Obituary for Penelope Scourby Chachis
Penelope Chachis
Lakewood, CO
Penelope Scourby Chachis, whose passion in both her work and her retirement was to inspire children to reach their fullest potential, died August 16, 2009 in Wheat Ridge, CO after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease. She was 88.
Mrs. Chachis was deeply involved for over 30 years in elementary education in the Middletown School System, where she served in a number of roles including teacher, director of education and director of personell. She was the first principal of the John W. Chorley Elementary School. At Chorley she pioneered new teaching techniques, tailoring instruction to the individual learning style of each student to help every child reach his or her full potential. Her lifelong love of learning took a new form when she retired in 1984 to Tucson, AZ, where she became a docent at the Tucson Museum of Art. In Middletown Mrs. Chachis involved in many activities outside of her work including Middletown’s Thrall Library board, the greater Orange YMCA Board, Phi Delta Kappa, Delta Kappa Gamma, Women’s University Club, the Reading Council, Steering Committee at SUNY New Paltz, Synechia Arts Center Board, and Advisory Committees at Mt. St. Mary’s College in Newburgh. She also taught courses at a number of colleges.
In Tucson she was active with AAUW, Delta Kappa Gamma, St. Philip’s Art Gallery Committee, and the Tucson Museum of Art.Mrs. Chachis received her B.A. from Hunter College of the City of New York; an M.A. from New York University School of Education; an M.S. from Suny New Paltz; and A.B.D. from the University of Toledo, OH.Born in Brooklyn, NY November 14, 1920, Penelope Scourby Chachis was the eldest of three children of George and Philanthy Scourby. Mrs. Chachis was married to the late Chris G. Chachis and is survived by her sons James of Arvada CO, and George of Burlington, NJ.
Graveside services will be private. In lieu of flowers please send a Gift in Memory of former Docent Penny Chachis to the Tucson Museum of Art, 140 North Main Avenue Tucson, Arizona 85701 or at www.tucsonmuseumofart.org/forms/donation/index.php
Funeral arrangements under the direction of the Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home.130 Highland Ave. Middletown, NY 10940
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