Texas
Jan Stein, 71
Died November 7, 2020.
Victory Christian Academy, Decatur, TX
Sixth Grade
Graveside service for Jan Stein, 71, of Bridgeport, is 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Thomas Cemetery in Bridgeport, officiated by Pastor Kevin Casey. Jan passed away Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Denton.
Jan was born March 19, 1949, in Bakersfield, Calif. to parents Raymond Junior Gandy and wife Jerrie Sue (Harber) Gandy.
While attending college at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Jan saw a young college student walking across the campus. Apparently they were smitten with each other from the beginning. Jan even said that if he’d asked if she would have married him on their first date.
She married the love of her life, Paul Stein June 1, 1968, in Wickett. This union produced children Sydnee and Stevan. And over the years kids of all ages found themselves a home with the Steins.
Jan taught in South and West Texas before coming to Wise County. The family moved to Bridgeport in 1983 and Paul and Jan both worked for Bridgeport ISD, where Jan taught a variety of grades and subjects, but in particular worked as a sixth-grade math or science teacher. She is remembered fondly by students throughout the years.
After retirement in 2010, Jan, a natural born teacher, decided that she wasn’t quite through and got the chance to teach in a Christian school. She taught at Victory Christian Academy in Decatur a job that she cherished, up until she contracted COVID-19 pneumonia in October 2020.
She wasn’t just a teacher though. She loved molding young students’ minds to the more important things in life, such as learning the art of gratitude, as well as respecting others. Particularly at Victory Christian Academy she considered herself to be a disciple to those students. She will be forever remembered as a woman with a gift for instilling excellence into her students.
On a personal level, Jan was a homebody who loved cooking, gardening and doing home d cor projects. There wasn’t one room in Paul’s and Jan’s house that hasn’t been completely remodeled at least twice. That’s where she spent her time when she wasn’t teaching ,and she wanted it to be comfortable and attractive, an accomplishment she achieved with every redo.
Forever impacted by her life are her husband of 52 years, Paul Stein of Bridgeport; daughter Sydnee Stein of Northern Virginia; son Stevan Stein and wife, Tammy, of Fort Collins, Colo.; sister Linda Boudreaux and husband, Rayln, of Bartlesville, Okla.; brother Matt Gandy and wife, Cindy, of Carlsbad, N.M.; grandchildren Noah, Zoe, Eva, Mia and Shiloh Stein; great-granddaughter Echo Stein; nieces Vicki Johnston of Alexandria, Vir. and NickiKane and husband, Eric, of Louisiana; nephews Doug Boudreaux and wife, Cyndee, of Bartlesville and Garret Gandy and wife, Kristin, of Midland; close family friend Stan Laing and wife, Linda, of Boerne; numerous nieces and nephews; and past and present students.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sister Tina Curry and husband, Doug, and their daughter Kimberly Ann.
In addition to being a teacher at Victory, Jan was also an active member of The Father’s House Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Victory Christian Academy Scholarship Fund, 600 W Mulberry, Decatur, TX 76234, and/or to The Father’s House Church, 4337 US-380, Decatur, TX 76234.
Amalia Gonzales, 73
Died November 26, 2020.
Milam Elementary School, Odessa, TX
Substitute Teacher
COVID-19 has struck hundreds of thousands of people across the United States, and it has struck here in West Texas once again.
This time, an ECISD teacher died on Thanksgiving. It was Amalia Gonzales’ 50th wedding anniversary.
Never skipping a beat, dancing, and singing. Amalia Gonzales was the life of the party.
“My mom was so much fun…she loved to travel. She said that her most expensive habit was my son, her grandson. My son Jacob was her only grandchild,” Rebecca Lopez, Amalia’s daughter, said.
For Rebecca, Amalia was her mom, but she was also more than that. She was a caring grandmother and a dedicated teacher to her students.
“She loved teaching her kids. She had actually retired many, many years ago, but she kept going back to substitute teach. I’m like ‘why do you keep doing this? Why don’t you just go and enjoy retirement?’ and she said ‘I don’t wanna just sit around the house and I love being there with the kids,'” Lopez said.
Teaching was more than just a job to Amalia. Rebecca believes that teaching was her mother’s calling.
“I think it was her purpose in life, teaching was her purpose. She impacted so many children in Odessa that she taught over her more than 40 years as a teacher,” Lopez said.
It wasn’t just those that she taught that she impacted, but everyone she met. She was the first person to volunteer, the matriarch of her family, a loyal friend, and a beloved family member.
Amalia was always trying to spread love and happiness. She was always trying to make people smile.
“That’s just who she was,” Lopez said.
