Mrs. Adrienne McConaughey – First and Third Grade Teacher

(1916-2005)

Idaho Statesman - December 5, 2005

Adrienne Davis McConaughey

            Adrienne Davis McConaughey, 88, of Boise died Saturday, Feb. 5, 2005 at a Boise care center.

            Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 10 at the Boise Friends Church 7751 Goddard Road. Pastor Shawn McConaughey of the Boise Friends Church and his father Pastor Roy McConaughey will officiate. Burial will be at Cloverdale Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel, Boise.

            Adrienne was born July 24, 1916 in Hillsboro, Ore., the only child of Fred and Mae Davis. The family moved to the Lake Lowell community near Caldwell when Adrienne was 2 years old, purchasing 40 acres of sagebrush which they cleared in order to establish a farm – her parents’ dream.

            She began first grade at 5 years old after begging to be able to join her best friend, who was a year older and always described the wonderful lessons she was learning every day at the Lake Lowell School in such a way as to make Adrienne jealous. With a love of education that began so early in life, it seems inevitable that Adrienne later would become a public school teacher. Her career teaching elementary school children was a 32-year commitment.

            Adrienne graduated from Caldwell High School in 1934. In 1940 she graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from the College of Idaho, Caldwell, where she majored in music (piano was her instrument) and also earned teacher certification. She gave piano lessons in Huston, Idaho and Lake Lowell Communities before taking her first elementary school teaching job in Marsing, Idaho. She later taught in the Meridian School District.

            She married John Edward McConaughey of Nampa on Sept. 17, 1943 in a candlelight ceremony at her parent’s home. Following six years of farming and the birth of a daughter, both Adrienne and her husband became public school teachers in the Homedale, Idaho school system.

            Seven years teaching in Homedale preceded a move to the Independent School District of Boise City in 1956. Adrienne taught third grade and fourth grade at Hawthorne Elementary School in Boise over a period of 17 years. She was widowed in 1973 and completed her teaching career at Pierce Park Elementary School in 1975.

            Adrienne was a woman of unshakeable faith in God and consequently radiated optimism. She loved life, loved to laugh, loved her family and was deeply loved in return. In her retirement years, while her health permitted, she pursued her interest in travel, visiting Israel, the British Isles, Europe, New England, Alaska, and Hawaii – taking tours with friends and traveling independently with her daughter and son-in-law.

            She was blessed with the gift of making and keeping friends. She belonged to many social and professional clubs and organizations over the years and contributed her musical talents and good humor to benefit most of them. At the time of her death, she maintained her memberships in Delta Kappa Gamma (Omicron Chapter), in the Retired Educators Association, and the Hall Century Club of her college. Most important to her was her church membership at the Boise Friends Church, and the opportunity that provided her for sharing and strengthening her faith in a loving community of worshipers she cared about deeply.

            She was preceded in death by her parents and by her husband John. She is survived by her daughter Marilyn Poertner and son-in-law Kenneth C. Poertner of Boise; nephew Glen McConaughey and wife Nancy of Meridian; and nephew Roy E. McConaughey and wife Karen of Boise. She is also survived by one grandniece, Bambi Thomason; and three grandnephews, Greg McConaughey, Shaw McConaughey, and Mike McConaughey.

            Memorials are suggested to the Boise Friends Church, the Boise Public Library Gift Fund, to your own church, or to your favorite charity.

            Visitation for family and friends will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2005 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel, 5400 Fairview Avenue, Boise.