The Voice - Special Edition: Corrie Thornburgh

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Voice The

Volume 54, Issue 7 May 30, 2014

Everett says goodbye

Everett community gathers to say goodbye Brianna Billard Online Editor Dee Halstead, a close friend and colleague of Corrie Thornburgh, stepped up to the microphone to recite a poem given to her by a friend when her husband passed. A little teary eyed, but with a bright smile, Halstead started to speak.

“She immediately infected me with her smile and she immediately affected me with her kindness and her love,” said Halstead. “She was there when I needed a hug...and she was always there when I needed someone to smile at me.”

A line from the poem explained how many people in the auditorium were feeling that night.

“Since you’ll never be forgotten, we pledge to you today, a hallowed place within our hearts is where you’ll always stay.”

Junior Marvin Wright, who spoke with teammates Lucas Barner and Leondre Terry, said that he admired Thornburgh.

“I admired what you stood for and how you carried yourself...you became one of my favorite people to be around,” said Wright.

Wright and others said they enjoyed her sense of humor.

“You always made me laugh with your corny jokes about pulling your hair out even though you were already hairless,” said Wright.

During the memorial service, flute player Alexa Muethel played a piece, dedicating it to the Thornburgh family.

“I really didn’t know her,” said Muethel, “but I was asked to play and I thought it would be a nice tribute.”

Along with Muethel, the dance company performed a piece called “No Need to Say Goodbye,” choreographed by junior Antonella Benavidez and dance teacher Karen Knaebel.

“Antonella had an idea to do a dance to this song before she passed,” said Knaebel. “The song was just a perfect fit.”

The piece was dedicated to the Thornburgh family, and the dancers saw it as a privilege to perform for them.

“I’m happy to honor Mrs.Thornburgh because she was such a wonderful person,” said junior Jared Thompson.

Many of the company dancers knew Thornburgh and cherish the time spent with her.

“It was very emotional (learning the dance), it brought back good memories of how she impacted my life on a daily basis,” said Thompson.

Students said they really enjoyed the memorial, and all of the performances.

“I like the song the dance company chose, and Mrs. West speaking about her was really nice,” said junior Damaria Morton.

Staff members and students said they fell in love with Thornburgh’s warm smile and hearty laugh, and it’s something about her that many will not forget.

“Her laugh could make other people laugh and feel better,” said sophomore Alivia Pulido.

Wright also appreciated her bubbly personality.

“I’m going to miss her always being there when I needed someone to talk to, along with her smile, and funny jokes,” said Wright.

Halstead agreed.

“I will miss her smile and her hugs the most,” said Halstead.

Thornburgh made a difference in the lives of her family members, coworkers, and students.

“She meant a lot to me, even though I didn’t know her for long, she made an impact in my life,” said Wright. “I wanted to show her how much she meant to me.”

Saying Farewell, Remembering Fondly

Clockwise, from top left: Juniors Jared Thompson and Brittanie Gilbeaux perform at the Thornburgh memorial ; Sophomore Alexis Muethel opens the memorial ceremony with a flute solo ; Anna Thornburgh holds up 1,000 paper cranes as her dad (Brad Thornburgh), grandma (Diane Grasley) and brother (Joe Thornburgh) look on ; Everett Dance Company performs “No Need To Say Goodbye” ; Physics teacher Mitch Foster performs an Irish farewell.

Everett community, Thornburgh family support each other during weeks following loss Katrina Turner News Editor Dealing with death can be unbearable to anyone. When the person who passed away is closely involved in your life, it can be even harder. Almost three weeks ago, science teacher Corrie Thornburgh died from brain cancer. She had been battling the disease since her first diagnosis in 2009. She was deeply loved by her colleagues and her students from Everett High School.

After her death, her family and the Everett family supported one another in a variety of ways.

The family has attended multiple school events since her death, including the Presentation of Roses and Senior Awards.

At Presentation of Roses, seniors hand out roses to people who have helped them in life. Two students had bought her roses prior to her death, and Thornburgh’s family accepted the roses on her behalf.

“It sucked that she couldn’t receive it because I really wanted her to know how special she was to me and how much I appreciated her,” said graduated senior Lucas Barner. In addition to roses from Barner and Deanera Barrow, the whole senior class presented Thornburgh with a bouquet of roses.

“Although it took away from how special (our) moment to honor her was, I was glad that everyone wanted to support and honor her,” said Barner.

Thornburgh’s husband Brad said that the moment was a special one.

“Corrie always said the rose ceremony was not a competition, but she was always excited to attend and receive the roses.

