Petrena Ellouise Forsythe

Petrena Forsythe, 86, of Fredonia, Kansas passed away Saturday, December 8, 2007 at Golden Living Center in Neodesha, Kansas. Petrena, widow of C.W. (Bill) Forsythe, was born December 31, 1920, to Hadwen Arnold (Pete) and Madge Moore Addington in Wilson County, Kansas, west of Altoona on the family farm. She attended grade schools at Cherryvale, Independence, and Hatler, and graduated from Altoona High School in 1938. She attended Junior College in Chanute and then transferred to Kansas State University where she majored in Home Economics. She married Bill on July 6, 1942, while he was in the Army and then returned to K-State to finish her last year of college. She was among the first group of married women to receive permission to stay in the women"s dormitory. After graduation in 1943 she joined Bill at several locations for his Army assignments in the U.S. After Bill returned from World War II, they began farming and raising boys on the Addington farm where she was born and the Forsythe farm where he was raised. During the late 1950"s Petrena began taking the necessary college courses to obtain her teaching certificate. Her first year of teaching was at Midway High School in 1959. Then in 1960 she became the Home Economics teacher at Fredonia High School. She held that position until June 1982 when she retired from teaching. She was known as a highly motivated instructor who took great pleasure in "the girls" getting a stitch or a recipe done correctly. Many a zipper was done over to meet her standards. She also tried to teach every girl to knit, crochet, and tat. As the Future Homemakers of America faculty advisor Petrena assisted many young women with public appearance and speaking skills. Perhaps her greatest teaching challenge was establishing a cooking class for high school boys"the administration could not see it and the boys could not imagine it. However, with four boys of her own, Petrena knew that young men needed those skills. She persevered and many a boy learned how to bake cakes and casseroles. After retiring Petrena completed many projects at home that she never had time to do when working. She and Bill celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on July 6, 2002, and he preceded her in death in January 2003. Petrena is survived by four sons: Steve of Bartlesville, OK, Hugh of Leesburg, VA, Wes of Lakewood, CO, and Leon of Pittsburg, KS; a brother Bruce Addington of Andover, KS; a sister Lynda Newland of Wichita, KS; ten grandchildren; and two great granddaughters. She is also survived by the legacy of her teaching that persists across generations. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Friday, December 14, 2007 at the First United Methodist Church in Fredonia with Rev. Charlotte Coates officiating. Burial will be in the Fredonia City Cemetery. Friends may call at Timmons Funeral Home on Thursday, 2:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M., where the family will receive friends 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. Petrena loved peonies. Her family requests that you plant a peony and when it blooms and when you tend it that you think of her. If you would like to make a donation in lieu of flowers, the family requests it be to "Petrena"s Fund" established with the Fredonia Education Foundation. Memorials can be sent to the funeral home.