Special Education
Courtney Yarbough, 45
Died February 20, 2021.
Leadership Prep School, Frisco, TX
Special Education
Courtney Neal Yarbough, affectionately known to his wife as “Leo”, was born on August 9, 1975, in Corsicana, Texas. He transitioned to eternity with his Lord and Savior on February 20, 2021, in Frisco, Texas.
At the age of eleven, Courtney accepted Christ. Under the leadership of his mother, he was an active member of the Second Missionary Baptist Church where he attended Sunday school.
Courtney graduated from Corsicana High School. He went on to graduate from Texas State University where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. He then taught students in Austin Independent School District for a few years before moving to Houston, Texas where he met the love of his life, his rock, his ace, Kimberly Shantelle “Kimmy” Black. The two taught in the Alief Independent School District. During his tenure there, he earned his Master´s degree in Education from the University of Houston.
In 2005, he married his “hammer”, Kim. They moved to North Texas, and God allowed them the gift of being parents to four amazing children. Courtney continued impacting the lives of students at Texans Can Academy, Lewisville Independent School District, and Leadership Prep School in Frisco. He impacted the lives of many of his students and colleagues with his ¨gentle giant¨ temperament.
He turned all of his children into sports fans quickly! They would all gather around the TV on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays and rally around whatever team they were rooting for that week, never missing an opportunity to watch the Cowboys hopefully lose. Nevertheless, he instilled God’s word into each of them and ensured that it was a fabric of the family´s core values.
Courtney was known for his supportive, loving, and easy going temperament. He had a gift for meeting people where they were, with no judgement. Courtney was not only a supportive, loving, and compassionate guardian to his wife, children, and students, but also to his friends. He was a remarkable and inspiring friend who would give the shirt off his back. He loved to get friends and family together to eat and would definitely have a hand in one if not all of the food items, especially Bar-B-Que. Courtney loved to live life to the fullest, seeking every opportunity to serve others and root his children onto a victory.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Yarbough in July 2020 and Euradella Yarbough in December 2020. Those left to cherish precious memories include his wife, Kim; daughter, Nia (15); son, Cade (13); son, Austin (10); son, Crayton (3); parents-in-law, James and Alice Black; brother, Charles Kirklin Yarbough; sister, Rose Marie Small (Anthony); sister-in-love, Lisa Yarbough; niece, Nona Yarbough; nephew, Anthony Small III; great-nephews, Austin and Tripp Small; several aunts and uncles; best friends and his family by choice: JJ, Ozenne, and Yolanda; and many beloved colleagues and dear friends.
Karen Johnson, 57
Died February 11, 2021.
Albert Leonard Middle School, New Rochelle, NY
Special Education, Dance Coach
A veteran New Rochelle teacher will be laid to rest Friday after losing her battle with COVID-19 last week.
Even as her family grieves her loss, they are proud of the life she lived and the difference she made.
As CBS2’s Tony Aiello reported, the Johnson home in New Rochelle is filled with the joy of new life.
“Every single day, she wanted to see my son,” Robert Johnson Jr. told Aiello.
And the sorrow of terrible loss.
“She said to me, ‘I love you Robert Johnson.’ And that’s the last words she ever said to me,” he said.
The deep loss felt by the family of Karen Johnson is shared by many in New Rochelle. She was a beloved special education teacher at Albert Leonard Middle School.
“She was there for her kids. She wasn’t going to let them down,” said Johnson Jr.
She also coached the district’s acclaimed Prestige Step Team.
“We traveled everywhere with a lot of kids that would never have the opportunity to travel,” Robert Johnson Sr. said.
Johnson died Feb. 11 from COVID-19. She was 57 years old.
Last August, Johnson gave the district a doctor’s note citing obesity as a risk factor. It asked that she be allowed to work from home or given protection to minimize exposure at work.
The district denied her work-from-home request, but agreed to provide PPE and other measures. Johnson chose not to appeal the decision.
“It was denied. She marched back into the school and she did her job,” said Johnson Sr.
The family described Johnson as a “good soldier,” and indeed she served the country for four years in the Army.
