Millicent Twyman
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Millicent Somerset Twyman was born on March 16, 1923 in Que Que, Southern Rhodesia, Africa. She was raised by her Aunt Irene Innes and spent her early years in Cape Town, Union of South Africa before immigrating to America. A graduate of the Kansas City Business School, she was Secretary to the British Consulate in Toronto, Canada and in Kansas City, Missouri, and later worked for the Sterling National Bank. Over the years, she had been a member of the Junior Service League, the Jackson County Historical Society, the Mary Paxton Study Class, the Laubach Literacy Association and Trinity Episcopal Church of Independence, where she served on the Alter Guild and was a member of the Episcopal Social Services. She leaves behind her beloved daughter Deborah and her cherished son in law Craig, along with a host of friends who adored her. A memorial service will be held, 10:00 AM Saturday May 1st, with a visitation/wake following the service, at Trinity Episcipal Church, 409 North Liberty, Independence, MO. The family suggests contributions to the Twyman Scholarship fund at Trinity Episcopal Church or to the Public Broadcasting System (PBS).
I knew Millicent when she lived in Nashotah, WI. Deborah was a toddler at the time. She came to mind today when I recalled the time she served “Mock Apple Pie” for dinner, at her apartment. She was an elegant lady, charming and kind. There is no date on this obituary, therefore I don’t know if my words will reach her family. I’m saying a prayer for my friend of many years ago who showed kindness to a young bride and her husband and who shared many a lovely afternoon and evening with us. She was devoted to her Aunt, who was a talented writer. I’ll never forget her devotion to Aunt Irene. May she rest in peace.
My great Aunt Pixie (Millicent Somerset Twyman) was a frequent invitee at our family’s gatherings at Lake Quivera, Kansas where my “granny”, Edith Isobel Somerset Strickland and “grandad”, Frank Howard Strickland would host Irene Somerset Innes and Milicent for family time. I came to know Aunt Pixie better as I grew up, but at least when I was younger (she was my parents’ generation) she was shy around us five grandchildren of her aunt, Edith Isobel. Her husband Tom Twyman was effervescent and a constant tease and balanced out his shy wife.
Having diabetes and being overweight in his latter years, he was on dialysis for several years before he died, leaving his wife and child in their own home in Independence, MO. Debbie, and later husband Craig, became the joy of Milicent’s life and their exploits were fascinating subjects of our conversations. “Aunt Pixie” surprised me and my husband by telling us that she had helped to translate a diary written by a South African traveler on the Sante Fe Trail. This diary was written in short hand known only to immigrants educated in British Commonwealth countries, and is today in the Trails Museum in Independence , MO.