Landry, Lenore (1923-1997)

Lenore Landry

No license plate could have been more appropriate for Lenore Landry than the one she chose: "FABRIC". For thirty-two years, she taught the people of Wisconsin everything she knew about clothing and textiles.

Landry's love for clothing began very early. When she was nine years old, she sneaked over to her neighbor's house to use their sewing machine to make a bright orange dress for her mother as a Christmas present. Her father, a county agricultural agent, introduced her to teaching by bringing her to his extension meetings. She quickly realized that a career in extension would allow to her to share her love of clothing with others.

After earning a BS in Home Economics Education from the Stout Institute (now UW-Stout) in 1945, Landry taught at the Racine County Agricultural School and served as a home demonstration agent in Racine and then Douglas County. In 1954, she received her MS in textiles and clothing from UW-Madison. She later recalled that Frances Zuill was determined to hire her as a resident faculty member once she completed her Masters. When Landry told Zuill that she was determined to go into extension instead, Zuill promised to change her mind. But at the end of the year, Landry informed Zuill that her mind remained unchanged--perhaps this was one of the few times when Zuill didn't get what she wanted.

Landry then became the Assistant State 4-H Program Leader. The following year she became a clothing specialist with Cooperative Extension, a position she held until her retirement in 1979. During her career, Landry taught not only clothing construction, purchasing and recycling, but also broader issues relating to clothing and textiles such as the significance of textile legislation and the psychology of clothing. Her goal went beyond just improving people's ability to sew: "Sewing, like cooking and other skills I've taught, is just a creative tool toward being a better, happier person…If I can instill some creative inspiration in a young person, that's gratifying. I don't care how good they sew, as long as they feel good about themselves doing it." Landry co-authored a widely used textbook, Creating a Tailored Garment, which is currently in its fourth edition, along with numerous fact sheets and bulletins. Along with Ruth Diez, she was an early leader in the Educational Television Network, which allowed extension home economics to reach out to home agents across the state to keep them updated about new extension material.

Even after retirement, Landry continued to serve the community. Always an active member of St. James Catholic Church, she worked through the church to help Vietnamese families settle in Wisconsin by giving them a sewing machine and teaching them to use it. She also became an activist in the preservation of trees, and was the first woman to receive the Urban Forestry Council Distinguished Service Award.