A brief biography to support my contribution begins with her coming to Iowa State University as my wife, in April, 1948. As with most student wives during that era, she worked on campus 44 hours each week until the time of my graduation in June, 1950. The last year or so of that time, she worked in Morrill Hall, a reason that I would like to see the building preserved, if at all possible.
Following my graduation, during the ensuing 13 years, she bore 4 children, 3 girls and a boy, while we lived in a total of 11 communities in 4 states. Once we settled in College Station, where I was a member of the veterinary faculty of Texas A&M University, her life took on a totally new dimension. She first became involved in community education as a teacher of beginning bridge; remarkable for a person who knew no card games when we married.
Although her formal education ended with graduation from high school in Upper Michigan in 1947, in 1971, the A&M Methodist Church, of which we were members, asked her to take over direction of the 3-4 year old day school begun a year earlier. In the space of a few short weeks, she learned to drive and began a career in the education of young children. Her tenure was an enriching and rewarding experience for both the children and the teachers. The success of her program was such, that the College of Education at Texas A&M University used it as a prototype in their teaching program for aspiring teachers of young children. She regularly had student teachers assigned from the university.
Her illustrious and rewarding career was abruptly ended by a massive coronary occlusion, occurring while at her office in November of 1987.
I am proud to submit her name for the Plaza of Heroines; she is among her peers. 8/15/94 |