Albert Leonard had reopened for just one day after a 10-day break when Johnson took ill. There’s no knowing how or where she contracted coronavirus.
“She knew COVID could be a death sentence, so that made her extremely cautious with everything that we did,” Johnson Jr. said.
It’s another shattering loss for the Johnson family. Their oldest child, Shaderi, died in 2017. Now Karen, just two months after welcoming Jace, her second grandchild.
“It breaks you and it breaks your family into pieces. We’ve had to accept that we’re not going to be the same people that we were when she was here. That piece is missing,” said Johnson Jr.
Mark Suttles, 46
Died February 10, 2021.
Riverdale Middle School, Riverdale, GA
Special Education, Track Coach
The number of reported deaths from COVID-19 is falling in Georgia, but that’s no comfort to the wife of a teacher and coach who died from the coronavirus this week.
Channel 2′s Tom Jones talked with LaShane Suttles in Clayton County. Her husband, Mark Suttles, died of the virus at just 46 years old. He was a well-known special education teacher at Riverdale Middle School and coached track at Riverdale High School.
LaShane Suttles said she is angry and searching for answers about how he got sick. Suttles was teaching middle school from home, but went to the high school to coach.
She said she doesn’t know if that’s where he contracted the virus, but strongly believes sports shouldn’t be a priority during a pandemic.
“You’re putting educators in danger,” Suttles said. “You’re putting the people that are teaching the future in danger. This virus will take your life. It will change your whole family just like this in an instant.”
Suttles said her husband loved teaching and coaching and just loved life.
“And now he’s just gone,” Suttles said. “You just sit there and you’re just pulling out pictures and things looking at your life. Just gone.”
Suttles said the couple grew up in a small town, dated briefly and then she moved away. They reconnected 20 years later and got married at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.
Now, their plans of growing old together are no longer.
“A wonderful man of 46 years just disappears, just like that,” Suttles said.
The school district would not comment on Suttles’ cause of death and wouldn’t respond when Jones asked about coaches having to teach in-person during a pandemic.
The Clayton County school superintendent released a statement late Thursday, saying:
“Clayton County Public Schools is deeply saddened by the loss of one of our valued employees. We continue to extend our prayers and thoughts to the family during this difficult time. We’re all dealing with the challenges of this pandemic in the many ways the virus can be contracted.
“The school district wishes not to speculate as to who and how the employee may have contracted the virus given the possibility of contraction from many sources.
“Again, the family is in our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time of loss. We encourage everyone to do their part to social distance, wear masks and participate in groups and gatherings responsibly. We must work together to combat this pandemic.”
Stephen Broxton, 42
Died February 18, 2021.
Erwin Middle School, Center Point, AL
Exceptional Education, Basketball Coach
Students, teachers, and staff at Erwin Middle School are mourning the loss of a beloved teacher, who died battling COVID-19.
School Principal, Dr. Angela Bush said everyone at the school, and many in the community, are devastated to hear of 42-year-old Stephen Broxton’s passing. He died Thursday after battling COVID-19 for several weeks.
Dr. Bush remembers Mr. Broxton as a devoted and dedicated teacher with a heart of gold, often putting the needs of others above his own.
Being one of very few Black, male teachers, many looked to him as a role model.
Mr. Broxton taught Exceptional Education, and was also the Assistant Girls’ Basketball Coach at Center Point High School.
Dr. Bush said Mr. Broxton started feeling sick back in January complaining of a cough. But she said he hesitated to go to the doctor because he didn’t want his students to fall behind. Dr. Bush says Mr. Broxton tested positive for COVID-19 on January 14th, and unfortunately never recovered.
“He was a role model for the students, and he could relate to the students. This was his heart and passion: working with students…special relationship with the males. So, it’s been a bit hard on the teachers here, the students and some of our parents as well because he poured so much into us and our school,” Dr. Bush said.
Grief counselors have been at Erwin Middle School since Thursday offering support to students and staff.
Students have organized a celebration of life for Mr. Broxton. They’re having a balloon release scheduled for next Thursday.
William Duckworth, 50
Died January 2021.
