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Today's Featured Biography

Julia Reynolds Dutra

I spent 3 years in the US Navy as a photographer, from 1963-66, and returned to finish college at Pitt State from 1966-1969.( My parents had divorced and while I was in the Navy, my dad "Toppy Reynolds" passed away from burns over sixty percent of his body in 1965.( I was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta and blessed to be a member of Who's Who in Colleges and Universities. I taught in the Shawnee Mission District from 1969-1980. My first year of teaching was the first year of unification and the starting salary was $6500. I married Jack Arlyn Humburg in 1974 and had twin sons in 1975; Burt and Brett. In 1980 we moved to Andover, KS. My husband took a job at Boeing. I taught in the Andover School District from 1980-2002. I finished MY MS in Educatiion degree from Kansas University in 1985.

In 1991 our home was destroyed by a tornado. We rebuilt and had just moved in when Jack Humburg had a massive heart attack. He lived six months and passed away. I was a widow for 10 years and married John P. "Jack" Dutra in 2002. I retired from teaching and we moved back to Overland Park, KS. I was blessed to spend time with my mom, Kay Reynolds, for about two years before she passed away of colon cancer in 2004. Jack Dutra had two children Christine and Jim. Jim passed away in 2009 from health issues. We have one grandchild, Jessica.

I have so loved being a teacher and reconnecting with students on Facebook. I appreciate my peers letting me represent them as 1999 Semi-finalist for KS Teacher of the Year and 2000 Emporia State Master Teacher.

I remain active with oil painting lessons, occasional quilting classes, working on the game of golf, volunteering at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, and getting involved with the 50th Reunion of our SME62 class. It's been fun to reconnect. These years have gone by way too quickly and we've already lost many classmates. I love life and enjoy people. I have learned enough to know that each day is a gift and to cherish the people and memories I make. I've been blessed.

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