Dear Family and Friends of Lois,
Lois was a dear friend of mine during our two years together at Altoona Elementary School. We were candle lighters in my sister, Donna's, wedding. Her parents took us on weekend outings. We lost contact after I moved to Neodesha, KS. I made contact with her in the late 1990s and we had a nice visit in person. Jim Fisher said it all in his guestbook entry. Thank you, Jim, for your very kind and informative message.
I often think of Lois and am very sorry for your loss.

Message from Dale Neds

October 21, 2017 11:22 PM

I guess I am one of those boys that went to grade school with Lois, being taught by her mother in that one-room country school mentioned by Jim Fisher, Ron Carver, and Glen Elliott. I believe Lois was the favorite of most everyone in the school and we'll all remember her with fondest memories. My favorite memory is that she was the first girl that ever kissed me on the playground at Harmony School.

Message from Harriet Powell

October 21, 2017 8:48 PM

I am saddened to hear of Lois Lynne's passing. She was a classmate of mine at Fredonia High.
Please know you will be in my thoughts and prayer. May God comfort you in the days ahead.
Harriet Powell, Amarillo, TX

Message from Jerry Barton

October 20, 2017 2:38 PM

I was shocked and sadden to learn of Lois's passing. I was privileged to attend school with her in Fredonia KS (FHS class of '61). I so appreciated her as a classmate; she was cute, smart, friendly, and a real asset to our class. I especially remember chemistry class with her and your dad Andy. I had a mental block when it came to chemistry, but they encouraged me early on and I ended up making an A. Prayers to you children and extended family!!

Message from Sharon Cox Blaker

October 17, 2017 7:33 PM

I spent alot of time at Lois's house when we were kids in high school, and she in mine. Her moms good friend (Jeri Walker) and I were related, so when we went to see them I "walked too Borlands" from there, prob about 3/4 mile. Her mom was the "first" in our high school group to have a silver Christmas tree. I have been getting emails from her, jokes mostly, until recently. So sorry to hear of her passing. Appreciate you putting the obit in the Fredonia paper so we could know.

Message from Myrna Spohn

October 17, 2017 5:44 PM

Phillip and Kristen - I am so sorry for your loss. Lois was in my class at Fredonia High School. My children played with you when you were at your grandparents in Fredonia. We lived next door. Peace be with you both.

Message from Jim Fisher, a grade school classmate

October 17, 2017 11:05 AM

I remember Lois from the four years that she was in my grade school class at Altoona, Kansas. Lois had started her school years in a small, one room-one teacher rural school (which we “town kids” called “country schools”). Her mother was the teacher at that little “country school”. However, after a couple of years, apparently her mother thought that Lois could learn more by going to a larger school, so early in Lois’s third grade school year, her mother brought Lois to our school in Altoona. Our “town school” was not a large school, and in each classroom, there were two classes. When Lois started attending the “town school” she was in the third grade, but after a short period of time, the teacher, realizing that Lois was way ahead of the other kids in the third grade, moved her over into the other class in the room, which was the fourth grade class. That was the class that I was in, and so for the rest of that school year and the next three years, Lois and I were in the same class.

Why was Lois so far ahead of the other kids in that third grade class? I think it was probably because even before Lois was old enough to attend school, her mother took Lois with her to school each day. Those little rural “country school” had only a few kids in those schools, with the teacher teaching all the kids regardless of what grade they would be in, which could range anywhere from the first grade to the eighth grade. So for two to three and maybe even four years before Lois was old enough to actually be a school student, she was at school each day and hearing her mother teaching all the different grade levels of the kids attending that school. Because the number of students would be small, often the teacher was giving the students her full attention when working with the various students. Young little Lois was right there in the classroom and was able to hear and absorb all of what her mother would be saying to the other students. No wonder Lois was so far ahead of the other third grade students in the “town school”. That teacher usually had twenty to twenty-five students, sometimes more in her classroom to work with. Very little if any of that “one-on-one” working with any of those students.

After the seventh grade year, because her mother had accepted at job over in another larger “town school”, Lois left our class and started going to school in Fredonia Kansas. I never saw Lois again.

However, I was able to learn that after graduating from High School in Fredonia, Lois had gone on to the University of Kansas at Lawrence, Kansas (home of the Kansas “Jayhawks”!) to continue her education. A few years ago, I was told that while Lois was attending KU, she became involved in the developing of Music Therapy for people with mental and emotional problems and in her adult years, spent a lot of time using Music Therapy to help people with those problems. Today, Music Therapy is a widely used means of treatment for several different medical and emotional problems, and I like to think that maybe that girl that was in my class during some of the years I was in grade school had in some way, helped in developing Music Therapy as a usable treatment for those kinds of problems. If in fact, Lois was involved in the developing of Music Therapy, then she truly was a “trail blazer”.

I will always be able to remember her well from our grade school years, a pretty girl, a farm girl, and to some degree, sometimes a bit of a “tom boy” girl. Rest in Peace, Lois. You will be missed.

Message from Ron

October 17, 2017 12:10 AM

I started to write a condolence, but hit a wrong key and it vanished. I was in 4th grade thru 7th with Lois in Altoona, then a classmate in Fredonia high school. Later driving into Fredonia high school from out of district, both Lois and I played first clarinet. Altoona had taught us music well. Across from us on first trombone was Andy Spohn. I remember he began teasing her, calling her Loiseee. Later i realized his mother shared the name Lois, so likely he was comfortable with that name. In the years that followed, they would sometimes return to Fredonia for homecomming, and Andy spoke when my son Chad graduated. Saw Lois briefly at the services for Andy at Fredonia Methodist Church some years ago. Last spring I got to exchange some emails with Lois, until she wrote that she had fallen and broken her arm and writing was difficult. Ron Carver, 9 Kenwood Circle Iola KS

Message from Glen Elliott

October 17, 2017 2:27 PM

I was surprised and saddened to hear of Lois's passing. I also knew her from the Altoona Grade School band, as well as later at Kansas University. I learned within the year that she lived on the Eastern Shore, so near to me in Reston Virginia, and exchanged a few emails with her. I regret that I didn't take the opportunity to visit.

Expression of Sympathy

A TRADITIONAL FUNERAL BASKET was ordered on October 13, 2017

Message from Diane and Frank

October 13, 2017 5:26 PM

Lois was one of my dear friends , always had so much humor and was so much fun . I know we will all miss her . Hold her in your heart , I know she will always be there .She loved you so much . Diane and and Frank

Expression of Sympathy

A TRADITION AND SPLENDOR was ordered on October 12, 2017

A candle was lit by Adelaide Hollandsworth on October 12, 2017 1:39 PM

Message from Adelaide Hollandsworth

October 12, 2017 1:38 PM

I am so sorry to hear this sad news. Lois and I played bridge several times. I was always happy to be in her company. She was a wonderful person.

Message from Harrison Family

October 12, 2017 2:30 AM

Indeed, it is sad that you are mourning the loss of your dear Lois. Please accept our condolences and know that God is indeed aware of your pain. His comforting word assures us that in due time, he will forever end all suffering including death, as expressed in the faith strengthening video link below:

https://vimeo.com/237371184