Verdell Kartchner

Verdell Kartchner was born on September 9, 1948, in Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico in the same bedroom where her mother was born. She was delivered by her paternal grandmother, Ida Kartchner, who was a mid-wife. Verdell was called home by her Heavenly Father on December 23, 2024. Verdell’s parents were Elfida Alicia (Alice) Corn and George Kartchner.

 Verdell was a very strong and active member in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Besides attending classes and activities, she also played volleyball within the Church’s program. Some of her callings included being a primary chorister, playing the piano for primary, 3rd Ward Chorister and Choir director. She was called to be a Temple work at the Albuquerque Temple. She asked to be released from this calling when she was not able to drive herself to and from Albuquerque. She was called to a Church Mission. The mission was a pilot program for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to input genealogical information from countries who previously did not sharing the information with the church. She was the Assistant Project Supervisor, in which she also taught the newer missionaries how to work within the program. She was released from this mission on July 5, 2024.

 Verdell was preceded in death by her parents George and Alice Kartchner. She is survived by her sisters: Rose Mary Kartchner, Lucy Wuest, her brothers: George Kartchner and wife Gayla, Jesse Kartchner and wife Coni; her nieces Stephanie Bean and husband Matthew, Whitney Kartchner, her nephews Michael Wuest and wife Kelley, Joshua Kartchner and fiancé Sofia, great nieces Melanie Bean, Annabelle Bean, Emmie Wuest, Audrey Pelfrey, and great nephews Preston Bean, Isaac Bean, Shilo Beaty, and Tyson Wuest.

 Verdell attended McCormick Elementary and from her first day in 1st grade she knew she wanted be a teacher. Mom said Verdell would rush home from the bus stop, make her sister, Rose, sit at a table or on the ground and proceed to teach Rose all she learned that day. Sometimes Rose was not very receptive, but Verdell persisted. 

  While attending Tibbetts Junior High, and Farmington High School, she loved to play volleyball. During high school she was a member of the Future Teachers of America Club and the Kelly Greens. She earned her High School Diploma in May, 1966. 

She began her college courses at New Mexico State University Farmington Branch located at present day San Juan College. She continued classes at the main campus in Las Cruces where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Special Education. She attended Arizona State University to earn a Master’s degree as a Reading Specialist. She said it was too hot in Tucson that she would run from tree to tree to stay out of the sun. 

 Her first teaching experience was in Lordsburg, NM teaching 1st grade. After the first week she was highly discouraged because she had 58 1st graders and nowhere to put them all. By the end of the second week classes had been adjusted so she only had 28 students which was manageable. 

 When she moved to Farmington, she was hired as a Special Educator for Central Consolidated Schools and worked one semester at Naschitti, NM. She left Central Consolidated and was hired by the Bloomfield Independent Schools District. She worked there one semester and then was hired as a 1st grade teacher for Farmington Municipal School District. 

 She worked at Animas Elementary School teaching 1st grade for 21 years and tried one year of 6th grade, but went back to 1st grade. After 22 years at Animas Elementary, she transferred to McCormick Elementary School where she taught 3rd grade, then kindergarten and then she retired.

 While at Animas she convinced her mother to become a Bilingual Aide and Verdell really enjoyed working with her mother. Besides working with her mother at Animas Elementary School, she was so proud that the 3 sisters, Verdell, Rose, and Lucy, taught together at Animas Elementary and then she got to work with her sister-in-law, Gayla Kartchner at McCormick.

 Her passion as a teacher was reading. She saw clearly that if a child could become a strong reader there would be many things they could accomplish. She eventually developed her own Reading Program which she titled “Phonics in Progress (PIP)”. This program gave other teachers and parents access to successful reading strategies. Each year, as the results of state testing were posted, Verdell’s students were usually 1.5 years or more a head of grade level in all academic areas.

 After several years in retirement, her sister Rose, a high school principal in Dulce, NM, convinced Verdell to work with her as an in-school suspension supervisor – this took a lot of convincing by Rose because Verdell was never one to work with older students. 

She returned to Farmington and her friend Dolores Gallegos convinced her to work at Sacred Heart School, she began teaching 5th grade for two years. She then taught 1st grade for several years, and music for 1½ years.

 Verdell had the opportunity to travel – she visited several European nations, toured Ireland, went to Mexico to visit family, took a cruise with George and Gayla to Alaska, toured several places in the United States and enjoyed the entertainment of Disneyland, Disney World, The Lagoon, Carlsbad Caverns, Butchart Gardens, and Vicksburg State Park to mention a few. 

 During her life, Verdell had many medical procedures – beginning in 1952 when she had her tonsils removed and again in 1954 because they grew back. The last 6 years were really hard on Verdell but she kept being positive and refused to give up. During her first round of cancer she shaved her head when her hair began to fall out. She said her bald head was a symbol that cancer would never take her life – she was right.

 Beginning in November of 2023, Verdell was mainly in the hospital, Wellbrook Rehabilitation Center or Three Rivers Estates for Assisted Living. She absolutely loved living at Three Rivers Estates, the atmosphere, the amenities but especially the residences and staff. Always as the teacher she explained and instructed the staff on how to help her in and out of her bed, her wheel chair and her recliner, and her personal hygiene. 

 Verdell was a lifelong learner and teacher, she enjoyed playing volleyball, softball and bowling, and she loved watching the Kansas City Chiefs. She was a gregarious person and loved to visit with everyone. 

 Towards the end, this was a quote she enjoyed: “Life brings tears, smiles and memories. The tears may dry, the smiles may fade, but the memories last forever.”