Obituary for Jamaica RPCV Ginny Emmons



"She showed a great deal of respect and appreciation for those many people who provide support to the instructional program: classroom and playground aides, custodians, bus drivers. To her, student achievement was everything," she added. Emmons started her career in Wisconsin, where she had attended college and earned a master's degree. She also volunteered in Jamaica as a member of the Peace Corps.

Obituary for Jamaica RPCV Ginny Emmons

Mesa elementary school remembers beloved principal

Jul 31, 2007 — Knight Ridder Tribune Business News

Jul. 31--When Webster Elementary School begins classes next month, one beloved member of the community will be missing -- Principal Ginny Emmons, who died Thursday from a massive stroke.

"This is a sad day for members of her community and Mesa Public Schools. Ginny was respected by those who knew her," Hector Benitez, an assistant superintendent, wrote in a letter sent to parents Friday. Benitez said he is asking recently retired principals to temporarily help out at the school. Virginia "Ginny" Emmons worked at Webster for three years. The previous nine years, she was the principal at Taft Elementary School. She also worked at Jefferson, Salk, Madison and Jordan elementary schools, as well as in the Fountain Hills Unified Scho l District. "She had a wonderful way about her. She was warm, she was wise and she had a great wit," Superintendent Deb Duvall said.

"She showed a great deal of respect and appreciation for those many people who provide support to the instructional program: classroom and playground aides, custodians, bus drivers. To her, student achievement was everything," she added. Emmons started her career in Wisconsin, where she had attended college and earned a master's degree. She also volunteered in Jamaica as a member of the Peace Corps. After moving to Arizona, she earned a doctorate in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University in 2002. "She gave of her time, and of herself," said Marie Doughty, Emmons' secretary. "I knew she knew a lot of people in the community, but I had no idea.

I'm getting calls from people that have all had been touched by her." Emmons was an avid swimmer, Doughty said, and she had two little dogs that she loved. Emmons also loved pigs -- she had a large collection of pig items, and she had her yearbook photograph taken with a large stuffed pig last year. She would have celebrated her 59th birthday on Friday. Webster will host a celebration of Emmons' life from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. today at the school's recreation center, 202 N. Sycamore, in Mesa. In lieu of flowers, the district is asking the community to consider a donation to the Ginny Emmons-Celebrate Webster School Fund, or to the Webster Elementary School Extracurricular Activities Fund, in care of the school at 202 N. Sycamore, Mesa, 85201

Office staff said they are hoping to raise enough money to purchase a new marquee for the front of the school, which was one of Emmons' goals. Celebration of Ginny Emmons' life When: 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. today Where: Webster Recreation Center, 202 N. Sycamore, Mesa (west side of campus)

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: July, 2007; Peace Corps Jamaica; Directory of Jamaica RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Jamaica RPCVs; Obituaries

When this story was posted in August 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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