PAGE A4, KEIZERTIMES, JULY 14, 2017
KeizerCommunity
KEIZERTIMES.COM
Wilson reiires from Kennedy
By DEREK WILEY
Of the Keizertimes
The last day at Kennedy
Elementary was emotional for
kindergarten teacher Linda
Wilson, who retired after six
years at the Keizer school and
27 in the Salem area.
“It was an amazing day,”
Wilson said. “I cried all day
but it was really awesome. I
had a lot of parents and kids
come by and bring me amaz-
ing gifts. Said goodbye at an
assembly. Walked out with
the fi fth graders. It’s just been
very emotional. Tears and all,
I loved it.”
Wilson came to Kennedy
when Lake Labish Elemen-
tary in Salem closed its doors.
She also taught fourth grade
at Swegle for two years.
After years as a stay-at-
home mom, Wilson started
her career as an instructional
assistant at Hayesville.
Wanting to get her teach-
er’s license, Wilson went back
to school, earning her asso-
ciate’s degree at Chemeketa
Community College and
then her bachelor’s in educa-
tion at Oregon State.
“I just always liked it,” Wil-
son said of teaching. “I loved
my teachers growing up.”
Wilson has always taught at
Title I schools.
“That’s what I choose to
be with these students and
these families,” Wilson said. “I
feel really close to all of them.
I love providing opportunities
for them, giving them a win-
dow into the world that’s out
there because a lot of these
families their kids don’t have
those experiences.”
Wilson brought in artifacts
from her travels to places like
Washington, D.C.
obiiuaries
Submii an obiiuary ihrough
our websiie ai keizeriimes.
com or send an email io:
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Leroy Young
January 9, 1928 –
May 27, 2017
L. Young
KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley
Linda Wilson read io kindergarieners ai Kennedy Elemeniary School in Keizer for ihe fi nal iime lasi monih. Wilson is reiiring afier
27 years ieaching in ihe Salem-Keizer area.
“I bring a lot of things
from home and share with
them,” Wilson said. “Instead
of just reading a book, I bring
things they can touch and feel
and talk about.”
Wilson has also shared
many books.
“That’s one of my favorite
things to do,” she said. “I’ve
got a million books here. I
don’t know what I’m going to
do with all of them. I’ve been
collecting them for so long.”
Wilson spent most of her
career teaching kindergarten
through the second grade.
“I just love being with the
younger kids,” Wilson said. “I
especially love kindergarten
and fi rst grade because it’s the
beginning of learning every-
thing. To open the doors for
them on reading and writing
is really exciting for me, to be
the fi rst step, I really love that.
Wilson will join her hus-
band, who retired nine years
ago after teaching 28 years at
McKay High School. She’s
not ready to completely give
it up, planning to work part-
time has a substitute. She
also plans to volunteer at her
church.
“I’m not really ready for
a big jump from working to
not working,” Wilson said.
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Leroy passed on May 27,
2017.
He was a World War II
veteran, serving in the Navy.
Leroy lived in Salem for
twenty years and recently
moved to Keizer.
He is survived by his son
Dan Peterson, of Keizer.
He was laid to rest at
Willamette
Memorial
Cemetery in Portland on
Thursday, July 13.
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