A little more than a week ago, COVID-19 reached Rebecca’s family. The virus hit Amalia without warning.
“My mom started exhibiting symptoms on Monday, the week of Thanksgiving and she sounded like she had allergies,” Lopez said.
On Thanksgiving morning, just a few days after she began showing symptoms, Amalia died. Amalia and her husband Santos had been married 50 years to the day on Thanksgiving this year.
“It was their 50th wedding anniversary, and we had delayed celebration because we didn’t want to get together because of COVID. So she died on their 50th wedding anniversary on Thanksgiving day. So that was just heart wrenching for my father. You know he used to call her ‘mi vida’ – ‘my life,'” Lopez said.
The hardest part for Rebecca was not being able to hold her father and her sister because they are also being tested for COVID.
“I think the hardest part of all of this is not being able to hold them and hold my dad and hug him and comfort him and comfort my sister and together you know just grieve as a family,” Lopez said.
As for the people who believe that this virus will impact them? Rebecca wants them to think twice because the virus is everywhere.
“They need to think twice because these statistics aren’t just statistics. There are people behind the numbers, and behind every number is a grieving family, is a grieving friend, there’s a grieving loved one,” Lopez said.
Iris Meda, 70
Died November 14, 2020.
Collin College, McKinney, TX
Nursing
Iris Dean Meda, or Deanie as she was affectionately called, of Melissa, Texas, age 70, passed away on November 14, 2020 due to complications associated with Covid-19. She was born January 12, 1950 in Charleston, South Carolina to Elizabeth White and Clarence Singleton. Iris received a High School Equivalency Diploma from the University of the State of New York Education Department in 1976. She received an Associate Degree from Bronx Community College, and in 1984 received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The City College City University of New York. She married John Meda in 1970. Iris is survived by her husband, John; sisters, Laura Coston, Lisa Campbell and Michelle Singleton; brothers, James Campbell, Vernon Campbell, Clarence Singleton and Phillip Singleton; daughter, Selene Meda-Schlamel; grandchildren, Ty Bui, Mai-An Bui, Elizabeth Schlamel and Tommy Schlamel. She was preceded in death by brother Kenneth Campbell and her beloved daughter Tanya Bui.
In her 35-year career as a registered nurse, Iris worked in hospitals, correctional facilities and nursing homes in New York and Texas. She retired in January 2020 from North Texas Job Corps Center. She returned to the workforce in August as a professor at Collin College, working with high school students enrolled in dual credit courses at Anna High School and Allen High School. She was passionate about education and equipping students with proper nursing skills to keep their future patients safe. She felt called to teaching and delighted in encouraging her students. Trained in service at an early as the oldest of 5 siblings, whom she cared for almost like a mother. Iris fondly recalled getting them ready and taking them to school when she was still in elementary school. Iris enjoyed connecting with people. Whether it was work, church or even the grocery store, Iris made friends everywhere she went. She had a servant heart and always responded when called upon by friends. Her passion was her family. She was dedicated wife, sister, mother and grandmother, and gave her very best to her family until the end.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations by mail to Carver PTA at Carver Elementary School 2200 Wynn Joyce Rd, Garland, TX 75043. Please reference Tanya Bui Kindergarten Fund on the check.
Natalie Sabrena Reveles
Died November 6, 2020.
Parkland High School, El Paso, TX
English
Parkland High School is also mourning the loss of longtime beloved English teacher Natalie Sabrena Reveles. She contracted COVID in late October and passed away Friday. Condolences and memories of Reveles began pouring in on social media Saturday from current and former students, along with colleagues.
“She was such a kind and beautiful soul. She was one of those teachers that the students clung to and couldn’t wait to go to her class. They loved her so much. One of the best. When she talked to you, she always made you feel special because she genuinely cared to hear how you were feeling and doing. She was a ray of light in what sometimes felt like a dark and stressful work environment. She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her,” said Alejandra Villanueva on Facebook.
“Mrs. Reveles was such a lovely teacher. She genuinely cared for all of her students. In a time of great despair, it is disappointing to lose her. I will always remember her for being a great teacher that strived for our success,” Erick Sanchez said on a GoFundMe post.
KTSM 9 News spoke with Reveles’s friend and colleague Maribel Sifuentes-Perez. Perez said she knew Reveles had COVID-19 and was checking on her regularly but on Friday she didn’t receive a text back.
“Even on Friday when she passed away she sent me a text in the morning and I responded but she never saw it,” said Maribel Sifuentes-Perez
Perez heartbroken by the loss of Reveles, saying she was a kind person, who listened and respected all people. One thing she say’s she’ll never forget is Reveles’s sense of style.
