Two heros will be missed

Sometimes the foundation of an institution can be shaken. The Lake Roosevelt Raiders have lost two very important educators and friends this year, but their impact in the community goes way deeper than a school setting. These two have written the history books when it comes to our little community, and their impact is felt by generations and distance that goes beyond the walls that surround us.

If you ever went into the old Flo’s Café, needed a piece of glass or were looking for a piece of an old Hudson, then you probably knew Tracy Thiel. He could also be seen the past few years in the halls of Lake Roosevelt, encouraging his student and all those around him. It became obvious quite quickly that this man was a very special man.

It did not matter if you rolled the dice with him, sat around a stove in his shop, went to swap meets or did math alongside him; you were considered his friend and you felt the same. His knowledge of the area and the people in it was large and vast. But it was his heart for his fellow man that set him apart. He was willing to listen, and he was willing to help.

I will remember him fondly, sitting at a little table in the Raider Hub with his ever-present flannel worn. I was sipping coffee as we watched the fog lift and fall above the Columbia River. We spoke of his family and mine. We shared air and enjoyed just watching the bustle in the kitchen as the ladies prepared. We enjoyed the sleepy-eyed young ones come in for their day, and the employees dragging in not far behind the students. We laughed and shared moments with each other. That is what he did with everyone.

My first-grade teacher was Mrs... Bonameci. Here recently, that same woman was my friend and coworker. Her name had become Mrs... Erickson, but her heart was the same as it was so long ago. She loved kids and it showed. I don’t think I will ever look at an acoustic guitar again and not see her in front of an entire building of kids leading them in “The Lion Hunt.”

She has impacted far more than we can ever imagine. Forty-plus years of service to the hearts and minds of the future leaders of this world. Her understanding of what a child needed to grow, mature and feel loved was a gift from above. She also used those same skills to mentor those around her who were willing to listen. When she spoke, we all took notice because it was always profound and useful.

I learned multiplication because of her a long time ago. She single handedly would not let me quit or fail. Last year she also impacted me just as greatly. As I sat back and watched her fight like a champion, I noticed that she was not quitting, she was not failing. The same encouragement she gave me so long ago she used on herself in her hardest time. She did not say a word to me, but she impacted me by her nature. She was real, honest and full of the highest integrity, and it showed in her actions.

Both of these local heroes deserve so much more than just some words on a page. They both lived their lives among us, caring for the community that they dwelled in. They showed us how to love each other as citizens, friends and colleagues but they also showed us most importantly how to dedicate our lives unto others.

They are true servants of the heart, and the legacy they both leave behind is giant. Just like their hearts. To truly honor them, we must live our lives like they did, giving to others unconditionally.

I will miss you both as will thousands and thousands of hearts you both touched.