Helen Rose Aune Raies, 1902-1992

At a time when few immigrant women found a place in American politics, Helen Rose Aune Raies became a familiar - if at times controversial - name in Akron, Ohio, government.

Born in Damascus, Syria, Raies came to America with her family in 1907. She attended Akron public schools and graduated from Hammel Business College.

She started her career as a juvenile clerk in the Summit County Clerk of Courts office. Two years later, in 1936, she moved over to the City Council as deputy council clerk. In 1938, she served as acting clerk after Josephine Bauman's resignation. A lifelong Republican, she failed to get the permanent job from the Democratically controlled City Council and returned to her position as deputy clerk.

Over her 30 plus years with the City Council, she was by all accounts a competent, detail-oriented public servant. The Beacon Journal reported that Akron residents would call her with all kinds of problems from immigration issues to citizenship papers, from marital troubles to problems with juveniles and questions about getting jobs. Raies always handled the issues competently and politely.

However, she had her own problems with her long-time superviser, Clerk Claude Butler. In 1952, things got so bad that the City Council ordered Butler and Raies to work out their differences. The Beacon Journal quoted the Council president, "They (Butler and Raies) have carried on disgracefully for years. I want it stopped. I'm through being wet nurse to a couple of babies. Their conduct has affected the operation of the office."

Although that outburst may have quieted the situation temporarily, the feud between Raies and Butler carried on for decades. When Raies was given the authority to handle complaints from the public under the state's Fair Employment laws in 1960, Butler cried foul. But it did no good. Raies assumed that responsibility. When the mayor appointed her to his Advisory Council on Civic Unity and she became secretary of that body, Butler complained again. But Raies, again, won the position and handled the job until 1970.

In 1961, when Butler died, Raies held the title of acting clerk but did not get the permanent job, this time because she refused to take the Civil Service exam.

In 1968, Rose Raies retired from the Council clerk's office. The Beacon Journal wrote at the time that losing Raies was like "losing one's right arm."

Raies did not, however, fade from politics or City Hall. She continued on the mayor's Committee for Civic Unity and when that body was replaced by the Human Relations Commission in 1972, she became the representative for nationality groups.

Raies always retained strong ties to nationality groups, especially her own. She was a correspondent for the Syrian World, an Arabic newspaper. Raies organized the Syrian Mother's Club and was a representative on the International Institute Advisory Board. In 1934, she also organized the Syrian Republican Club. For her efforts and civic involvement, Raies was honored by the Midwest Federation of American Syrian-Lebanon Clubs in 1965.

Active in Republican Party politics, Raies served as a member of the Republican Summit County Executive Committee and was elected vice president of the 3rd Ward Republican Club.

Raies also was involved with the Altrusa Club of Akron, the Altar and Rosary Society of St. Vincent's Catholic Church, National Council of Catholic Women, and the Akron Khirby Women's Club.

Raies was a member of St. Vincent's Catholic Church in Akron. She had two children, Donald and Mary Helen.

Raies died in 1992 at the age of 91.

Photo courtesy of the Beacon Journal.

--Jennifer Petric