Barbara Siegfried

Barbara Kitchen Siegfried of Frankfort passed away Monday, December 5, 2016, at Wesley Manor.

Barbara was born January 9, 1938 in Columbus, Ohio to Richard and Phyllis Kitchen.  She was raised in Cleveland and Parma Heights, Ohio.  After graduating from Parma Senior High School, she went to Purdue University on an academic scholarship.  There she majored in Spanish and German with a minor in English.  After graduating from Purdue in 1959, she began a 44-year career as a Spanish and English teacher at Clinton Central High School.  Barbara served as English-Foreign Language department chairman and as coach of the cheerleaders and pep club for twenty-four years.  In addition, she was junior high golf coach for several years.

She married James D. Siegfried on June 6, 1959 in Parma, Ohio, and he survives.

She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international honor society for teachers and served as its president, in addition to holding many other offices.  In 1988, the House of Representatives nominated her as one of the Outstanding Hoosier Educators.  In 1990, she was nominated for WTHR Channel 13’s Shining Star Award of Excellence in Teaching.  In 2002, she was selected as Walmart Teacher of the Year.  In 2003, Barbara received the Purdue University Distinguished Education Alumni Mentor Award and was also inducted into Parma High School Alumni Hall of Fame.  In 2010, she received the Clinton County Historical Society County Gem award.

In addition to her teaching career where she taught over 3900 students, Barbara was involved in many community activities.  She served on the board of directors of the Purdue Club of Clinton County, its secretary for more than twenty-five years and as president.  She was an active participant in the Frankfort Country Club Women’s Golf Association and served as president twice.  She also served as president of the West Central Golf Association.  When her daughters were young, she served on the board of directors and president of the Frankfort Swim Club.  Following her retirement, she volunteered at the Open Door Health Clinic and at St. Vincent Frankfort Hospital as a Pink Lady and served as president of the Pink Lady Hospital Auxiliary.  Barbara was a member of St. Matthew United Methodist Church for over fifty years and served on several committees.

One of her great pleasures was the three years she spent as Region II director of the Purdue Alumni Association, where she had the opportunity to interact with astronauts, outstanding athletes, and the top administrators of Purdue.  She was an avid supporter of Purdue and Purdue athletics and had season tickets for football, volleyball, women’s basketball and men’s basketball for many years.

In addition to her husband, Barbara is survived by two daughters, Sherry (Ron) Pritchett, of Frankfort, and Sandy (Matt) Waninger, of Lafayette; and six grandchildren, Julia, Elizabeth, Daniel, Benjamin, Nathaniel and Joshua.  Her brother, Richard M. (Lucy) Kitchen, of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, also survives her.

Visitation for Barbara will be Sunday, December 18, 2016, at Genda Funeral Home in Frankfort, from 1:00 - 6:00 p.m. and also one hour prior to the service at church on Monday.  Funeral services will begin at 11:00 a.m. at St. Matthew United Methodist Church in Frankfort, on Monday, December 19, 2016.  Burial will follow in Bunnell Cemetery in Frankfort.  In lieu of flowers, Barbara’s family asks that donations be made to the Barbara K. Siegfried Scholarship c/o Clinton County Community Foundation, 215 W. Sycamore St., Kokomo, IN, 46901.  Online condolences may be directed to www.gendafuneralhome.com.