Teachers are People Too and a Loss

I remember many teachers from high school I never had for any classes. I think I tended to objectify them. I have found, after speaking with quite a few, that the obvious is true: Teachers are people too, with lives and histories as varied as ours.

One recounted how her year of teaching at Wayne Valley was her first and the worst. She took that year's personal lessons to become a much better teacher. Another has contacts with friends from that period, but isn't interested in expanding her contacts. One is deep in the grasp of Alzheimers, others are strikingly lucid despite advancing age. As often as we can, we are capturing some of their lives beyond their brief contact with us and it is as fascinating as the stories we have shared of our experiences with each other. Almost all remained educators for their entire careers. Most are now retired. A good number are sadly gone; a few, like Ronald Kerr, have disappeared. Others, like Judy Bradley, have been very helpful in providing information about others' locations, and the help is accepted with much gratitude.

Very few days go by without someone sending in a photo or anecdote for the website or just a note saying that another is planning on attending the reunion. There are changes frequent enough that it is difficult track. I know, I need to update the State list.  I must confess that my nursing responsibilities for Linda as she recovers rapidly from her hip surgery has been nearly all consuming.

I just received word from Ruth Spae that we lost Dave Spae on Sunday, 2/12/2012. Despite a rocky start to our relationship back in Anthony Wayne, we became friends, lost touch over the years and reconnected with the class directory. Now he's gone. This is hitting too close to home. Rest in peace brother. His Obituary can be found at http://www.vandermay.com/Obituaries.aspx?from=obtDet&obituaryid=3952