Mildred Middleton

MILDRED MIDDLETON

Cedar Rapids

Mildred entered this world with a bang on July 4, 1913, in Stuart, Iowa, to live a life that spanned many changes in education. She grew up in Coon Rapids, Iowa, and graduated from high school in 1931. Mildred was a highly respected educator, devoting her life to the education profession and the development of educators. She died Jan. 19, 2015, at the age of 101 after a short illness.

Mildred is known for a myriad of things: measuring students so she could adjust their desks to their height in Janesville, helping to build a gravel road to the cabin in Colorado she so dearly loved, setting off fireworks every year on her birthday (even in Paris and even as recently as her 100th birthday), mentoring hundreds of teachers by example, trying to convince countless teachers that research showed that the word Chautauqua was one of the 1,000 words that people should know how to spell and therefore including it in her spelling program word list. Mildred did it all! Her lifelong creativity, curiosity, sense of fun and ability to look toward the future and to change to fit the times defined Mildred's life.

Soon after high school graduation, she began her teaching career in the Carroll County schools and later taught in Janesville, Wis. In 1943, she received her B.A. in elementary education from Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa). In her 3½ years at ISTC, she taught at the Price Lab School and took classes. She earned an M.S. degree in curriculum development from Drake in 1951 and a reading specialist degree from the University of Chicago in 1959.

In 1958 she came to the Cedar Rapids school district as a curriculum coordinator, retiring in 1980.

She was a classroom teacher, a county supervisor for the Carroll County schools, an author of a series of spelling books used throughout the U.S., the author of numerous professional articles, a teacher at several universities, a consultant to the National Educational Committee, a consultant for Kendall Hunt publishers, and the recipient of the Distinguished Leadership Award given by UNI in 1999. In 2005 the State Department of Education awarded her the Outstanding Mentoring Award, and each year an award is given to a worthy recipient in her name.

But education was not Mildred's only passion. An earth science major, she loved camping with friends and did so until she was 99. Another constant in her life was her love of music. From the age of 12 she accompanied music groups and presented piano programs for community groups into her 90s. Her sing-alongs were legendary.

Mildred was a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Cedar Rapids, Chapter MG of PEO, Theta chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, Cedar Rapids Retired Teachers, Quota Club and Eastern Star, where she served as Worthy Matron; in addition, she was involved locally and nationally in many professional educational organizations.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Otis V. Middleton and Maude Hackthorn Middleton; and her two sisters, Vera Miller and Bethene Jordan. She is survived by a niece, Marilyn Johnson of Redwood City, Calif.; friend Linda Strauser, with whom she made her home for many years; and Maxine Robinson, a lifelong friend. In addition, there is a host of former students and friends she considered "my kids."

Services will be held at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 361 17th St. SE, Cedar Rapids, on Jan. 22 at 1 p.m. Inurnment will be at a later time at the Coon Rapids cemetery following a brief graveside service.

Memorials may be sent to First Congregational Church, Cedar Rapids, or to the Teacher Education Program at UNI (attn: Dr. Bill Calhoun).

Please leave a message or tribute to the family on the Web page, www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.