She would have been honored,” said Brad Thornburgh.

Her family also attended senior awards, the final award ceremony for seniors. Thornburgh was awarded the PTSA staff recognition award, and her family accepted her award and a bundle of roses.

The love shown in the last few weeks was not one-way, though. The Thornburgh family wanted Everett to know how much they appreciated their support. Through the help of a family friend, buses were chartered that brought students to the funeral.

The family also helped form Corrie’s Cause, a founda-

tion whose mission is to continue her legacy by providing a scholarship each year to a student who has made a difference at Everett. This year, they awarded TaPara Simmons with the $1,000. The money for the scholarship comes from donations and family contributions, and the foundation already has over $6,000 in the fund.

Counselor Jennifer West said the scholarship is a nice addition to senior awards.

“I think it is important to recognize those who make a contribution to their school and student body,” said West.

The ways that Everett embraced Thornburgh were evident long before her death.

For months, students folded paper cranes, a symbol of hope and peace. Cranes can be seen hanging in the main lobby, and 1,000 cranes were strung together and presented to Thornburgh’s family at the memorial service Everett held for her.

“Her family loves this idea, and she told me that Clockwise from top: TaPara Simmons recieved the first Corrie’s Cause scholcranes were one of her favorite arship ; Staff and students made 1,000 paper cranes for Thornburgh and her animals,” said West. family ; A sign leading into counseling center announced that Corrie’s Crew Another way that Everett had surpassed their goal. In the end, Corrie’s Crew raised over $15,000. took in her family was by formBy coming together, the people who loved Mrs. Thorning “Corrie’s Crew,” Thornburgh’s Relay For Life team, who set burgh were able to mourn her death in a positive way, and were a goal of raising $10,000 for the Relay. By the weekend of the able to uphold her legacy of love and kindness. event, which took place the day after Thornburgh passed away, “She believed in making a difference in the lives of others,” they had raised over $15,000. said Brad Thornburgh.

Donation allows students chance to attend funeral, pay respects Arlexeia Bernard Reporter When three charter buses filled with Everett students pulled up to the funeral of Corrie Thornburgh, it got the attention of the tiny village “I’m so glad for of Deerfield. The numthose buses; ber of Everett students had doubled the town’s without them I population, one of the joked. wouldn’t have parishThepriestsopportunity been able to for over 100 students to attend the funeral came go and pay from a fmaily friend, offered to help pay my respects.“ who for the buses.

“He wanted to -Tiayanna make sure the students Robinson were able to attend the funeral because the Everett students were such a huge part of Corrie’s life and he didn’t want them riding the long distance on yellow school buses,” said Brad Thornburgh, Corrie’s husband.

Students were thankful they got an opportunity to say their last goodbyes.

“I’m so glad for those buses; without them I wouldn’t have been able to

Three buses filled with Everett students pull away from St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, on their way to the cemetery. At the Relay for Life, a family friend approached the Thornburgh family and offered to provide the buses as a way for Everett students to attend their teacher’s funeral. go and pay my respects,“ said sophomore Tiayanna Robinson. Students say that the bus ride had a different feel.

“It didn’t feel like I was going to a funeral because everybody was trying to be all happy; the way back home was the hardest part,” said junior Britani Gibson. “I was happy for the buses, because I wouldn’t have gone without them.”

After talking with counselor Jenni-

“(The dance that I did at the mural) is a tribute to my environmental science teacher from my sophomore year.

It just felt like the right thing for me to do.”

-Brandon Cassel “She was a hero to her students at Everett, she

saw potential and hope in her students when others failed to do so.” -Brad Thornburgh

fer West, the family quickly decided one bus would not be enough, and chartered a second. The plan went without a hitch until the bus company called the day before the funeral and said they didn’t have the two buses they promised.

“We called every bus company in the state,” said Thornburgh. “By chance, Corrie’s brother Andrew, a University of Michigan grad, said maybe Michigan

State University has buses. He called and MSU went above and beyond to help us honor Corrie, an MSU graduate.”

In all, they were able to provide three buses that could hold 123 staff and students.

“I was thankful for the buses because I really wanted to go to her funeral but my mom works and she couldn’t take me,” said junior Tanesha Rodriguez.

“Our mother-son relationship started when I cheated on a test.

Some teachers would let you slide, but not her;

she cared about making you better.” -Jaleel Canty “She

made a real difference, we

should follow her lead.”

-Susan Ely Louis

“A

vibrant life over much too soon.”

-Patte Carter-Hevia

I’m proud of who cancer made her.”

“Cancer robbed us of our daughter, but

-Diane Grasley