and she remembers everything.

“When I first began volunteering at the museum, Judy would relate in great detail everything she knew about the people we would meet. She knew their family histories – their accomplishments, their joys and their troubles.

“Every single person is important to her and she wants to know more about the history of each and every one.

“She is the consummate people person.”

Judy was the first paid director of the museum.

Anne Wicklund, vice president of the Historical Society, also spoke at the dinner as part of the tribute.

She recalled how Judy approached her to start a docent program.

“In 2001 I did as she asked and before the building was completed and opened, we had 30 trained docents who had attended training meetings every single week,” Wicklund said. “After the second year, we added turquoise stones to the docents' badges to show seniority.”

Wicklund also talked about applying for a LSTA grant in the year 2000, which was an Outreach Promotional Project to promote public awareness of the Fountain Hills Library and the River of Time Museum since they were going to be sharing the same building.

“We found out about this LSTA grant just before the deadline, Wicklund recalled, “so Judy, Beth Shafe and I worked long into the night to put this grant together. We must have done a great job because not only did we get a $50,000 grant but they made a special category for us to be able to get it.”

But they ended up not getting the grant because the county librarian would not sign the application.

Judy has always been there working long hours despite being listed as part-time. Her conributions to the museum have not gone unnoticed.

I said that through Judy’s hard work, the museum received “certified museum status” by the Arizona Historical society just nine months after its opening. Certification generally takes up to five years.

Personally, she has been honored with the River of Time Museum Foundation‘s Legacy Award and the Four Peaks Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution’s first award honoring Women in American History.

The Fountain Hills and Lower Verde Valley Historical Society honored her prior to last week’s dinner by renaming the museum’s orientation room in her honor.

It’s been a job well done, Judy.