MARY ALDRICH, KINDERGARTEN TEACHER WHO "WAS GREAT WITH KIDS"
By Rick Badie
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, May 25, 2009
Mary Aldrich's father didn't have an education, but he pressed his daughter to get one.
"He told her, ‘Mary Anne, get an education,' said her daughter, Anne Elizabeth Aldrich of Sylva, N.C. "He'd tell her that was the one thing no one could take away, and he was adamant about it."
Mrs. Aldrich earned a bachelor's degree from Alma College in Alma, Mich. In 1961, she moved from her native state of Michigan to Atlanta with her late husband, Dean Leon Aldrich, who had taken a job here.
For 10 years, Mrs. Aldrich taught kindergarten at St. Bedes Episcopal Church off Henderson Mill Road. She began her teaching career at a time when kindergarten wasn't offered in public schools, so church-sponsored programs like St. Bedes' were quite popular, said Gaye Craig of Peachtree Corners. She taught alongside Mrs. Aldrich at the church.
"Parents would line up to get their children in church programs that were well thought of," she said. "So we had a lot of kindergartners to take care of. [Mrs. Aldrich] was great with the kids. We'd sing and do all kinds of fun things. We had a good time back then."
Mary Anne Stevenson Aldrich, 79, of Tucker, died Friday at her home from complications of surgery. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Emory Hills United Methodist Church. H.M. Patterson, Spring Hill Chapel, is handling arrangements.
When she was 50, Mrs. Aldrich earned her master's degree from Mercer University. Her sole experience had been with the St. Bedes' program, so she thought she needed the extra credential to teach kindergarten in public schools, her daughter said.
For 15 years, she taught at DeKalb County's Flat Shoals and Tilson elementary schools. She was active in the PTA, the DeKalb County Association of Educators and the Berkshire Civic Club. After retirement, the avid reader, traveler and bridge player tutored at Sylvan Learning Centers until she was 70.
Mrs. Aldrich's mother died three weeks after her birth. Her father, who died when she was in her early 20s, married the nurse who had taken care of his daughter and late wife. An only child, Mrs. Aldrich had scant knowledge of her mother's side of the family. A decade ago, she did some genealogical digging and uncovered three first cousins.
"Until then, she never had any sense of her mother's family," her daughter said. "She had always wondered what life would have been like if her mother had lived. I think she was a lot like her mother."
Cause of Death: Complications from surgery
By Rick Badie
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, May 25, 2009
Mary Aldrich's father didn't have an education, but he pressed his daughter to get one.
"He told her, ‘Mary Anne, get an education,' said her daughter, Anne Elizabeth Aldrich of Sylva, N.C. "He'd tell her that was the one thing no one could take away, and he was adamant about it."
Mrs. Aldrich earned a bachelor's degree from Alma College in Alma, Mich. In 1961, she moved from her native state of Michigan to Atlanta with her late husband, Dean Leon Aldrich, who had taken a job here.
For 10 years, Mrs. Aldrich taught kindergarten at St. Bedes Episcopal Church off Henderson Mill Road. She began her teaching career at a time when kindergarten wasn't offered in public schools, so church-sponsored programs like St. Bedes' were quite popular, said Gaye Craig of Peachtree Corners. She taught alongside Mrs. Aldrich at the church.
"Parents would line up to get their children in church programs that were well thought of," she said. "So we had a lot of kindergartners to take care of. [Mrs. Aldrich] was great with the kids. We'd sing and do all kinds of fun things. We had a good time back then."
Mary Anne Stevenson Aldrich, 79, of Tucker, died Friday at her home from complications of surgery. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Emory Hills United Methodist Church. H.M. Patterson, Spring Hill Chapel, is handling arrangements.
When she was 50, Mrs. Aldrich earned her master's degree from Mercer University. Her sole experience had been with the St. Bedes' program, so she thought she needed the extra credential to teach kindergarten in public schools, her daughter said.
For 15 years, she taught at DeKalb County's Flat Shoals and Tilson elementary schools. She was active in the PTA, the DeKalb County Association of Educators and the Berkshire Civic Club. After retirement, the avid reader, traveler and bridge player tutored at Sylvan Learning Centers until she was 70.
Mrs. Aldrich's mother died three weeks after her birth. Her father, who died when she was in her early 20s, married the nurse who had taken care of his daughter and late wife. An only child, Mrs. Aldrich had scant knowledge of her mother's side of the family. A decade ago, she did some genealogical digging and uncovered three first cousins.
"Until then, she never had any sense of her mother's family," her daughter said. "She had always wondered what life would have been like if her mother had lived. I think she was a lot like her mother."
