THE ROAD TAKEN
BY JULIE RASGORSHEK
PHOTOS COURTESY PATTI KAHLER KUNDINGER
Early Childhood Education. Small Group Communication. Liberal Arts Seminar. These are just a few of the education classes held in the room bearing Patti Kahler Kundinger's name in the Chab Weyers Education and Hixson Lied Art Building. It's a little bit harder to name the many students' lives she touched from her continued gifts to Doane's scholarship fund.
But making a path is important to her. After 43 years of marriage, and 33 years of teaching, and sorting through memories that have made a lasting impression on her life, Doane College is among them. There will always be a special place for Doane in the heart of Patti Kahler Kundinger. For her, it's where her life's journey really began. A 1951 graduate, Patti grew up in a small town near Crete. She was a bright and active high-school student who served as drum majorette in the marching band, played the lead in the senior play and was later chosen as class valedictorian.
A strong work ethic is something that was instilled in Patti as a child. "Our father, George Conrad Kahler, always preached the importance of education - and reliance on individual initiative. He taught us that things become more valuable if you do them on your own," Patti said. "That's why he agreed to pay for two years of our education but left the rest to us. He'd say, ‘if you want it, go earn it.' " Those two lessons stuck with Patti, and even today at a spry 81, she still believes education is the most important thing in the world.
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Patti on one of her many
travels to distant lands.
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At Doane, Patti majored in psychology and education. After graduating cum laude and earning a teaching certificate, she and a friend set out to Michigan to begin their teaching careers. Teaching became a passion for Patti and for 33 years she continued to teach first through fifth grades. Fourth-grade geography was a favorite subject, transporting the class to Japan, Norway, Africa and all over the world.
Teaching provided long summer vacations and soon travel also became a passion. Each summer was spent visiting different areas of the world, and each year she'd have something new to share with her classes.
Through her travels, Patti visited China with a university group before diplomatic relations were restored with the U.S. She viewed the Matterhorn and Mt. Vesuvius, toured the pyramids in Egypt and the Taj Mahal in India. She recalls visiting the Iron Curtain countries during the Cold War, calling it "an exciting and fascinating experience," and described traveling throughout Iraq, Iran and Israel as "special adventures in little-known places."
Near the top of her travel memories is a two-month trip around the world which Patti described as "one of the best and most unique adventures of all times."
Something Patti loved more than her teaching or traveling was being married to her husband, Bob. Patti met Bob at a first-year teacher's party in Cadillac, Michigan. They were married in 1952 and remained best friends until Bob's death in 1995.
"I would try to persuade Bob to accompany me on my travels but he never did. He'd just say, ‘I saw the world while I was in the Navy.' We enjoyed many other activities like playing bridge and golf and dancing. Bob was a husband extraordinaire," she said.
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The education classroom
bearing Patti's name.
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Now at her home in Sun City West, Ariz., Patti spends her time painting and quilting, and attending art exhibits and performances in the area. She has also begun to reflect on her life. A life filled with travel, teaching, creativity, love and education.
Patti, who believes we never stop learning, knows education is important now more than ever. She remembers the people who left lasting impressions on her, people like Doane's Dr. Kenneth Rossman. Later, there were friends like Dr. Fred Brown, Marty Fye and Dan Meyer who helped her reconnect with her alma mater. Those friends encouraged her to seek out fellow alumni and assisted her in returning to Doane for a summer reunion.
"I'm at a point in life where I am sorting through things that are near and dear to my heart. During that reflection, I've realized just how exceptional an experience I had at Doane College. Doane is what led me down a wonderful path in life," she said.
A path she's now making sure is available for future Doane students, and like her father taught her, a path that can be defined by individual initiative. And she has one more reason for helping- "Helping people with their education just feels great!"