Edna Landreth was born in Milan, Indiana on October 7, 1909. Her life of 100 + years was a life lived to the fullest. Her long career in education may be attributed to the fact that her father was a teacher and principal in many small Indiana schools.
She began grade school in Delaware, Indiana and then the family moved to Milan, Indiana, for one year; then to Sunman, Indiana, where she finished her grade school years. Next they located in Quincy, Indiana, (Owen County) where she graduated from Quincy High School. Their final move located the family in Mt. Carmel, Indiana. Her father had accepted the position as Principal of Springfield Twp. School. Edna’s next destination was Muncie, Indiana to attend Ball State Teacher’s College. In order for Edna to go to and from Ball State, her parents drove her to Mixerville and she took a train to Muncie.
This was a local train and the trip took four hours. The section in Muncie where the train stopped was not the best area and she had to take a taxi to school. The cost was $10 for a one way trip. Despite the rigors of getting to Muncie, she loved the college and later in her life wanted to help other students attend Ball State (hopefully not having to take a train from Mixerville). She graduated from Ball State in 1928 with a degree in education.
She returned to Franklin County and began her 37 year teaching career; all of her years were in Springfield Township School, retiring in 1976. Her teaching career was interrupted for ten years as Indiana law did not permit married women to teach. At Springfield she met and then married a fellow teacher, Alfred Landreth. Alfred taught and was also the Principal there for many years. Edna’s roots in Springfield Township and Franklin County ran deep for the rest of her long life.
She was a member since 1938 and the first woman Elder in her church, Mt. Carmel Presbyterian Church, a 75 year member of the Brookville Chapter #449 Order of Eastern Star, and District Deputy in 1960.
Edna was a mother, grandmother and great grandmother, as well a devoted community leader. She is survived by her son, Ken, and daughter-in-law, Janice (Stegner) of Hamilton, Ohio; two granddaughters, Melani (Jim) Truett of Atlanta and Jodi (Joe) Walland of Tipp City, Ohio and eight great grandchildren, Dustin, Megan, Nicole and Elli Truett and Jessica, Jacob, Joshua and Jeremy Walland.
Edna’s passion was education and nothing would please her more than knowing a student was following in her footsteps – teaching.