On December 3, 1925, fifteen Navy doctors’ wives in San Diego gathered to form a social club centered on friendship, sewing, and bridge. The group began meeting in members’ homes but soon grew large enough to hold gatherings in local clubs and hotels. In September 1926, they formally organized as the Wives of Navy Doctors Club and elected Mrs. C. N. Fiske as the first president.
Initially a purely social group, the Club expanded its mission in 1931 by joining charitable work through the local Community Chest. Despite challenges during the Great Depression—when many husbands were ordered into the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Club briefly went bankrupt—the members regrouped. In 1934 they reestablished themselves with a benevolence fund created from a Bridge and Tea Benefit, beginning a tradition of annual fundraising events to support Navy medical and relief agencies.
The 1940s brought further growth. Throughout World War II, members dedicated time and talents to the Naval Hospital, the Red Cross, the U.S.O., and Navy Relief, while continuing monthly meetings. In 1955, the Club awarded its first nursing scholarships.
From the adoption of the first bylaws in 1935, the organization continued to evolve. In 1981, membership eligibility was expanded to include all spouses of Naval Medical Department officers. In 1983, the name officially became The Oakleaf Club. In 2019, we further refined our identity as The Oakleaf Club of San Diego.
A century later, the Oakleaf Club is proudly carrying the banner of the oldest service club in the San Diego area.
The Oakleaf Club of San Diego 