Cause of Death: Complications from surgery
MARY ALDRICH, KINDERGARTEN TEACHER WHO "WAS GREAT WITH KIDS"
By Rick Badie
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, May 25, 2009
Mary Aldrich's father didn't have an education, but he pressed his daughter to get one.
"He told her, ‘Mary Anne, get an education,' said her daughter, Anne Elizabeth Aldrich of Sylva, N.C. "He'd tell her that was the one thing no one could take away, and he was adamant about it."
Mrs. Aldrich earned a bachelor's degree from Alma College in Alma, Mich. In 1961, she moved from her native state of Michigan to Atlanta with her late husband, Dean Leon Aldrich, who had taken a job here.
For 10 years, Mrs. Aldrich taught kindergarten at St. Bedes Episcopal Church off Henderson Mill Road. She began her teaching career at a time when kindergarten wasn't offered in public schools, so church-sponsored programs like St. Bedes' were quite popular, said Gaye Craig of Peachtree Corners. She taught alongside Mrs. Aldrich at the church.
"Parents would line up to get their children in church programs that were well thought of," she said. "So we had a lot of kindergartners to take care of. [Mrs. Aldrich] was great with the kids. We'd sing and do all kinds of fun things. We had a good time back then."
Mary Anne Stevenson Aldrich, 79, of Tucker, died Friday at her home from complications of surgery. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Emory Hills United Methodist Church. H.M. Patterson, Spring Hill Chapel, is handling arrangements.
When she was 50, Mrs. Aldrich earned her master's degree from Mercer University. Her sole experience had been with the St. Bedes' program, so she thought she needed the extra credential to teach kindergarten in public schools, her daughter said.
For 15 years, she taught at DeKalb County's Flat Shoals and Tilson elementary schools. She was active in the PTA, the DeKalb County Association of Educators and the Berkshire Civic Club. After retirement, the avid reader, traveler and bridge player tutored at Sylvan Learning Centers until she was 70.
Mrs. Aldrich's mother died three weeks after her birth. Her father, who died when she was in her early 20s, married the nurse who had taken care of his daughter and late wife. An only child, Mrs. Aldrich had scant knowledge of her mother's side of the family. A decade ago, she did some genealogical digging and uncovered three first cousins.
"Until then, she never had any sense of her mother's family," her daughter said. "She had always wondered what life would have been like if her mother had lived. I think she was a lot like her mother."
Cause of Death: Complications from surgery
By Rick Badie
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, May 25, 2009
Mary Aldrich's father didn't have an education, but he pressed his daughter to get one.
"He told her, ‘Mary Anne, get an education,' said her daughter, Anne Elizabeth Aldrich of Sylva, N.C. "He'd tell her that was the one thing no one could take away, and he was adamant about it."
Mrs. Aldrich earned a bachelor's degree from Alma College in Alma, Mich. In 1961, she moved from her native state of Michigan to Atlanta with her late husband, Dean Leon Aldrich, who had taken a job here.
For 10 years, Mrs. Aldrich taught kindergarten at St. Bedes Episcopal Church off Henderson Mill Road. She began her teaching career at a time when kindergarten wasn't offered in public schools, so church-sponsored programs like St. Bedes' were quite popular, said Gaye Craig of Peachtree Corners. She taught alongside Mrs. Aldrich at the church.
"Parents would line up to get their children in church programs that were well thought of," she said. "So we had a lot of kindergartners to take care of. [Mrs. Aldrich] was great with the kids. We'd sing and do all kinds of fun things. We had a good time back then."
Mary Anne Stevenson Aldrich, 79, of Tucker, died Friday at her home from complications of surgery. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Emory Hills United Methodist Church. H.M. Patterson, Spring Hill Chapel, is handling arrangements.
When she was 50, Mrs. Aldrich earned her master's degree from Mercer University. Her sole experience had been with the St. Bedes' program, so she thought she needed the extra credential to teach kindergarten in public schools, her daughter said.
For 15 years, she taught at DeKalb County's Flat Shoals and Tilson elementary schools. She was active in the PTA, the DeKalb County Association of Educators and the Berkshire Civic Club. After retirement, the avid reader, traveler and bridge player tutored at Sylvan Learning Centers until she was 70.
Mrs. Aldrich's mother died three weeks after her birth. Her father, who died when she was in her early 20s, married the nurse who had taken care of his daughter and late wife. An only child, Mrs. Aldrich had scant knowledge of her mother's side of the family. A decade ago, she did some genealogical digging and uncovered three first cousins.
"Until then, she never had any sense of her mother's family," her daughter said. "She had always wondered what life would have been like if her mother had lived. I think she was a lot like her mother."
Cause of Death: Complications from surgery
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
