Mardee Rightmeyer

This stole was one of the original 80 stoles that were on display on Sept. 16, 1995 when I set aside my ordination before Heartland Presbytery (see stole #1 for details).  Mardee is known for her many extraordinary contributions to the Presbyterian Church -- and also for a noteable family connection.

Mardee is an ordained elder and professional church educator in the Presbyterian Church (USA).  She holds a masters degree in Christian Education from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (now part of Union Theological Seminary, Richmond VA) and has served as a Volunteer In Mission in China. 

In 1991 Mardee was forced to resign from her position as Director of Christian Education at St. Luke Presbyterian Church in Dunwoody, GA after it became known that she is a lesbian.  Fortunately, she has been able to put her gifts to work in the greater church; Mardee is now the Director of the Resource Center for the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta and the Synod of South Atlantic.  She is also the Co-Moderator for That All May Freely Serve, a national organization working for the full inclusion of LGBT persons in the life and leadership of the Presbyterian Church.

Many Presbyterians also know Mardee for a notable family tie.  Her brother, Rev. Joe Rightmeyer, served for a decade as the Executive Director of Presbyterians For Renewal, the largest organization in the church working against the ordination of LGBT persons.  As two of ten siblings, Mardee says that when she lost her job and came out to her family, all of her family was extremely supportive, except Joe.  She once quipped that, within her family context, it is interesting that Joe is actually the one that has become a bit of the "black sheep."

Martha Juillerat
Founder, Shower of Stoles Project
2006