Edna Cape

Edna May Cape Retired Coffeyville dietitian and school teacher, Edna May Cape died Tuesday evening, April 11, 2006 in Coffeyville Regional Medical Center. She was 98. Edna was born August 8, 1907 in Lawrence, Kansas to Frank Augustus and Maude Amanda Godfrey Raybourn. She moved with her family to Evanston, Wyoming where she attended schools. She graduated from High School there in 1926. After attending the University of Kansas at Lawrence, she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1931 with a double major in dietetics and education. She completed her work at K.U. and served a one-year internship in dietetics at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. She was a dietitian for the Wyoming State Hospital at Evanston from 1932 until 1941. At that time she became employed by the Civil Service and was assigned as a dietitian to Fort Riley, Kansas Army Hospital. Early during WWII, while at Ft. Riley in 1942, she was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and inducted in the United States Army Medical Corps. Edna was transferred from Ft. Riley, Kansas to serve in some of the major ports of embarkation including the South Pacific and later was attached to the United States Navy, serving on hospital ships with as high as 2,500 injured soldiers aboard. She was later promoted to the rank of Captain. She was also awarded five battle stars after being on duty in five combat zones in the Pacific Theater area. Edna served on the U.S.S. Comfort, a 2,500 bed hospital ship when it was struck South of Okinowa by a Japanese suicide pilot. The plane plunged through two decks and into the hospital operating room, where explosions from the plane killed 29 doctors and nurses. The ship, damaged and leaking, eventually arrived in Guam, where funeral services for the victims where held. The ship was placed in dry dock and Edna was assigned to Letterman General Hospital at San Fransisco and later to Percy Jones General Hospital in Battle Creek, Michigan, as Chief and Administrative Dietitian until she separated from the service. On November 20, 1945 after J. Kenneth Cape received his honorable discharge, she was united in marriage to Kenneth. They were married in the home of her parents in Evanston, Wyoming. Kenneth received his honorable discharge on November the 11, 1945 and the couple made their home in Coffeyville at 108 N. Park Blvd. Following her separation from the service, Edna became a teacher in the foods department and manager of the cafeteria at Field Kinley Memorial High School. She was elected teacher of the year for the Coffeyville school system in 1972. While teaching, she became a dietetic consultant, serving on a part time basis at Coffeyville Memorial Hospital. When a full time dietitian was needed at the hospital, Edna became a consulting dietitian for Coffeyville and area nursing homes and hospitals. She served at one time 23 institutions in the four-state area. She continued working in the area until 1995. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Kansas University Alumni Association, American Dietetic Association, Kansas Dietetic Association, SEK Dietetic Association, National, Kansas State, and City Teacher Associations, Retired Teachers Association, Easter Chapter no. 9 Order of Eastern Star Evanston, Wyoming and American Legion Post 20. Edna is survived by two nephews and four nieces, special friends Herman and Jane Guy of Coffeyville. She was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband J. Kenneth Cape, two sisters and a brother. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, April 14, 2006 in the Fairview Cemetery in Coffeyville. Reverend John Collins will officiate. Services are under the direction of the Penwell-Gabel Ford-Wulf-Bruns Funeral Home. Visitation will be held on Thursday beginning at 9 am until 9 pm and Friday 9 am until noon at the funeral home.