Site search
sponsored by
News
December 12, 1926 - December 15, 2008
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on January 17, 2009, at the First Congregational Church of Christ of Corvallis for Lois Pye-Petersen, who. passed away Monday, December 15, 2008, in Corvallis, Oregon. She was born December 12, 1926, in Beighton, Derbyshire, England to Reginald and Lois (Adams) Pye but grew up and had her early schooling in Thurcroft. South Yorkshire, both places near Sheffield. Her father was a coal miner and Lots was proud of it! After passing an external examination to qualify for further education, she attended Maltby Grammar (High) School until 1944. There followed a graduation from Whitelands College of London in 1946 with a Teaching Certificate with a specialization in Physical Education. Teaching positions were then taken in Sheffield, Thurcroft. King John Secondary School in Essex, England, and Yarmouth Memorial High School in Nova Scotia. She was selected for the faculty of a Nova Scotia Teachers program for three summers held at Dalhousie University in Halifax, A visiting professor was impressed by Lois' teaching and recommended her for a one-term position at Oregon State University. She was invited back full-time in the fall of 1960 and continued until her retirement as Emeritus Associate Professor of Physical Education in 1986. During this period she earned Bachelor and Masters Deuces from OSU. With student support there was an OSU Outstanding Teaching Award in 1963, and a Mosser Award for Teaching Excellence (and $1000) in 1966. An Outstanding Faculty Award from her college was presented in 1985. Other than classroom teaching there were also coaching \ duties in Women's Track Field and Field Hockey prior to Title IX expansion. There were clinics and workshops in athletics as well as her specialty in Movement Education/ExpIoration where presentations were
made in a least nine states and the District of Columbia and including both Alaska and Hawaii. Active on committees and other university work, she was elected to the Faculty Senate four times. In professional associations she became President, and won honor awards at State and District levels of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance and served on the national Board of Governors. Many former students still greeted her with affection and respect as "Miss Pye."
Sometime after her father's death in England she became a naturalized citizen in order to sponsor her mother (needed a blood relative) to come to the U.S. And she was pleased to be able to vote in America. She married Alex Petersen, then a professor at Southern Oregon State College (now SOU) in 1977. In retirement they lived in Corvallis and Waldport, Oregon. An only child, she is survived by her husband, four step-children and five step-grandchildren who loved her and were loved in turn.
Remembrances may be made to Old Mill School, 4515 SW Country Club Drive, Corvallis 97333 or Benton Hospice Service, 2350 NW Professional Drive, Corvallis 97330.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on January 17, 2009, at the First Congregational Church of Christ of Corvallis for Lois Pye-Petersen, who. passed away Monday, December 15, 2008, in Corvallis, Oregon. She was born December 12, 1926, in Beighton, Derbyshire, England to Reginald and Lois (Adams) Pye but grew up and had her early schooling in Thurcroft. South Yorkshire, both places near Sheffield. Her father was a coal miner and Lots was proud of it! After passing an external examination to qualify for further education, she attended Maltby Grammar (High) School until 1944. There followed a graduation from Whitelands College of London in 1946 with a Teaching Certificate with a specialization in Physical Education. Teaching positions were then taken in Sheffield, Thurcroft. King John Secondary School in Essex, England, and Yarmouth Memorial High School in Nova Scotia. She was selected for the faculty of a Nova Scotia Teachers program for three summers held at Dalhousie University in Halifax, A visiting professor was impressed by Lois' teaching and recommended her for a one-term position at Oregon State University. She was invited back full-time in the fall of 1960 and continued until her retirement as Emeritus Associate Professor of Physical Education in 1986. During this period she earned Bachelor and Masters Deuces from OSU. With student support there was an OSU Outstanding Teaching Award in 1963, and a Mosser Award for Teaching Excellence (and $1000) in 1966. An Outstanding Faculty Award from her college was presented in 1985. Other than classroom teaching there were also coaching \ duties in Women's Track Field and Field Hockey prior to Title IX expansion. There were clinics and workshops in athletics as well as her specialty in Movement Education/ExpIoration where presentations were
made in a least nine states and the District of Columbia and including both Alaska and Hawaii. Active on committees and other university work, she was elected to the Faculty Senate four times. In professional associations she became President, and won honor awards at State and District levels of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance and served on the national Board of Governors. Many former students still greeted her with affection and respect as "Miss Pye."
Sometime after her father's death in England she became a naturalized citizen in order to sponsor her mother (needed a blood relative) to come to the U.S. And she was pleased to be able to vote in America. She married Alex Petersen, then a professor at Southern Oregon State College (now SOU) in 1977. In retirement they lived in Corvallis and Waldport, Oregon. An only child, she is survived by her husband, four step-children and five step-grandchildren who loved her and were loved in turn.
Remembrances may be made to Old Mill School, 4515 SW Country Club Drive, Corvallis 97333 or Benton Hospice Service, 2350 NW Professional Drive, Corvallis 97330.
