If you are lucky - one or two teachers made a positive impression on your life that you still feel today - if you are very lucky you got that from 3-4 teachers. If you're incerdibly lucky like me, you had many positive impressions and one of those people was as special as Alta Blakely, one of my English teachers. Ms. Blakely read a story I wrote about life as a freshman, being a stranger in a strange land, and her feedback was so powerful, so insiteful and telling, it was if she had known me for decades, and in truth it was only my second week in her class. I did everything possible to get into all of the mini classes she was teaching, but I was finally successful in getting her for a class on the Old Testament. Several religions were represented in the class and she encouraged us all to bring our own Bibles - it was one of the best classes I ever had. It influenced me to go to Loyola, a Jesuit school that enphasizes Theology and Philosophy in it's curiculum. During that last year at Kenwood, there was a teacher's strike. It began as we were preparing for AP exams, final college exams and college essays. It was an incredible hectic time and the school was closing on us. Who knew when the school would re-open and who knew if we would have enough time to meet our deadlines. Ms. Blakely stood by us, saw the broader picture and told us that no matter what happened with the strike, we still needed to stand up and be counted among the other students who were applying for college that year. She opened her home to us for classes to make sure we had the necessary preparation. That strike seemed endless, but it made me aware how easily we could be pawns in a game of political one upsmanship. If you want to make sure your interests are taken care of, you must always speak up. That strike and others like it helped me choose Human Resources as a profession. I've always admired Ms. Blakely's courage in working with us when many of her colleagues felt that she shouldn't do anything that may hurt the strike. I was one of a small group of my classmates who went to visit Ms. Blakely every year we could to thank you for her selflessness.
I'm sad to report that today I learned of Ms. Blakely's passing. She was a courageous defender of the right. The memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 21st at 3:00 pm. Its my hope that you will join me there to say our final good byes to a woman who helped us to become the people we are today.
Alta Blakely
| Visit Guest Book Blakely, Alta Marie Age 92, 60-year resident of Hyde Park, former English teacher at Hyde Park High School and Kenwood Academy, died January 4th in her Montgomery Place apartment. Preceded in death by 1st husband, Thomas Farr, 2nd, Robert Blakely, brother Richard Eckhoff. Survived by her children Cara Farr (husband Roger) Keller, Raye Farr, Stanley (wife Cecilia) Farr, grandchildren Dan, Mark, Greg, Karen, Zac, Ariana, Rachel, & Thomas, nine great-grandchildren, sister Eunice Ericsson & brother Philip Eckhoff. Active in the Hyde Park Historical Society, she was also known for decades of involvement as active citizen, election judge, Midland Author's participant, member of United Church of Hyde Park, & quilt show director. Her memorial service, public welcome, will be at her church, 1344 E. 53rd St. 3:00 P.M. January 21, followed by a social hour. In lieu of flowers, consider Doctors without Borders, doctorswithoutborders.org, her church, or American Lung Association .
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