Edith Elphena Page

Edith Elphena Page was born March 6, 1933 in Wichita, Kansas. Mother, Maria Sophia Millsap; Foster parents, Frank and Grace Capron; Sister, Edith Elsie Weed; Aunt, Mabel Florence Capron. Edith passed away January 21, 2016. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Page and son, Kevin Page. She is survived by: David and April Page, Lisa (Page) Piland, Steve and Judy (Page) Hunter, Chris and Kathy (Page) Darnell; and, 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Edith started school at age 4 1/2 because she could already read and write. She went straight into first grade and was educated at the Ohio Center, Brooklyn, and Mayflower schools. Edith’s family moved from their farm near Peck, Kansas into Wichita when she was age 11. When Edith was age 12-13, her neighbor decided Edith had leadership qualities so she wanted her to form an entertainment group. She played piano, drums, sang songs, presented skits and danced. They set up chairs and performed on the driveway. St. Luke’s United Methodist Church youth group also participated. A picture of the entertainment group was published in the Wichita Eagle. Edith was active at St. Luke’s Church from that point on.

Edith worked in a motorcycle shop her junior and senior years of high school and first year of college. She played in her high school band (Sacred Heart Academy) and at WSU. She graduated high school in 1949. She received a scholarship to WSU for nursing. She received her cap after six months at a ceremony at Grace United Methodist Church.

Edith met her husband, Robert (Bob) Page, at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church when Bob got out of the Navy in 1949. They were married on June 7, 1953. Edith and Bob had five children – David Wayne Page, Lisa Kay (Page) Piland, Judy Lynn (Page) Hunter, Kevin Ray Page, and Kathy Rene’ (Page) Darnell. Edith was a very busy homemaker running her children to every sports practice imaginable, dance, music, art, school activities, church activities, the list was endless. She was room mother for all of her kids over the years and was PTA president with her husband, Bob. She was president of the women’s group of Bestor G. Brown Masonic Lodge when Kevin was master councilor. She was also president of St. Luke’s UMW group. The youth group asked Edith and Bob to teach Sunday school and sponsor the youth group. They did that for many years. They helped organize and run all kinds of church dinners and activities - chicken noodle suppers, pancake feeds, baking fundraisers, car washes, talent shows, Christmas parties, melodramas and much more. Some Saturdays they would bake 100 dozen cookies. They would take the youth on trips to Branson, Silver Dollar City and camping. They sponsored a weekly youth night in the old church. They taught lessons, played ping pong, badminton, and four square.

Once all her children were in school, Edith went to work as church secretary at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in 1971 and retired in 1998. She began part-time work at Bruce, Bruce and Holt/Lehman Law Firm in 1995 and retired in 2010. Over the years she also worked part time at Idelmann Telemarketing and as a wedding consultant at Wedding Expressions and Shirley Rae Bridal. And in the midst of it all, she spent as much time as possible with her grandchildren whom she loved more than life itself: Blake Hunter, Charley and Sara (Page) McCollister, Arianna North, Shelby North, Kelsey Darnell, Eli Page, Lauren Hunter, Matthew Piland, Luke Hunter, Katie Darnell, Jordyn Page, and Greg Darnell; and in her twilight years, two great grandchildren: Cobin and Cora McCollister