RESIDENT PATRICIA ANDERSON WAS BORN TO TEACH

“Teaching was a very natural thing for me, I have always loved watching people learn new things,” said resident Patricia Anderson.

After graduating from The State University of New York at New Paltz, Patricia taught 12th grade English in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., before her children were born. A few years later, she and her husband, Phil, and their two children, Rebecca and Ken, moved to Lawrence. Once the kids entered school, Patricia returned to school herself to get a teaching certificate for Kansas.

Patricia taught for six years at South Junior High before she took a sabbatical leave to complete her doctorate in English education. She returned to teaching at West Junior High, where she taught for another six years. She taught English, drama, speech and social studies to junior high students.

In September 1986, Patricia started the first class at The Center for Training in Business and Industry (CTBI) where she taught adults word processing, data entry and basic office skills.

“The thing I enjoyed most about teaching was the success of CTBI students who had made a bad decision and dropped out of school. We would direct them to the adult learning center to complete a GED and then teach them employable skills. Some are still employed here in Lawrence,” said Patricia.

Patricia retired in 2007 from the Kansas Board of Regents, where she oversaw schools like CTBI after more than 30 years of teaching. She and her husband moved to Lawrence Presbyterian Manor in November 2017.

“[Presbyterian] Manor is a wonderful place to be. We enjoy the company of residents and staff and there is always activities and good meals. We especially enjoy having all the maintenance inside and out taken care of for us.”

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