We will miss you - Wayne Montgomery.
So where does one start when your heart is aching the loss of a great man. That is who Wayne Montgomery was. He touched the lives of so many and because of him we are better human beings with bigger, kinder hearts and we will never be the same. Wayne was one of those rare individuals who leave a mark on your soul. His passing will not take this away. The mark will live on in us forever more.
"There are certain special people in this world who really care. Who find joy in helping others, and who have so much to share." This may be a simple verse from a greeting card, but it describes Wayne so well. Those who had the privilege of working with Wayne at the SVE Elementary School know how true this statement is.
Wayne Montgomery was a teaching assistant working as the Dean of Students. He managed the planning room in addition to many other programs. He was the co-founder of the Caring Council which is a group of students committed to promoting kindness and respect within the school community. This caring community theme resonated throughout the elementary school with Wayne as a major driving force. Not only did Wayne talk the talk, he walked the walk. He was a true model and inspiration for staff and students alike.
One of Wayne's many responsibilities was to monitor the children's safety as they arrived each day on the bus and left each afternoon. As always, Wayne went above and beyond by greeting every student each morning with a friendly hello and a positive remark to start their day. He also tried to send them home each day with a good bye, a hug, or a high five. Wayne was continuously building strong, positive relationships with staff, students, and families. His message of showing kindness and respect was evident in all he did. He was so committed to helping everyone be better people.
Wayne seemed to have his finger on the pulse of everything going on in the building. He knew when a person was in need and was willing to go out of his way to show kindness, love, and support. He was not a man who was afraid to show concern, offer advice or cry along side you. Wayne had a tremendous impact on the SVE Elementary community and meant so much to everyone. It is difficult to describe the influence that Wayne had on people.
One of Wayne's greatest strength's was his ability to put into words, what we all often think but never take time to say. He often used poetry to express his feelings and did it so well. As a tribute to Wayne we thought it was only fitting to honor him with a poem of his own. In remembering him, we located several poems he had recently written. We realized that the words he used for others genuinely described how we feel about him. So, how best to honor him than to use some of his own words.
The Big Dog
There has never been a poem more difficult to compose
But
there was no other way as everyone knows.
For you were the King of incredible
poems
And now we want to honor you with one of your own
So this one's for you Wayne, though it may not compare
We
still had to tell you how much we care.
We struggled with the words to
express how we feel
So some of your words we have chosen to steal
Life is full of pitfalls, troubles and strife
The impressions
you made will last a life
In the short time you were here, we hope you will
know
your hard work and dedication helped us to grow
As the heart of our caring community
You asked us - "are you
being the person you want to be?"
It may not have been what we wanted to
hear
But you kept our mission ever so clear
You taught us about love, kindness and respect
What you
probably didn't know would be your effect
You shared with us your most
important goals
And they will forever live on in our souls
We love you for holding our hearts so near
The hugs that you
gave took away our fear
Your caring and compassion has brightened our
way
Your smile and humor helped us each day
Thank you for being a part of us here
Memories of you we will
always hold dear
You will have our respect and our love always
Till we
meet again someday in those "pearly" hallways!!!
We will miss you so much, we know this is true
And today is a
day that is so sad and blue
We want you to know as you are laid to
rest,
We love you like a big dog Wayne, you are the best
Our promise to Wayne is that his legacy will live on in the elementary school and will be stronger than ever. We will concentrate our efforts on spreading the caring community theme beyond our building because we know he wanted that so much. Although he is not physically here, his presence will be felt within us always and the lessons he taught us will be a part of what we do each day. He was a blessing in our lives and we will miss him more than words can say. Thank you Wayne for being the person you wanted to be and for inspiring us to be the people we want to be!
As a school community, we express our condolences to his family and friends.
With much love and respect,
The SVE Elementary Caring
Community