Edna Gwendolyn Farley Robb

EDNA GWENDOLYN FARLEY ROBB Mancos resident Edna Gwendolyn Farley Robb slipped on from this life to the next on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 at the age of 95. There was probably great rejoicing there as she was the last of her siblings to arrive. Edna was born on December 15, 1910 in Akron, Colo. to William Howard and Phyllis (Maddison) Farley, the seventh of 10 children. When she was 20 years old her mother died and she took on the responsibility of raising her younger brother and sister. Edna earned a teaching certificate and began teaching in a rural school in the Akron, Colo. area – all eight grades. Later she moved to Platner, Colo. where the class load was lessened and she only had four grades in one room. From there she moved to Durango and taught only one grade, the fourth. While there she met Milton Robb of Mancos and they were married in 1942. He preceded her in death in 1980. Edna and Milton lived on the family ranch south of Mancos and also on a Navajo reservation trading post in New Mexico where she learned to love the customs and heritage of the Navajos. When it was time for the children to start school, they returned to Mancos where she was busy with farm life. Her garden was always a show place. She raised and canned food for her family, kept a well-cared for home, raised chickens and sold eggs, milked cows and sold milk, helped with the sheep and lambs, cooked meals for the hired hands, and still had time to love and teach her children-mostly how to work. When the youngest was in school, she returned to teaching in the Mancos schools where she taught for 34 years. By taking courses at night she was able to finish her teaching degree. She had many students who credited her with a good start in the first grade and she enjoyed visiting them as they came back to thank her through the years. Edna’s greatest joy was her family. She and Milton had four children, Gwynne Smith and husband, Wayne of South Jordan, Utah, Betty Cox and husband, Lyle of Mancos, Wayne Robb of Mancos, and Carolyn Rose and husband, Billy of Lewis. She also had 15 grandchildren, and 28 great-grandchildren. A family graveside service was held at the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Mancos. Edna’s family would like to express their appreciation to the many that helped to ease her last years as a resident at the Valley Inn in Mancos.