Ron Davis Sr. deserves recognition and thanks

Good Morning,

Teachers leave indelible marks on those they teach. I have a great respect for teachers and I want to share a bit about Ron Davis, Sr.

I went down to the funeral home on Wednesday just after 1 p.m. as I wanted to go quite badly, yet I wanted to stay away from indoor crowds. As I arrived at the funeral home, Gerry and Judy Gebhardt were leaving. Did I know them? Yes. They taught my children. They never taught me. I do not know them as teachers.

You see, I did my junior and senior years only at EHS, which makes me a transplant. I don’t have the same type of connections that kids who attended this school district have for more years than me. My kids did have those connections from K-12.

My younger siblings had those connections. When my parents divorced, Debi and I decided to stay in Lyons and finish school. My sister, Margaret, attended first grade to senior, and the others were in lower grade school classes so they knew kids, friends, teachers, and more from the start. I did not have those connections. My younger siblings were integrated into the school district easily and the community connections they have is more complete and more concise as they knew everyone and were friends with everyone.

I was a transplant when my junior year started. For a kid who was shy and introverted to sometimes being extroverted, it was hard. I was ripped from where I wanted to be and my existence, and who I was became lost. I was a true wallflower. And yes, The Perks of Being a Wallflower book would have helped me out immensely had it been written at the time. Greater understanding would have changed my life for the better.

My older sister, Debi chose to go to EHS for her second semester of her senior year. She wanted to be closer to her then boyfriend, Jerald.

She was also one who questioned everything. It was always, “Answer this then” as she spoke to Mr. D. All I know is that Mr. Davis didn’t have to go the extra mile for me but he did. When I was placed in the foster care system (and I needed that break from my ‘rough’ home life), Ron Davis refused to let me slip through the cracks, and I graduated when I was slated to do so, in May of 1978. He sent me materials to learn and tests to take, papers to write, making sure I knew my government class.

Mr. Davis loved kids, teaching, sports and more. I guess I’m rambling but he deserves recognition for the person he was. I loved other lost teachers like “Lindy”, too, but Mr. D. literally saved me my senior year. My regret — I never thanked him properly for what he did for me. When my mother gave me up and into foster care, she didn’t want me in her home at that time, Mr. Davis sent me materials to fill out and reports to type up and the only way to pass was to know the material. He helped me. Excellent teacher. Such a community loss.

Here’s to you, Mr. Davis! I think every kid loved having you as their teacher. Until we all see you again ...

Mary Schmidt

Ellsworth