Clara E. Westropp
Clara E. Westropp | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | June 25, 1965 (aged 78) |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, Catholic advocate |
| Known for | Co-founder of Women's Federal Savings Bank; Catholic missionary support organizations |
Clara E. Westropp (July 7, 1886 – June 25, 1965) was a prominent American entrepreneur and devoted Catholic advocate.
Born in Cleveland, Westropp was the daughter of Thomas P. and Clara Stoeckel Westropp. She completed her education at West High School and the Dyke School of Commerce, later attending the Savings & Loan Institute located in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. In 1922, alongside her sister Lillian M. Westropp, she established the Women's Federal Savings Bank, recognized as the first savings and loan institution in the United States to be both managed and governed by women. Originally operating under a state charter, the bank transitioned to a federal charter in 1935 and was renamed Women's Federal Savings & Loan Association of Cleveland. The initial capital stock amounted to $85,000, with Clara personally responsible for selling more than half. Her expertise in finance led to her historic appointment as president of the Cuyahoga Savings & Loan League in 1952, marking the first time a woman held this position.
Westropp extended her financial acumen into religious endeavors by founding the Francis Xavier Mission Circles in Cleveland in 1946. These circles, each comprising twelve women, provided support to missionaries affiliated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland through prayer, sacrifice, and financial contributions. By 1960, over 250 such groups were active locally, with Westropp playing a key role in inspiring similar organizations in cities including Los Angeles, Detroit, and Chicago. A close associate of Fulton J. Sheen, she funded portions of his television broadcasts during the 1950s. By 1961, she had assumed the role of diocesan missions chair and was instrumental in founding the Cleveland Latin America Association, which aided missionaries such as Jean Donovan and Dorothy Kazel—who were tragically killed in El Salvador in 1980. Additionally, she contributed to the National Catholic Welfare Council and served as diocesan mission chair for the National Council of Catholic Women. Westropp remained unmarried and resided for many years with her sister on Southland Avenue in Cleveland.
Her impactful work garnered several accolades, including receiving the papal honor Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice in 1954. After her passing, she was honored as Catholic Woman of the Year (1965) and had Clara E. Westropp Junior High School named in her memory. Her death was formally noted in the Congressional Record. The personal papers of Clara and Lillian Westropp are preserved at Harvard University.