Etta Mae Coburn
August 20, 2006
Coburn, Etta Mae, 77, retired principal of Thomas A. Edison Elementary School in Kansas City, Kansas, died Sunday, August 20, 2006. Memorial services, 10:30 a.m., Thursday, August 24, Kiowa United Methodist Church, Kiowa, KS and 10:00, a.m., Friday, August 25, St. Pauls Episcopal Church, Kansas City, KS. Etta Mae volunteered for numerous positions with the Diocese of Kansas Episcopal Church. She was the first chairwoman of the Kansas City, Kansas United Way. Preceded in death by, husband, F. Dwight Coburn. Survivors: son, Foster D. Coburn III of Cave Creek, AZ; brothers and sister-in-law, Melvin and Eula Conrad and Lawrence Conrad, both of Kiowa; aunt, Edith Zimmerman and her husband, Waverly, of Pinellas Park, FL; nieces and nephews, Albert Conrad of Wichita, Celia Theiler of Franklin, TN, Annette and Kory Waisner of Overland Park, Daniel and Lauree of Cary, NC, Brenda and Rick Dirks of Medicine Lodge, Randy and Julie Conrad of Wichita. Memorial established with The Children In Need Foundation, P.O. Box 32381, Phoenix, AZ 85064. Downing and Lahey Mortuary West.
Second Memorial Service, 10:00 A.M., Friday, August 25, St. Pauls Episcopal Church, Kansas City, KS.
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Please accept our deepest condolences for your family’s loss.
We were sorry to hear (belatedly, sadly) of Etta Mae’s passing. I remember visiting my grandparents in Kiowa as a child and how kind Etta Mae was to me during my time with her. After a number of years we re-established contact and her kindness and grace remained intact. A donation will be made to the Children in Need Foundation in her name.
My Memories of Cousin Etta Mae. Throughout my life, Etta Mae has always been there. In the late forties and early fifties, as a small child, I would see her in Kiowa and Wichita. At some point in the fifties, Uncle Marvin, Lawrence and Etta Mae vacationed in Chula Vista, CA where we shared many of the activities and sites that Southern California had to offer. I was so lonesome when they returned home to Kiowa. In those days Etta Mae was my beautiful cousin and I looked up to her. Later, in the early sixties, after Johnny and I were married living in Inglewood (greater Los Angeles area) Dwight and Etta Mae came from K.C. KS. to Inglewood for an extended week-end as I recall. They stayed in a motel close to our small apartment. Together we went all over the place in our little VW with Dwight and Etta Mae squeezed in the back seat. We had a wonder time: dining and dancing at the Avalon Ball Room near the beach, Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, fine dining at Los Angeles restaurants. (I remember that Dwight was so grateful he didn’t have to drive those intimidating freeways!). Then in July of 1964, while working in Seattle at Boeing Corp., Johnny accepted a job with TWA which brought us to Kansas City towing our modest household goods in a U-haul. (Sandy was 2 weeks old) At their invitation, we stayed a short time with Dwight and Etta Mae, who was pregnant with Foster, until we rented our apartment in Gladstone. It was great having family in K.C. I join with you in celebrating Etta Mae’s life; an unpretentious life significant to many of us. A life modeling love, grace, generosity, inclusiveness and purpose. My love to family members and friends, Bonnie Murphy Wallace
Foster: As a fellow ‘only-child’, I had empathy and admiration for you greeting family friends at St. Paul’s in KCK Friday. I had to do the same thing when my mother died in 05-05. Everyone in your family was a leader in KCK and I knew just about everyone growing up there. When I was a kid, I would take my father’s clothing store deposit across the street to the (old) bank building and your Dad always talked to me even though I was a ‘just teenager’. He was a very distinguished person and a good friend of my late father, Joe, Sr. Your mother was known for helping youth as a teacher and the year she lead the United Way campaign took huge amounts of time and commitment, but she thrived on stuff like that. My grandfather, Dr. Hugh Wilkinson was on the 4th Floor of the Old Brotherhood Bldg. with Dr. Clay Coburn. Was this your grand- father or great-grandfather? I remember we were called the day he died while mowing his lawn on a hot summer day. Should you ever be in the KC area and care to look me up, I am Joe Vaughan Associates Publishing in Prairie Village at (913) 642- 4321. I may be able (NO guarantees) to get you a KU B-ball ticket, if you plan ahead. http://www.joevaughan@sbcglobal.net Stay in touch, if you care to. As I get older, I put a high value on people that I have deep roots with. Best. Joe
