Page 24 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2021- Online Magazine

Exceptional

SENIORS

Marie Evans

Retired,

not Expired!

by Barbara Schoenrock

arie Evans walked into
the spa while I was
Mgetting a pedicure. The She invited me to everything. My to and from school. While
attendant sat her next to me, and I life changed six years ago with being involved with leadership,
immediately noticed her big smile, that “chance” meeting. It is my organizations, and many school
twinkling eyes and friendliness. I honor to tell her story. activities, she also worked in
had just moved to Levelland from a grocery store beginning her
Fort Worth. After a few minutes, Marie was born on her family’s junior year. That job was her first
I asked her, “What is there to do farm in southern Wisconsin to experience in retail.
in Lubbock?” Little did I know Sam and Anna Hoff. She was their
who she was, but I quickly began only child. Her grandparents were After teaching for a few years, she
to get the picture. By the end of from Norway, and all but one died met and married Orville Evans,
our pedicures, I held not only her before she was born. At 10 years an electrical engineer for Beloit
business card but also one for old, she learned to drive a tractor. Corporation and later for United
Roundtable, South Plains Food She wore boy’s bib overalls, which Airlines. During their marriage,
Bank, Hospice and several others. Marie remembers as much better that small town girl began to
than a dress for riding the travel around the world with her
tractor. husband and their four daughters.
The farm had neither Marie’s first teaching job was in
electricity nor indoor a one-room country school in the
plumbing until after World late 1950s. She still corresponds
War II was over. Saturdays with two of her students from
were shopping days in those years. During that time,
Brodhead, Wisconsin, six she developed the concept of
miles away. As a child, she Individualized Teaching. That
never went farther than 20 idea later became the basis for
to 25 miles from the farm. her store, “Marie’s Educational
Materials”, which she opened in
Marie’s school was a 1968 in Sunnyvale, California.
one-room classroom built She sold primarily to teachers
in 1866. All grades were and parents. Soon she found
taught in the same room. herself selling to school districts
That school, although it and doing hundreds of teachers’
has been remodeled, still conventions all over the United
stands today. During high States, including Hawaii and
school, she lived with her Alaska. Those seminars for school
Disneyland fun: left to right - Susan, Marie, grandmother in Brodhead districts led to an increase in
Orv, Chris, Mary and Amy on weekdays. She walked the mail order business. Also, a

24 Lubbock Senior Link