Ethel Deanna Schofield Futrell was born on November 8, 1905, and died on April 17, 2001. She was a long-time educator in the Tucson schools. Like many of us, her memory was not perfect. Her husband, Ralph Averille Futrell, may have taught at Amphi, but the many mentions in the online newspaper archives focus on his career at Catalina.
The Tucson Daily Citizen on March 16, 1962, reported that fifth-grade teacher Mrs. Ethel Futrell would become the principal at Davis Elementary School. The article stated that she was a native of Springfield, MO, and had lived in Tucson since 1939. She taught in Ava, MO, as well as Arivaca and Sunnyside. In Ava, she was the assistant principal. She earned her bachelor's degree at State College in Springfield, MO, and her master's at University of Arizona.
Lynn Geyer, a photo volunteer at Find A Grave wrote:
I had just completed my first photo experience and was uploading the photos this morning when I saw Mrs. Futrell's name. I just want to share with you that when my family first moved to Tucson in 1957, I began my Tucson school experience in the 5th grade at Iola Frans Elementary. Mrs. Futrell was my first teacher here in Tucson. She was very nice. She did seem to favor the boys; she let them run around in their socks! But I have fond memories of her and would have been honored to take the photos of the Futrells.
In the 1910 census, Ethel can be found with her parents, Edwin and Addie, in Jasper Township, Ozark County, MO. The family is found in Pontiac, Ozark County, MO in 1920. Ethel married Ralph Futrell on June 7, 1927, and the 1930 census finds them in Springfield, Greene County, MO. In 1940, Ethel and Ralph were living on Yavapai Road near Tucson, Pima County, AZ. Ethel spoke personally to the census taker, reporting that she was neither working nor seeking work and, in 1935, had lived in Douglas County, MO.
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Find A Grave memorial for Ethel Deanna Schofield Futrell
Transcription of the interview abstract. All typos and misspellings appear as in the original.
Craig R. Schill
Dr. Hinton, Hist 399
INTERVIEWED: Mrs. Ethel Futrel. Born 1915 in missouri. Came to Arizona
in 1938. Interview took place on April 16, 1989.
I. Earliest memories of AZ
a. adobe houses
b. desert climate
c. Bisbee
d. clean air
e . mountains
II. Earliest memories of Tucson
a. only two stoplights
b. streets not paved
c. nothing North of Drachman
d. garbage dump on oracle road
III . Husband
a. taught at Amphi.
IV. Teaching career.
a. masters at UA
b. would not employ wives during depression
c. taught at school 60 miles away in Arvaca for 1 year
d. family stayed in Tucson
e. taught at prive Jewish school
f. taught in Flowing Wells
g. easter egg hunt
h. substatute teacher
i. principle at Homer Davis school for 10 years.
V. Prejudice
a. did not exsist
b. all kids played together
VI . Were changes in Tucson for better or for worse
a. better
-airconditioner
b. worse
-noise