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Foster, Grandpa Lawrence, Uncle Melvin & Aunt Eula and all of Auntie Mae’s nieces and nephews and their families in this time of mourning. I know she will be greatly missed. Knowing her like I did, I’m sure she touched the lives of a very large number of people. All of those people that met her had the pleasure of meeting one of the most thoughtful, sincere people ever. On a personal note, I always had to keep on my toes and my cell phone charged because I never knew when she would be calling to say ‘I’m driving through and wanted to see if you wanted to go get some ice cream.’ I loved those visits from her and will miss her very much. She was KU Basketball to me. She introduced me to it, taught me what it meant and made sure I was an educated fan. If I ever needed tickets to games or tips on getting around on campus, she was my main contact. Doing the Rock Chalk chant in Allen Fieldhouse will never be the same for me. However, I feel she will always be right there beside me while I’m cheering for the Jayhawks!
‘Miss Conrad’ was my fifth grade teacher back in the ’50s. She was one of my all-time favorites as well. Years later I got to visit with her one day when the West Wyandotte Library had its opening and found out that she had sort of kept track of me over the years, and amazing fact for me! She was an elegant lady and I’m sure she will be missed.
‘A life well-lived doen’t end any more than music ends…it echoes through time with whispers of beauty and grace. If we listen, we can hear the encore with our hearts, for the song plays on,just as love lives on.’ We are thinking of you and family members and wishing you comfort and peace. The family of Elenor Wagner Evans Keith and Sheila Wagner Mike and Dana Plagman Tom Wagner Wichita, Kansas
Ive always felt that those of us fortunate enough to attend T.A. Edison in the 1950s and 60s were given a firm footing in life that would serve us well throughout our lives. Most students were in fear of Miss Conrad/Mrs. Coburn at the time. To this day, I dare not step on the grass at that school. But at the same time, we knew she genuinely cared about our well being. She was a powerful presence in a day when women were expected to be housewives and not share their opinions. She never relinquished her connections to that school and came to be known as a top notch educator, leader and gentle friend to all her old acquaintances. I feel fortunate to have spent time with her at the 50th anniversary of the school. She will be missed by many. Jeff Page Roeland Park, KS [Edison student 1957-1964]
I want to express why Connie will always hold a special place in my heart. It has to do with helping my son. He was struggling trying to pull away from some bad influences in his life but felt he didnt have any friends to spend time. Connie stepped up and asked him to join her as an usher at KU Basketball games. They rode to the games together and this kept him away from the undesirable group that he used to belong. I have often wondered if he didnt have something to do on those Friday nights if he would have fallen back in with that group. Connie got to see how he grew into a wonderful man, husband and father. He is now a huge KU fan which does not sit well with his sister who lives in Manhattan, Kansas. I will never forget Connie. I am sure that over the years as we gather together many memories like this one will be shared about Connie and her love for others. It is with deepest regret that I will not be with your family at the service for Connie on Friday at St Pauls. I will be with my sister who will be having surgery at that same time. Mrs. Richard Mock
She came into our neighborhood with the new school in 1956 and made it a a successful opening and left us with many wonderful memories. I had 3 children in that 1st year Kindergarten, 5th & 6th. She came to all of their weddings and when they started losing their parents she was there. She attended Boy Scout functions to honor them.She is in our hearts and we express our sympathies to her family as well as her extended families.
E-mail address correction: joevaughan05@sbcglobal.net