3 minute read
IN MEMORIAM BECKY CARDWELL
BECKY CARDWELL
SEPTEMBER 20, 1960 - JUNE 24, 2022
On June 24, 2022, the Wesleyan School community lost a friend, fan, colleague, and warm face many new families met when they first arrived on campus. Becky Cardwell served in many roles over the years in both the high school office and in Gillfillan Hall. For the last eight of her 16 years on campus, she served as the executive assistant to the head of school, greeting guests and families alike with warmth that demonstrated both her love for people and for Wesleyan School.
Cleveland went on to recall, “Following Becky’s tragic and untimely passing, I received many notes, cards, and emails, all describing her in a similar fashion: sweet, warm, faithful, Godly, joyful, an encourager, and a bright light.”
A devoted cheerleader of both her beloved Wolves and her colleagues, those who worked with Becky recall how she made a point of finding ways to encourage those around her in the day-to-day work of the school.
“Becky’s desk at Wesleyan was a couple buildings away from mine, but I would find excuses to walk over there because I knew she’d find a way to lift me up, either with a smile and a kind word or with a Trader Joe’s dark chocolate peanut butter cup,” shared Greg Lisson, director of Christian life. “I told her those were my favorite, and every now and then an entire bag would mysteriously find its way into my office or box at school.”
From her desk in Gillfillan, Becky had a unique viewpoint as she saw the full breadth of the Wesleyan community and both the opportunities and challenges that come with managing an independent school. She had a knack for knowing just when someone needed encouragement or perspective, and she was not shy about sharing either.
“She was consistently my biggest cheerleader,” Cleveland recalled. “She was eager and excited to tell me positive Wesleyan stories, from a phone call or a conversation, or her favorite line, ‘Guess what I heard today?’ Her endless enthusiasm in sharing these stories was clear evidence of her love for Wesleyan School. She also loved to leave things on my desk when she knew I was out of the office. It might be a snack, a Trader Joe’s peanut butter cup, a Diet Dr. Pepper from QT, or a copy of a devotion she had recently read.”
In addition to being an encourager, Becky was the sort of prayer warrior everyone needs in their lives. Whether she knew of a need or simply felt someone could use God’s encouragement, provision, or protection, she prayed. And she did it faithfully.
“No matter what was going on at work, at home, or any other part of my life, I knew that Becky was praying,” recalls Jennifer Copeland, assistant head of school for external affairs. “She made such a habit over the years of telling me how she’d prayed for me that I just knew she would be praying. A friend like that, one who is diligent and committed to praying for those they love, is hard to replace.”
Becky knew what it was like in the day-to-day trenches of raising a family, and she spoke words of wisdom and encouragement to the working parents who crossed her path. She took the “Gillfillan kids,” her name for the children whose parents work in Gillfillan Hall, under her wing and from time to time kept their favorite candies in her not-so-secret stash for each of them. She asked about their days and encouraged them in their studies.
Even greater than her love for Wesleyan was her love for her family. Her husband Eric, daughter Chelsea ‘07, son Daniel ‘10, and daughter-in-law Cayla brought her great joy. The Wesleyan School family is better because of the time we had Becky on campus. The impact she made is undoubtedly eternal, and her presence is, and will continue to be, missed deeply every day.
