Priscilla Mae Salem

Priscilla Mae [Taylor] Salem, age 82, passed away on November 21, 2024, at Catholic Care Center in Bel Aire, Kansas. Priscilla was an elementary school teacher and principal and an elementary education professor to all in her work but always put priority on love and caring for children in her life.

Priscilla was born on February 17, 1942 at St. Rose Hospital in Great Bend, Kansas, and lived most of her childhood on a farm near Kinsley, Kansas, graduating from Kinsley High School in 1958, skipping her senior year and going on directly to college at Fort Hays. Although in later years she surrounded herself with pictures of the farm, her pony, and 4-H raised prize-winning cow, she admitted to a dislike for certain chores—reaching into the chicken coop for eggs when she knew snakes liked to hide in the bins and sneak eggs, for instance. Her mother Mae liked to tell how she cleaned up the heifer she raised for the fair, but she bleached the cow’s fur so much the white sections turned blue.

And just like Christmas Story, the movie, in midwinter as a child Priscilla did stick her tongue on the pole, so her mother poured hot water on her tongue to free her.

When she enrolled at the college, she also pledged Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority and she tried to include sorority house activities and philanthropies in her schedule at the same time as her class work and work as a volunteer accompanist for choirs and ensembles.  By 19, she had met and married John Morgan, and gave birth to Elizabeth Anne during finals. (The couple had his parents take the infant to their farm so Priscilla could study and then Priscilla cried until they retrieved her from Atwood and returned to Hays, where Elizabeth cried while her parents studied.)

Moving back to the farm where she grew up was not necessarily Priscilla’s plan, she would say, but she warmed up to the idea after meeting John Morgan and knowing his experience in ranching and farming as well as his parents still being in the business.  So, from student she transitioned to working as a farmer’s wife, new mother, and on Sundays she sometimes sat in at the piano at the First Baptist Church, along with teaching 3rdgrade in Lincoln Elementary where she had also attended as a child. Priscilla also hosted ladies political parties for the Republican candidates, as well as contributing to church potlucks and attending Bible studies.

Priscilla had two children right after her marriage in 1961; Elizabeth and then in 1963, Barry, only 16 months later. Barry’s dad put him to work as hired help when he was a toddler, working with him for various farm and ranch chores, but also handing out political flyers in neighborhoods.

In 1970, John and Priscilla separated and, after nearly ten years as a farmer’s wife, Priscilla chose to start a new adventure as a 5th / 6th grade teacher at Morgan Elementary in Hutchinson, KS, bringing both children and a St. Bernard with her in this new chapter.

After a few brief years in Hutchinson, KS, Priscilla accepted a position as assistant professor of elementary education in Sterling, KS at Sterling College. Being a Methodist as a child, she easily transitioned to the Presbyterian Church and Elizabeth and Barry enjoyed weekly Bible study and youth groups, especially learning and playing guitar in small groups of peers. Priscilla took to the road in the evenings to obtain a master's degree at Wichita State University and at the same time met her second husband at Sterling College; he represented Kansas Higher Education Association. When they married in the Presbyterian Church, the celebration included her two and his six children and was another step into a new adventure that culminated in a move of Pris, Elizabeth and Barry to Wichita, Kansas.

Priscilla always sought out the church she believed best for her and her kids and Eastminster Presbyterian was in the new neighborhood so she extended her commitment from Sterling to Wichita. Priscilla also found herself traveling to and from Conway Springs on a daily basis, where she worked as the principal at Kyle Trueblood Elementary School. She spent many nights with staff and parents even after children had left school, but did so without complaining about anything. She then was able to get an assistant school principal position at Woodman Elementary and unexpectedly ended up replacing the principal in his position while he was on medical leave. All the while, she was healing from cancer, having been through radiation and chemotherapy before the school year. Priscilla transitioned from a couple years at Woodman, to a principal at Adams Elementary. She traveled less, and she was selected for the position and loved every minute of it. While her teenage children branched out into other churches with their friends, Priscilla continued to worship with the Eastminster congregation and later in her retirement spent many hours joyfully singing in the choir.

Priscilla continued her career after hired as the IB coordinator at East High school in Wichita, Kansas, then later as the principal for Emerson Elementary where she thrived in an administration position as principal for their magnet learning environment. Along the way, she met many new colleagues, students, teachers, and parents, many of whom were her best friends for the rest of her life. Priscilla always created a positive working environment while being passionate about children and everything about their learning atmosphere. Mom loved kids. One of her techniques to get to know every child in her school when she was a principal was to spend several days in the school year, teaching for the teachers in their classroom. It certainly makes an impression on the students when your principal comes into the class and starts asking questions and saying your name.

When Priscilla could have been retired, she started working at Friends University and the education department, reprising her earlier role at Sterling College, and teaching teachers how to teach. Priscilla would always say that she learned more from her students then she taught.

Priscilla is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth Morgan, children; Caleb and Kim Rosencutter and great grandchildren; Lu and Jade; also her son, Barry R. Morgan of Littleton, CO and children; Clinton and his wife, Adrianna of Glendale, AZ, and great grandchildren; Rivers, Addison, and Mars. And daughter Sarah Morgan of Denver, CO. Priscilla always felt blessed to have 6 stepchildren and their families to love in her life and the step siblings have still enjoyed close relationships over the years. Survived by Robin and Denny Clements, John Salem, Melissa Engleman and Dr. James Engleman, Nancy and Tim Hartshorne, Linda Salem and Jay Katz, and Joe and Caroline Salem.

Memorial Services for Priscilla will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, November 30, 2024 at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church (1550 N. Chapel Hill, Wichita, KS 67206). 

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