Co-founder of Al-Anon family groups
Born in Brooklyn Heights, NY –the daughter of a prominent surgeon and gynaecologist
Met Bill in 1914 during a holiday in her family’s summer home at Emerald Lake – in East Dorset, Vermont
Bill & Lois married on January 24th 1918 in Brooklyn – just before Bill set sail for Europe with the army
Bill & Lois in 1918
Lois dreamed of having her own home and a family.
She was unable to have children and it was many years before she was to have her own home.
When Bill finally got sober he desperately tried to help drunks in Brooklyn for 5 months and didn’t seem to succeed. Lois noticed that Bill wasn’t concerned about drinking whilst he was helping others. She reminded him of this:
“but you haven’t had a drink, Bill, so it has worked”.