Teacher Dies On Last Day Of School

Florida Pensacola The end of school is suppose to mark the beginning of Summer fun but in Escambia County Floridam it's a time of tragedy.

by Debbie Williams

Published: Mon, June 02, 2008 - 5:43 pm CST

A whole community is mourning the loss of a beloved teacher who died of a heart attack just hours after waving goodbye to her last class of fourth graders. After 36 years of teaching Sharon Smith was retiring.
"The last they saw her was waving and blowing kisses and waving at them," says Director of Elementary Education Wayne Odom. On the last day of school he says it's tradition for teachers to wave goodbye to students as they leave for summer vacation. "She walked arm and arm with one of her colleagues and suddenly complained she couldn't breathe," says Odom and just that quick, Smith was dead.
"Her passion was teaching and her children," says older sister Mary Myrick. "If you knew her you had a friend. She was my sister, she was my friend, she was my spiritual partner."
In the last year, Smith lost her husband and her only child. Myrick says what may seem like a tragedy is actually a reunion. "She completed her course. She retired out of what she loved and she went to be home with the ones she loved."
Smith's funeral is scheduled for Thursday. It's the same day she was set to celebrate her 36 years of teaching with a retirement party.

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mustuknow Says:

Tue, Jun 03, 2008 at 12:41 am

This is truly a traggic turn of events. I cannot imagine what she has been thru this past year but I think her sister said it perfectly “She completed her course. She retired out of what she loved and she went to be home with the ones she loved.”

I think it speaks volumes of the character of the woman and her ability as an educator that the national media has picked up this story.

To those who were blessed to have had her as a teacher, MAKE HER PROUD. Follow the values and lessons she taught you, that is the greatest honor anyone could give her.

God Bless her family and her Molino Park Family.