Mansfield High School, Mansfield, TX
Special Education
A teacher’s aide for special education at Mansfield High School died over the weekend after being diagnosed with COVID-19, the school district said in a letter to parents on Monday.
William Duckworth, 50, was an “extraordinary man who always came to work with a heart of service,” Principal Trent Dowd wrote in the letter. He had worked for the district since 2016.
Grief counselors are at the high school and will provide support as needed, Dowd wrote.
The Mansfield school district will continue to follow COVID-19 protocols including requiring face masks, not allowing visitors, deep cleaning and sanitation every night, and social distancing as much as possible, Dowd wrote.
It wasn’t clear by the letter if it’s known where or how Duckworth contracted the virus. The district reports 250 student cases and 88 staff cases.
Unlike other states, Texas health officials haven’t included teachers in the state’s vaccine distribution plan. That means it is unclear when teachers will be eligible to receive the shot.
Jose Reyes Jr., 59
Died January 27, 2021.
Centennial High School, Las Cruces, NM
Special Education
In a lifetime, we come across people who put their mark on life. It is with the deepest grievance and loss of such an amazing man in the community, that we announce the passing of JOSE ISABEL REYES JR, age 59, on January 27, 2021. Jose was born July 16, 1961 in Morton, Texas to Florencia and Jose Isabel Reyes Sr. He was an amazing and loving husband, father, uncle, cousin, and to those who knew him in Las Cruces community as “Mr. Joe”. Jose was one of a kind, a man who was a coach, and educator in the Las Cruces Public Schools and softball coach and put many smiles on the people he interacted with. He was an incredibly positive figure in this community.
Jose enjoyed spending quality time with his wife, his beautiful children and family, with his nieces and nephews as well as his great nieces, great nephews, fellow colleagues, and students he helped. Being a softball coach was one of his rewarding times in his life.
Those left to mourn his passing include his loving wife, Christine Reyes of Las Cruces; his son, Jose I. Reyes III; a daughter, Juliana M. Reyes; two brothers, David Reyes, and Antonio Reyes; and four sisters, Olivia Tienda, Marylou Reyes, Irma Reyes Brackens, Mary Helen Myers, eleven amazing nieces and nephews, as well as nine beautiful great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his beloved uncle Juan.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, capacity of attendees will be limited, and everyone is asked to please wear a mask. Thank you.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary will begin, at 1PM, Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at St. Albert the Great Newman Parish, 2615 S. Solano Drive. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated immediately thereafter with the Reverend Trinidad Cuevas, Celebrant. At his request, cremation will follow and Inurnment of cremains will take place at a later date.
Service arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Baca’s Funeral Chapels of Las Cruces, 300 E. Boutz Road, 527-2222. Your exclusive provider for “Veterans and Family Memorial Care.” For online condolences logon to www.bacasfuneralchapelslascruces.com
Don Breedwell, 65
Died January 8, 2021.
Dodson Elementary School, Hermitage, TN
Special Education
Donald Eugene Breedwell, age 65, took his final bow from the stage of life on January 8, 2021.
He was surrounded and survived by his wife, Susie Breedwell, and their children, Meredith, Geoff, and Wes.
He was thegreat storyteller. Words were never sparse from his lips as he grew up in Athens, Tennessee with the reputation of being the town chatterbox. The admiration for words, the sense of grandeur, and the talent of showmanship would become his lifelong legacy weaving a ribbon of entertainment through all of life’s situations.
He’d meet his wife of forty-four years, Susie, at church in Nashville where the tall tale of being in a bible study with Johnny and June Carter-Cash would weave into the romance of how they met. Their lives would lead them to Atlanta where Susie would give him his own Georgia Peach, daughter Meredith. There was a sense of wanderlust in his spirit that would take his family to Southern California, where they’d welcome sons Geoff and Wes. Thankfully, after many cross-country moves, the wanderlust lost its appeal and Don chose to settle with his family in Mount Juliet, Tennessee.
His marriage to Susie was a legacy of unconditional love, support, and acceptance. He and Susie showed their children a marriage of not just a partnership in life but what it means to be best friends with your spouse. In the last few moments of their time together, they genuinely enjoyed being with one another, a love that very few can experience.
