In Honor of Patsy Sundstrand

It was Patsy who went to the Paw Paw Community Schools director and asked for an adult ed course in drama back in December of l968. The group that answered the call met with the director whom the director invited, Charley Burkett, who was delighted to attend.

They wasted no time in letting Charley know that they wanted to put on plays, not just sit around and study them. The play they chose was a recent Pulitzer prize winner, "The Silver Whistle" by Robert McEnroe, a show that called for a large and balanced cast, and called for mature actors. It was ready for production six weeks after the new year: Patsy played the role of Mrs. Sampler, a lively and flirtatious
member of a group of residents in a retirement home. She shone like the star she was destined to be, making good use of her training as a major in theater at North Western University.

For the next 20 years, Patsy played at least one leading role every year, in a distinguished list that included "The Desk Set," "Harvey". "Everybody Loves Opal", "Cactus Flower"'', "Forty Carets", "The Devil's Disciple:, "The Skin of Our Teeth", "You Can't Take it with You", "Ten Little Indians" and finally, "Arsenic and Old Lace"! and those shows were just her on stage participation.

She helped name the group "The Paw Paw Village Players,", and served as president its second year, while also being the assistant to the director for "The Music Man", for which she and her husband underwrote the royalty fee.

The group benefitted from her energetic involvement on almost every production, including house manager, usher, ticket seller, hospitality chairman, props chairman, and house keeping. Always a member of the Players' Board, she served on the play selection committee, membership committee, and for 30 years as the group's historian.

The Paw Paw Village Players were her passion, her pride and joy, and though health problems kept her off the stage during her later years, the Players were always in her heart! Although she died on Feb. 27, 2009, the Village Players are Patsy's
lasting legacy, and she will not be forgotten...

-Mary D. Burkett