• Entry type: Person
  • Entry ID: IMP0050

Roe, Raigh Edith

  • Dame, DBE, CBE
  • Maiden name Kurts, Raigh
(1922 – 2014)
  • Born 12 December 1922, , Western Australia, Australia
  • Died 1 November 2014
  • Occupation Community worker

Summary

Raigh Roe was appointed Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 31 December 1979 for services to women. A member of the Country Women’s Association since the age of 18, Roe became Branch President, Western Australian State President and National President. In 1977 she was elected World President of the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW), representing almost nine million women in 74 countries. That year she also was named Australian of the Year.

Events

  • 1961 - 1964

    International Officer of the Country Women’s Association

  • 1942 - 1972

    Involved in farming

  • 1977

    Australian of the Year

  • 1979

    Appointed Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire

  • 1975

    Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire

  • 2041

    Married James Roe, they were to have three sons.

  • 1979

    Deputy Chairman of the 150th Anniversary Celebrations of Western Australia

  • 1977 - 1980

    World President of the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) World Conference

  • 1974

    National Co-ordinator of the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) World Conference

  • 1972

    Honorary Life Member of the Country Women’s Association

  • 1969 - 1971

    National President of the Country Women’s Association

  • 1967 - 1970

    State President of the Country Women’s Association of Western Australia (Inc)

Archival resources

  • National Library of Australia, Oral History and Folklore Collection
    • Dame Raigh Roe interviewed by Gail O'Hanlon in the Australians of the year oral history project [sound recording]
  • State Library of Western Australia
    • Papers 1990 [manuscript]
  • National Library of Australia
    • [Biographical cuttings on Raigh Roe, president of the Associated Country Women of the World, 1978, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals]

Published resources

  • Book
    • Reflections : profiles of 150 women who helped make Western Australia's history; Project of the Womens Committee for the 150th Anniversary Celebrations of Western Australia, Popham, Daphne; Stokes, K.A.; Lewis, Julie, 1979
    • The Many Hats of Country Women: The Jubilee History of the Country Women's Association of Australia, Stevens-Chambers, Brenda, 1997
    • She's no milkmaid : a biography of Dame Raigh Roe, D.B.E., Erickson, Rica, Haywood, Rona and Oldham, Jan (sketches by), [1991?]
  • Edited Book
    • Who's Who in Australia 2002, Herd, Margaret, 2002
  • Resource Section
  • Site Exhibition
  • Resource

Related entries


  • Presided
    • The Country Women's Association of Western Australia (Inc) (1924 - )
    • Country Women's Association of Australia (1945 - )