Patricia Ann Colvin Stumme

Patricia Ann Colvin, daughter of Charles D. and Miriam E. Kimball Colvin, was born in Columbia, Missouri in 1948. Her life in Missouri was short-lived as her family moved to a farm near Preston, Iowa in early 1949. Her life was not to continue in eastern Iowa for yet a few years as her family lived on farms in Ida and O'Brien counties before moving to Fayette County, Iowa.

Her life as a farmer's daughter included loving and playing with animals, be they kittens, calves, and/or baby pigs. Patricia was a 4-H member in both O'Brien and Fayette counties. One of her projects besides the usual feminine projects was a Jersey heifer which she showed at the county fairs. She and her dad enjoyed horseback riding which led to going on numerous trail rides together locally and in Wyoming.

Patricia graduated from North Fayette Community School in 1967 where she participated in numerous extra-curricular activities - vocal music, band (she was selected for All-State with her French horn), and speech. She entered Iowa State University that fall. As her major was Home Economics Education, one of the requirements was to student teach. She became a part of the C U T E program and was assigned to do her student teaching in the inner-city schools of Wichita, Kansas. This was truly a learning experience. One of the units she was assigned to teach was to help the junior high girls to determine the proper cosmetics (remember most of her students were African Americans or Mexican and the year was 1970!). She also was assigned to teach a unit on nutrition with all its ramification in a district where funds were very limited and interest in healthy eating was not a priority.

Another of Patricia’s attributes is her love for the outdoors - two areas being canoeing and skiing. One summer she and her dad spent a week each at 10 of Iowa’s state parks at which they prepared and presented an informational program about that particular park and/or its distinctive features. As many of those parks had a lake, Patricia could polish her canoeing skills.

Patricia has continued to enjoy canoeing in the Boundary Waters as well as other Minnesota/Wisconsin lakes and rivers with her daughters, husband, and friends. They are also avid cross-country skiers. Shortly after receiving her B. S. from I. S. U. in 1971, Patricia and Terry L. Stumme were married. Their-first home was in Minnesota. After a few years she decided to pursue getting her Masters from I. S. U., a goal she accomplished in addition to caring for their new daughter Margaret Jean (Meg).

Their second daughter, Paige Marie, made the Stumme family complete.

The Stumme family has lived in Iowa, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Minnesota where they now reside.

Patricia successfully taught Home Economics for several years in high school and a technical college.

Presently, she is a Minnesota Extension Home Economist and has been elected to the position of President-elect of the Minnesota Association of Extension Home Economists.

Her father and I were, and continue to be, very proud of her accomplishments. I consider this opportunity to honor Patricia a great privilege.

Submitted on 6/26/95