“I would look at her and be like man I wish I could dress like that. It was like every day I wonder what she’s wearing today that’s going to make an impact. And on her second year there at Parkland she got a whole spread in the yearbook because of her fashion.”
Her colleagues set up a GoFundMe to assist Reveles’ family with funeral expenses.
Brown and Reveles each had strong ties to the Eastwood High School community, each of them had several children — all of whom attended Eastwood or the Eastwood feeder pattern schools.
Clarkster Toure
Died November 14, 2020.
Mesquite Independent School District, Mesquite, TX
Bus driver
When asked to describe his mother, one of the first things Frederick Cohen will tell you is about her love for kids.
In addition to raising her five boys, Clarkster Toure went to work every day for 12 years to drive a bus load of kids to and from school.
Most recently, she drove for Mesquite ISD.
It’s a job Cohen said his mother loved.
“She spent her life trying to do the best she could and be the best that she could be, and she accomplished that,” said Cohen.
But at the end of her life, the strength she showed throughout it proved no match for COVID-19.
“My definition of my mother is that she was an angel on this Earth that went back home. That’s it,” said Cohen.
Cohen said his mother first went to the E.R. at the beginning of October after feeling sick on a weekend away celebrating her 10th wedding anniversary.
“She was coughing real bad,” said Cohen.
Toure tested positive for the virus.
She was given something to treat asthma that previously hadn’t been much of a problem for her and was sent home.
She’d go back twice more before she was admitted.
“It messed with her lungs. It took her breath away,” said Cohen.
About a month after her diagnosis, Cohen said his mom called him from the hospital telling him to prepare her room for her return to home.
She was optimistic she was on the mend.
Then she took a turn and was placed on a ventilator.
Within days, she was gone.
“That’s the hardest thing,” said Cohen. “People telling you that you can’t see your mother, that it doesn’t matter that you’re her child.”
Cohen said they believe Toure got the virus from a friend at church.
He said though she’d initially been skeptical of COVID-19’s danger, she’d been careful on her bus route each day wearing both a mask and gloves.
Their family hopes others will do the same.
“Even now, she’s watching over people, and she’d want everybody to be safe, stay cautious and remember that COVID is real,” said Cohen.
Due to HIPPA regulations, Mesquite ISD said it couldn’t comment on Toure’s death.
The district released a statement:
Please know that contact tracing is performed for every COVID-19 case of a staff member or student, and everyone who has been in close contact is notified immediately. Here are our bus-related COVID-19 safety protocols:
– Hand sanitizer application is required before entering the bus and before exiting the bus.
– Staff and students grades pre-K to 3 are highly encouraged to wear their masks at all times, and students grades 4-12 are required to wear their mask at all times.
– The bus drivers wear their masks during any interaction with the students or other staff member(s).
– The buses are sanitized between routes.
– We are limiting the number of students allowed on the bus simultaneously.
Erick Ortiz, 52
Died December 6, 2020
Milby High School, Houston, TX
Chemistry
A Milby High School teacher has died from COVID-19, according to family members.
Erick Ortiz, 52, taught chemistry at Milby High School. His family said he had been teaching in-person at the campus since everyone returned.
According to the family, Ortiz tested positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 8, contacted the district about it and was hospitalized on Nov.10. He died on Dec. 6.
“We found out the next day all of his students were in the classroom with a substitute teacher,” said Ortiz’s sister-in-law Laura Heredia. “We’re not sure they were notified.”
His family wonders whether Ortiz contracted the virus while at school, and whether the school has been following proper notification protocol.
Heredia said HISD has yet to respond to their requests for copies of any communication that was sent to parents, student and staff about Ortiz’s positive case or previous ones.
Friday, HISD provided ABC13 with a copy of an automated callout that was placed on Sunday, Nov. 8, alerting Milby High School that a person at the school had been diagnosed with COVID-19.
The district said they are not allowed to identify the person. Milby High School roughly has about 1,800 students, teachers and staff. On average, district-wide, 40% of students are doing in-person learning.
HISD released the following statement regarding Ortiz:
“The Houston Independent School District is deeply saddened to learn of the death of one of our beloved Milby High School teachers. We extend our sincere condolences to the teacher’s family, friends, and students. Counselors have been made available for as long as they are needed, on campus and virtually, to provide support to students and staff.”
Ortiz was a married father of three children. He taught in the Houston-area for 23 years. Heredia says her family will continue to press for answers.
“It’s been heartbreaking. This has broken the whole family,” she said. “He was a wonderful father, wonderful husband, a wonderful brother-in-law. He was an awesome teacher.”
Heredia has set up a GoFundMe to help her sister and her family.