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Pan Am 103 Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women Collection

An inventory of the collection at the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: Rachael Signy
Date: 2013



Historical Note

On December 21, 1988 a terrorist bomb blew up a Boeing 747, christened Clipper Maid of the Seas, enroute from London, Heathrow to JFK airport in New York City. Pan Am Flight 103 was carrying 35 students from Syracuse University who were returning home for the holidays after a semester abroad. All 259 passengers onboard the aircraft and 11 on the ground in the village of Lockerbie, Scotland were killed. Three victims, Karen Hunt, Julianne Kelly, and Alexia Tsairis, were sisters of the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women chapter at Syracuse University. Virginia Dewey, who was the Chairman of the Alumnae Advisory Committee for the New York Alpha Chapter of Pi Beta Phi at the time of the bombing, was involved with the memorial service that was planned for the girls. One of the sisters Alexia Tsairis had four photographs given to the Pi Beta Phi house where they remained until May 2012 when the Syracuse University chapter closed down.


Scope and Content Note

The Pan Am 103 Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women Collection contains files that are connected to the three Pi Beta Phi members who died on Pan Am 103. The Collection is organized into Clippings, Correspondence, Photographs and Subject Files.

Clippings: contains a letter to the editor from the Daily Orange from Aphrodite Tsairis praising the University for their sensitivity during the memorials services held on campus.

Correspondence: contains letters from Virginia Dewey explaining what her role was in Pi Beta Phi and containing information about the memorial services. There is also a thank you letter from Reverend James Taylor to Virginia pertaining to the memorial service.

Photographs: contains four photographs of Syracuse University taken by Alexia Tsairis as well as a plaque dedicating the photographs to the Pi Beta Phi house.

Subject Files: this file contains the copy of the remarks Reverend James Taylor made at the memorial services. It also contains a short speech given by Virginia Dewey when the Alumnae Club presented a framed remembrance in memory of the three members.


Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

There are no access restrictions for this collection.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.


Related Material

The Pan Am Flight 103 Archives contains additional materials and information related to the Pan Am 103 Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women Collection. Related collections include:

Karen Lee Hunt Family Papers

Julianne Francis Kelly Collection

Alexia Kathryn Tsairis Family Papers


Selected Search Terms

Names

Dewey, Virginia B.
Hunt, Karen Lee.
Kelly, Julianne Francis
Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women
Tsairis, Alexia Kathryn.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.

Subjects

Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing Incident, 1988.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- Case Studies.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- History.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States.
Terrorism -- History -- 20th Century.
Lockerbie (Scotland)
Higher education.

Types of Material

Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Photographs.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Pan Am 103 Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women Collection,
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

The materials in the Pan Am 103 Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women Collection were donated by Virginia B. Dewey

Processing Information

The Pan Am 103 Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women Collection is processed.


Arrangement

The Pan Am 103 Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women Collection has been organized alphabetically by and within each series.


Table of Contents

Clippings

Correspondence

Photographs

Subject Files


Inventory