PENDLETON — For years, Ruth Honnold collected figurines, books and other items related to Beatrix Potter.

Since the longtime local schoolteacher passed away in 2011, some family members have helped ensure Honnold’s love of the English writer and illustrator — and Honnold’s celebration of her work — is preserved by, among other things, displaying her collection at Eastertime at Pendleton Community Public Library.

“It’s just something that we’ve wanted to continue in her memory,” said one of Honnold’s daughters, Katie Hupfer of Pendleton, who for years has worked with sister Karen Flannery of Greenfield and granddaughter Adah Hupfer of Pendleton to set up the display cases at the library.

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Honnold taught at Pendleton Elementary School for more than 30 years, retiring in 1981 at age 65.

When she was still teaching in her late 50s, she went back to school herself, earning a master’s degree in education from Ball State University. While there, she took a course in children’s literature, which fueled her interest in Potter.

Honnold taught third- and fifth-grade at different points, but she shared her affinity for Potter with the first-grade classes at school, setting up her figurines and reading to the children, Hupfer said.

She would read from the books that feature Potter’s well-known characters, including Peter Rabbit, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, Squirrel Nutkin as well as the the Flopsy Bunnies.

The students and first-grade teachers responded to the storytimes in kind, with thank-you notes and Potter-themed gifts, Hupfer said.

Honnold’s interest in Potter grew even deeper after a trip overseas, Hupfer said.

“My mother, after she retired, she went to England and saw where Beatrix Potter lived,” she said. “She just really got into all things about her.”

Over time, Honnold amassed her Beatrix Potter collection, which includes more than 50 figurines, as well as books, bells and dishes, mostly as gifts from. The collection became the property of the library in the same way.

“She has seven children, so we’d all get her figurines for different holidays,” said Hupfer, 74. “When she died, instead of splitting up the collection amongst us, we decided to donate it to the library.”

Hupfer and Flannery have worked to keep the Potter part of family lore alive by setting up the figurines each year and by making presentations at Pendleton Elementary School on occasion, such as when two of Hupfer’s grandchildren, Adah and Archer, were first-graders.

“We always feel that she’s smiling when we walk out — we say ‘Mom’s smiling down on us,’” Hupfer said.

She said they’ve joked that the role of protector of the local Potter legacy will fall to Adah, who’s 11 and in fifth-grade.

Adah seemed to buy into the idea.

“My great-grandmother read (the books) to me when I was really young,” Adah said.

“I just find them very interesting because they were something she enjoyed.”

Adah said she has a few of the collectibles, as do other family members, as mementos.

“It’s just sort of a family thing we’ve done, to pass it down, to keep it going.”