Mae J. Ahlstrom

Mae J. Ahlstrom, 97, of Topeka, died Thursday afternoon, March 13, 2003 at Sterling House in Topeka, Kansas. Mae Joann Ahlstrom was born on September 14, 1905 to Peter and Anna Dickson Ahlstrom in the Admire-Miller area. Her father moved to Kansas in 1880 from Sweden at the age of 6 and her mother moved from Denmark at the age of 12.

Miss Alhstrom was a grade school teacher for 46 years. She taught in Osage County and Osage City from 1925 to 1943, then in Ottawa from 1943 to 1947. In 1947 she moved to Topeka and taught 3rd and 4th grade at Randolph School from 1948 to 1971 when she retired.

Mae Ahlstrom received a Life Certificate for Teaching in Kansas in 1932 and a Life Certificate for Teaching in Colorado in 1948. She graduated with a BS in Education from Kansas State Teacher College of Emporia in 1942 and a Master of Arts Degree from Colorado State College of Education at Greeley, CO in 1948. For further education she had taken classes at Ottawa University, Ottawa, KS, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, and Teacher College Columbia University, New York City, NY.

Mae Ahlstrom had a life membership with the Kansas National Education Association, life membership with Kansas Retired Teacher Association, Topeka Area Retired Teacher Association, and The Delta Kappa Gamma Society. She received a 7 year certificate for service to the Topeka and Shawnee County Library and became an Honorary Member of the Fraternal Order of Police of Topeka for volunteer work. She was a member of the Central Congregational Church of Topeka.

She is survived by three nephews, Kery Ahlstrom, West Minster, CO, Danny Ahlstrom, Wichita, KS, Howard Gunkel, Emporia, KS; and two nieces, Janet Sweet, Danville, OH, and Nancy Stephanz, Sandy, Utah, and a sister-in-law Margaret Ahlstrom, Wichita, KS .
She was preceded in death by 2 brothers and 2 sisters, Albert Ahlstrom in January of 1998, and Clinton Ahlstrom in April of 1997, Florence Ahlstrom Gunkel in August of 1936, and Mabel Ahlstrom Wallace in 1941.

Funeral services will be held at Penwell Gabel Mid Town Chapel at 11:00 a.m., on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 conducted by Reverend Kathryn Timpany. Committal Service will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Reading Cemetery, Reading, Kansas.

Miss Ahlstrom will lie in state at Penwell Gabel Mid Town Chapel after 1:00 p.m. Monday, March 17, 2003.
Memorial contributions may be made to Central Congregational Church, 1248 SW Buchanan, Topeka, KS 66604; or to Midland Hospice Care, Inc. 200 SW Frazier Circle, Topeka KS 66606-2800.