Pearl G. Stearns

Family members were singing and praying at the bedside of Pearl Garnet Stearns when she passed away at the age of 94 on October 7, 2014 at Parkview Manor in Osborne, Kansas.

Pearl was born March 25, 1920 at the family farmhouse in Jewell County as the youngest of eight children to Martin and Matilda Rychel Folger.

She attended Chandler Elementary School in Jewell County and graduated from Cawker City High School in 1937. Later she attended Emporia State Teachers' College for two years and acquired a life-long teaching certificate and taught elementary school in rural Jewell County, Hope, Kanopolis, and Salina, Kansas.

While at Emporia, Pearl met her future husband Derald Stearns and when he left college to join the Army/Air Force, her letters followed him throughout the South Pacific.

Pearl and Derald were married in a double wedding ceremony along with her sister Marjorie and Ralph Hathaway on December 9, 1945 at the First Baptist Church in Cawker City.

While being a farm wife and rearing her four children, Pearl also cared for her parents Martin and Matilda in the family home. When her youngest child began school, Pearl attended Fort Hays State and became the first grade teacher at Cawker City Elementary School and taught from 1960-1975.

Pearl so enjoyed teaching children to read as reading was one of her life-long passions. Through the years she also loved gardening, bird-watching, cooking, and watching nature shows. She was extremely talented in making visits with "Grammie Pearl" special for her grandchildren.

Pearl's faith in the Lord ran deep and she was a member of the First Baptist Church of Cawker City. She was active through the years with the American Baptist Women and served faithfully as a Sunday school teacher and choir member. She lived her faith and was always a supporter of disadvantaged children.

Surviving Pearl are her children: Patrice Austin (Eric) of Victoria; Mike (Sandra) of Courtland; De Behnke (Meredith) of Bushton; and Richard of the home. Grandchildren: Kari Bruffett, Adam Austin, Megan Kyanka, Miles Stearns, Travis Stearns, Matt Behnke, and Mandi Premer. Pearl also enjoyed her 13 great-grandchildren: Koy, Kennedy, and Kellan Behnke; Lauren and Jaylen Kyanka; Eric, Synae, and Eugene Austin; Lily and Rachel Bruffett; Mackenzie, Ian, and Alec Premer.

Preceding Pearl in death were her parents, her husband Derald; her brother Percy; sisters Sinnie Schoen, Caroline Clay, Louise Bock, Lillian Morris, Marjorie Hathaway, and Estella Folger.

Funeral Services will be held at 1:30 P.M. Saturday, October 18, 2014 at First Baptist Church in Cawker City. Burial will follow in the East Dispatch Cemetery near Cawker City. Memorials may be given to the church. Friends may call from 6:00 P.M. until 7:30 P.M. on Friday, October 17, 2014 at the Waconda Funeral Chapel.