Miss Yvonne M. Fievet

Yvonne M. Fievet was born in 1909 in Hartford City, Indiana to Pierre and Camille Andres Fievet. Both of Yvonne's parents were born in Belgium. An article in the June 27, 1928 issue of the Sandusky Register reported that Yvonne had recently completed her studies at the Chicago Musical College. Both the President of the College and Miss Fievet's instructor, David W. Guyon, praised her ability. Professor Guyon stated, "Yvonne Fievet is one of the most gifted students I have ever had the pleasure of teaching. She is unusually fortunate in possessing a natural piano technique carefully and rightfully developed. Her musicianship is far above the average. She has a quiet, charming and unassuming personality characterized by those qualities that make a musician efficient and successful." Before studying in Chicago, Miss Fievet studied with Mrs. Helen Fox, mother of the talented Fox Sisters. Later, Yvonne attended Bowling Green State University and the Columbia School of Library Science. After teaching piano lessons for ten years, Yvonne began her career in libraries. She was a librarian for the Providence School of Nursing, and she worked for the Sandusky Library for thirty seven years.
















Her duties at the Sandusky Library included Children's Librarianship, Cataloging, and serving as Assistant Director for many years. I had the pleasure of working with Miss Fievet throughout my college years, and also after my graduation from Bowling Green State University. Miss Fievet was professional, kind, and fair. She was always a gracious lady. At Christmas time, Miss Fievet would provide the staff with homemade waffle cookies, made with a special waffle iron from Belgium.

Yvonne M. Fievet passed away on June 16, 2000 at the age of 91. Her later years were spent caring for her sister Lillian, who was housebound following a stroke. Miss Fievet is buried at Calvary Cemetery.


Though I didn't realize the connection until many years after Miss Fievet's retirement from the library, we shared a connection through the Martin family. Miss Fievet's aunt married Alex Martin. My great grandmother's twin sister Alpha Steen was the wife of Alex Martin's brother Fred Martin. Miss Fievet recalls that when she was a young lady, Ada and Alpha's mother, Mrs. Sarah Steen, invited the Fievet sisters to play the piano at a Perkins Grange meeting. Miss Fievet said that my Great Great Grandma Steen looked after the Fievet sisters, and made sure that they got to have a piece of homemade pie after their piano performance.