As a father, his kids viewed him as their own Superman. He even saved lives during a fiery car-crash in 1987 while his daughter sat in the car solidifying his superhuman strength. His sons saw him as the man to call with all the answers to life’s problems, from relationships to debating religion. And all three realize he was their first version of Google, the one with all the answers and always knew how to get around town.
He was in constant pursuit of Christ’s love and would minister to others finding solace and community by sharing the love of God. His ministry work would blend his love of theater, music, and production. His theater ministry produced countless plays, musicals, and productions where he would show the love of God on stage. His productions wouldn’t just impact those in the audience but those who were also lucky enough to share the stage.
In the second part of his life, he chose to leave the corporate world of project management and traded it in for what would become his life’s passion. In 2010, he graduated from Cumberland University and went on to work as a Special Education teacher with both Metro and Wilson County Schools. His love of theater and his love for the art of storytelling him a fantastic educator. He had a special ability to teach the educational basics in a not so basic way. He recognized the importance of every child, regardless of their academic capability, has a desire for learning. His love of children would earn him the acclaimed nickname at school, Dodson Elementary, as the “kid-whisperer”. His truest form of joy was being a Pop-Pop to his four amazing grandchildren, Ashlin, Ike, Cora, and Zoey. His childlike wonder during those precious moments he spent with them.
He leaves behind the great debate of which Mini-Wheats are the best and the desire to see Ohio State clinch another college football National Championship. There’s always next year.
To continue his life’s passion for education, the family has requested in lieu of flowers a donation to Autism Awareness Tennessee.
The family is planning a celebration of life for the summer of 2021 when everyone can come to tell their own stories about our great storyteller.
Anna Botley, 61
Died January 10, 2021.
Ossun Elementary School, Lafayette, LA
Special Education
Twenty-four years ago, Anna Botley was a certified nursing assistant for Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital when she started working with Lafayette’s youngest learners at a local Head Start program.
“She fell in love with working with children,” said Botley’s daughter, Kianna Patton. “She found her purpose in teaching and working with children.”
Patton was 3 when her mom began to realize that love, and it would later inspire her to enter the world of education, too. Patton teaches at an elementary school in Lake Charles and feels like that was inevitable.
“I was always around kids and working with kids because of her,” Patton said. “Even in the children’s church ministry at our church Destiny of Faith, we would volunteer together taking care of kids since I was 12.
“I tried to run away from teaching, but just like her, my heart was drawn to teaching kids.”
Botley, originally from Ville Platte, died Sunday after 23 days fighting COVID-19. She had turned 61 four days earlier.
She is the second Lafayette Parish teacher to die due to COVID-19. Michelle Suire, a 53-year-old special education teacher at a Lafayette elementary, died Dec. 22 from complications of the virus.
Botley leaves behind husband Henry Botley, daughter Kianna Patton, son Rick Botley and a legacy of more than two decades with the Lafayette Parish School System. During that time, she’d worked as a teacher’s assistant, cafeteria worker, substitute teacher and special needs bus attendant.
Over the years, Botley worked with children of all ages. She was working with students in the special education department at Ossun Elementary before she died, Patton said.
“She loved her students,” Patton said. “For every holiday, she’d shower them with gifts. She loved to make learning fun for them, too. She always encouraged them.”
The two would swap stories about their students every day after school, she said.
“My favorite thing about her was how caring and loving she was with everyone she met and worked with,” Patton said. “She always had a smile on her face.”
Botley also was a fashionable dresser, a woman of faith and a great cook — “Her gumbo was her specialty,” Patton said.
“She loved to cook for everyone,” her daughter said. “Anything you wanted, she could cook. She just had a giving spirit, always wanting to bless others.”
Those who knew her had similar things to say on social media Monday.
Brandi J. Bell, who said she’d known Botley since Bell was a little kid, described the woman as “so sweet, always had a smile on her face.”
Lindsay Doucet Thibodeaux, who said she’d worked with Botley in recent years, called her one of the most genuine and nice people you could meet — “So sweet and caring!”
