Ethel Schrader Lanier, a longtime teacher and leader at Pacific Christian Academy, passed away in 2008.

Ethel Schrader Lanier lived a life marked by dedication to education and service, spanning nearly a century. Born on November 6, 1908, in a family farmhouse near Bernie, Missouri, she grew up in the rural Steven’s Chapel Church of Christ, where her family worshipped. This early exposure to the Church of Christ shaped her spiritual foundation and commitment to community and education.

Ethel’s academic and professional journey began with her education in local country schools, where she excelled in basketball and academics at Bernie High School. Following graduation, she started her teaching career in a one-room country school near Bernie. During summers, she pursued higher education in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, earning her teaching certificate. In 1929, she enrolled at Harding College in Morrilton, Arkansas, where she met her future husband, Sherman Lanier, a ministerial student from Santa Rosa, California.

After earning her degrees at Harding, Ethel and Sherman married in 1935 and moved to Nashville, Tennessee. There, Ethel taught at the Elementary School affiliated with David Lipscomb College, while Sherman taught at David Lipscomb High School and pursued his master’s degree at George Peabody College. Sherman also served as a pastor in various churches of Christ in the Nashville area. Their two sons, Jim and Chuck, were born during their time in Nashville.

In 1941, the family relocated to Valdosta, Georgia, where Sherman became the full-time pastor of the Valdosta Church of Christ. Tragedy struck in 1944 when Sherman suffered a sudden and severe stroke while visiting his family’s farm in Bernie, Missouri, and passed away at the age of 35. Two years later, Ethel accepted a teaching position at Pacific Christian Academy in Graton, California, a decision that would define the latter half of her life.

Ethel’s move to Graton established her as a permanent resident of Sonoma County for the next 62 years. She taught English and Journalism at Pacific Christian Academy, directed school dramas, initiated the annual Poetry Recitation competition, and launched the school newspaper, the P.C.A. Post. She continued as its managing editor until her retirement at age 95. Even in her later years, she remained engaged, teaching one journalism class and managing the school paper.

Ethel’s influence extended beyond the classroom. She nurtured the Christian faith of her students, guided them in the proper use of the English language, and fostered an appreciation for literature. Students she taught, including her sons, grandchildren, and even some great-grandchildren, continued to honor her memory through letters, cards, and visits. Her legacy of service and dedication endures in the lives she touched, reflecting the call to love and serve others as Micah 6:8 reminds us.

Source: Read the original report