The Superior Express -

Wanda Marie Alcorn Anderson Thummel was born May 11, 1932, to William and Verday Hayman Alcorn in Ionia, Kan. Wanda died Oct. 6, 2022, at the age of 90 years, 4 months, 25 days.

Wanda is survived by her husband of 56 years, Ted Thummel, and their family, James Alan and his wife, Sabrina, McLouth; Regina Marie, Topeka; Jonathan Peter and his wife, Karen, Topeka; and Joel Christopher, Salina. Roxangela Elaine, a daughter, died at birth. Surviving from a previous marriage, a son Olaf Carl “Trey” Anderson, and his wife, Carol, Great Bend. There are now seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Wanda was preceded in death by her parents; an older brother, Robert Laverne; and her first husband, Olaf Carl Anderson.

Wanda, of Irish, Dutch and English ancestry, lived her entire life involved in education. Her early years were filled with her own education, beginning in Ionia, then Kansas Wesleyan University, for a bachelor of arts degree in music, and graduate work at Kansas University and Kansas State University. Continuing education to maintain her teaching certification was acquired at several additional institutions of higher learning across Kansas.

All of the education and training was to obtain and maintain her certificate as a teacher in the school systems of Kansas. As a primary and secondary education teacher, she taught in Ionia, Mankato, Manhattan, Lebanon, Esbon and Burr Oak.

An early adopter of “distance teaching” technology, she provided essential Spanish language classes to several school systems in the area.

She was a teacher for many years in a formal sense, but her life was teaching, somtimes in a classroom, but always as an undending lifestyle - Wanda simply could not not teach: family, 4-H, Extension classes, private music lessons for piano, organ and voice, cooking, sewing, phtography, girls basketball ... and the list goes on. Anyone from 2 to 92, learned from her throughout her life. She taught throughout her life, through the life she lived.

Her Christian faith was a viatl part of her life throughout the years - and there again, she was a teacher: vacation Bible school, Disciple Bible Study, Lay Leader in th eUnited Methodist Chruch - and the list goes on.

Wanda was a wife, mother, farm wife (a.ka. truck driver, cook, housekeeper, part courier), musician, community supporter, Christian - but always a teacher. Her legacy lives on through her students.

Her funeral was held at 10 a.m., Monday, Oct.10, 2022, at the Esbon Community Church in Esbon.

The family has requested memorial contributions be made to the Esbon Community Church and Kansas Wesleyan University and can be sent in care of the mortuary.

Arrangements were entrusted to the Simmons-Rentschler Mortuary of Smith Center.