Botley’s niece, Jennifer Tezeno, said she wasn’t just an aunt, but a mentor, too
“She was always encouraging me and giving me advice,” Tezeno wrote on Facebook. “We will miss you teasing us… miss your laugh and smile… but God had other plans for you.”
Maude Jones, 64
Died January 4, 2021.
Rock Springs Elementary School, Lawrenceville, GA
Special Education
The family of a longtime Gwinnett County Public Schools employee, as well as her former co-workers, is mourning after she passed away earlier this month from COVID-19.
Maude Jones, who had been a paraprofessional at Rock Springs Elementary School who began working with Gwinnett County Public Schools in 2006, died on Jan. 4. She had been an employee of the district, and working at school, until she was hospitalized with COVID-19 last month.
“It just happened like one thing after another, after another,” Jones’ daughter, Nyenneh Jones, told Daily Post news partner FOX 5 Atlanta. “It was like a ball rolling downhill.”
Gwinnett County Public Schools officials said they could not confirm the cause of Jones’ death due to health privacy laws. A letter that Rock Springs Elementary School Principal Allan Gee sent to parents on Jan. 5 to inform them of Jones’ death did not mention COVID-19.
The letter noted that Jones had been at Rock Springs Elementary School since 2018 and that she officially entered retirement in December. Jones worked with students in a self-contained special education class at the school “in a caring and respectful manner,” the principal told the school’s parents.
“Although Ms. Jones would not have been returning to our school this semester as she had retired in December, I knew our Rock Springs family would want to know of our loss,” Gee said in the letter. “Losing a teacher, co-worker, and member of our school family is hard.”
In addition to being a teacher, Jones was also the primary caretaker for her son, who is disabled.
Jones’ family told FOX 5 that they believe she contracted the disease after someone at the school was diagnosed with it, although her daughter said the paraprofessional had taken great lengths to protect herself from getting the disease.
Maude Jones had already planned to retire at the end of the fall semester before she got COVID. The plan was for her last day at school before her retirement began to be Dec. 18, but she was hospitalized two days before that with complications from COVID-19.
“We beat ourselves up every day,” Nyenneh Jones said. “We should have encouraged her more to just not go back after the Thanksgiving break.”
To date, Rock Springs Elementary School has reported eight confirmed cases of COVID-19, as well as two suspected cases and 13 close contacts with someone who has the disease.
Those numbers include one new confirmed case, one new suspected case and six close contacts that were reported by the school on Monday.
The school system has reported a total of 568 confirmed cases, 330 suspected cases and 2,703 close contacts so far during the current school year.
Three school board members — Everton Blair, Karen Watkins and Tarece Johnson — pushed for starting the spring semester in an all digital format and delaying a return to in-person instruction until Jan. 19 because of a sharp new spike of COVID-19 cases in Gwinnett County that began over the holidays. Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks, who had the final say on how students began the semester, disagreed with them during a called meeting on Jan. 4, however, and expressed opposition to making a change to the start of the semester.
Crystal Bennett, 36
Died January 13, 2021.
Ashe County High School, West Jefferson, NC
Special Education
Katlyn Farmer says her town of West Jefferson is mourning after the death of a beloved teacher.
Crystal Bennett, she says, was a special person who meant a lot to many. Bennett was an EC Teacher at Ashe County High School. Farmer’s son, who has autism, was a student of hers for four years.
“He just adored her and thought the world of her and her family and this is the first time I ever seen my 18 year old son grieving,” Bennett said.
Farmer and others say Crystal became sick last week with COVID-19 and went downhill fast. They had hoped she was getting better.
Crystal was texting people from the hospital at first.
“One day there was a post from her and the next day she was gone,” said Farmer.
School officials said their condolences go out to her family and friends and added that counselors are available online for those who need it.
Classes will be 100-percent virtual now until after the Martin Luther King Holiday weekend.
Students at Ashe County High School said they could not believe the news when they heard that the teacher had passed away.
“It was just out of nowhere,” said one student, with another adding “It really hits home.”
Friends of the teacher are hoping what happened is a reminder to everyone to follow all the safety guidelines for COVID-19.