Kathryn Anne Phreaner

Anne was born during the Depression and grew up in Los Angeles with her parents and two siblings. This was the beginning of her simple, but hard-working life. During high school, she had to work for another family that didn’t allow her to start her homework until after 11 PM. Despite this hardship, she was able to do well enough in high school to get a scholarship to UCLA, earning her Bachelor’s in Education. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. One of her jobs at UCLA, which she always laughed about, was “helping” UCLA’s star Basketball player get through his coursework. Sadly, around that time, she lost her brother in a plane crash but in typical Anne fashion, she put her head down and got back to work.

After graduation, Anne met the love of her life, John “Jack” Phreaner. They decided teaching was going to be their profession. They married in 1954 and soon after moved to Santa Barbara where they raised their 3 children. Anne taught for decades at Adams Elementary, primarily 1st grade, while Jack taught English for decades at SMHS. Anne was the first grade teacher for 3 of her 7 grandchildren. Students and their parents will remember her gentle, kind, and encouraging ways.

Anne loved Adams so much that she continued to volunteer daily in TK and Kindergarten until age 90. She loved to stay busy and useful even in her 90s, weeding her children’s yards, walking daily around the block, and ironing shirts until weeks before she passed.

Anne was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, John “Jack” Phreaner, parents Kathryn and Raymond Stahmann, brother Paul, and sister Jane. She is survived by son John (Carolyn), daughter Julie (David), and son David (Christi); 7 grandchildren Erik, Marc, Nicholas (Alex), Michelle (Mike), Jason, Jenna, and Jack; and 1 great-grandchild, Zoe. We will remember our beloved matriarch with her sweet smile, strong work ethic, and gentle disposition.

If so desired, donations can be made in her honor to Adams School PTA.