Even after all three kids moved up the ranks of elementary school and were no longer in her class, we'd make a point to still stop by and say hello to Miss Langs (she insisted Marty and I call her Blythe). We were connected to her more than any teacher at that school because of our history with her.
Almost two years ago, Blythe messaged us on Facebook asking if she could call us. I had a sense it wasn't necessarily good news. It wasn't. Blythe told us she had cancer and asked us to pray because she didn't have a pastor. The news was heartbreaking, and even more so because she told us through tears. Of course we would pray. And pray we did. Every day that I walked Max and Ella to school, we prayed for our usual items and we prayed for Miss Langs, for healing, for peace, for her to know the love of God amidst this trial she was facing.
She didn't return to teach the following school year but stayed in touch with her through her fight with cancer. Unfortunately she would say things like "I wish I had better news."
Last Spring, Marty was able to have lunch with Blythe. She was dying, but she was living life, trying to connect with as many friends as possible and was headed to Hawaii in a few weeks. Yet, the most important thing she conveyed was she was at peace and was ready to be with Jesus. Though we prayed for healing, that peace she was experiencing was the biggest part of my request of God. Marty said it was an honor to be able to sit with her and observe this woman so brave and so ready to go if she had to die. Marty gave her a necklace and Blythe took this picture of her wearing it and sent it to us...
She looked so pretty and healthy.
Woke up this morning to "RIP's" on her Facebook page and my heart grew sad instantly. She died yesterday, October 14, on her birthday.
Miss Langs... Blythe... a kindergarten teacher is pivotal in a child's life, and a good kindergarten teacher is monumental. You were a great kindergarten teacher. You taught, loved, and cared for our three kids and we will be forever grateful to God for allowing our paths to cross on this earth. It was an honor to help you walk through the fight of your life and lift up prayers for you. You haven't been our kids' teacher for years now, but these last several months, you taught us how to live life and face death. Still teaching. Our hearts are breaking and rejoicing for you. We will never, ever forget you. We are remembering Miss Langs today... Blythe Langs.
5 comments:
Thank you so much for this beautiful tribute. Blythe was an amazing teacher and a dear friend at Briarwood when I taught there back in 2001-2006. She will be missed.
This is beautiful Mr. Couch. Thank you so much for writing it.
My children didn’t have Miss Langs but they enjoyed visiting her class. Even when they were older and were visiting Briarwood, they would love stopping by her class and checking out the chicks and ducklings. My children always had nice things to say about Miss. Langs. Once thing that I will not forget was her warm smile and she had such a welcoming presence to her. She greeted me every time I would see her. One of my dear friends informed me that Miss. Langs was battling cancer and asked if I would pray for her. So our family did. When I found out she had passed, it was heart breaking. All I could think about was her smile and how happy she always seemed. She will missed.
Thank you for writing this beautiful tribute.
This is so heartbreaking and so unbelievable that the best teacher in the world is gone. She was the only teacher who understood my son and the only who knew my son had a learning disability and she did he best to work with him and had so much patience with him. She taught him so much and she made a school a much brighter place for my son to be. He is now sad and heart broken, my son was 5 years old when Ms, Langs was his, he is 13 years old and we just found out today while wanting to visit her and take her flowers that she passed away ����.
Thank you for writing this. Blythe was my cousin and I just today learned of her passing from another relative who saw your blog. We only met once, some 30+ years ago, when we spent two weeks together in Michigan. I remember she was a nanny. It's lovely to know she became a kindergarten teacher. I also remember she won Trivial Pursuit by knowing what ship bore the call sign NCC-1701. She was a delightful person and I wish we'd kept in touch..
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