Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Other messages about Cindy

Please take some time to check out Misty Burton's blog where she posted her thoughts in regards to Cindy.   http://www.confessionsofasouthernmama.com

Also, I opened my mail today and the Alliance News, which is the newsletter for SC Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (SCAHPERD) was here.  Amid all of the messages from our state leaders in our profession this was highlighted:

In Memoriam
On February 25, 2012, SCAHPERD lost a long-time member, Cindy Wilkerson.  She was a physical education teacher at Springdale Elementary in West Columbia, served on the SCAPES board, served on the assessment writing team and presented regularly at the fall conference.  We will miss you, Cindy.

So each day brings new thoughts, old thoughts, good memories, tears, laughter, sadness and just plain longing for you to be with us just a little longer (well truth be known, a lot longer) and so we just try to live like you lived and be the kind of community and family you would want.

I'm excited about tomorrow...I'll share a post to fill you all in :-)

Saturday, March 24, 2012

1 month

Tomorrow will be 1 month and there have been so many thoughts and memories racing through my head.  It still feels like you've gone on an extended vacation though we all know that's not true (you would've called multiple times a day.)   I think this past week has been a little realization for me, thank goodness for friends and family helping me handle it.  I'm still amazed at all the ways you impacted so many people.  I love how that is continuing and will do so beyond my comprehension.  On another note, I think you'd love Addie's prom dress.  Anna has done a wonderful job being the big sister and helping her with all the details.  Of course she did that when you were here with us :)



So many fun times together...I think this pic is the 2nd time Jonathan and Ashley took us out on the boat at Edisto...more of those wonderful traditions you started Sista! Love ya-


Thursday, March 22, 2012

Pep Rally

We had our big Pep Rally today for the Fun Run, thought about you all day.  Heard through the grapevine (Ashley-Justin) that you got the attention of your students by saying "All set" and they responded with "you bet."  So I decided to start using it and it worked GREAT at the pep rally.  The kids loved it-your traditions (or tradinky's as you liked to call them) will continue on Sista!  Love you so-no words for how much you are missed, muah!

Saturday, March 17, 2012

"New Normal"

Cindy-your words were always "we'd find a new normal" when we'd have tragedies in our lives.  I'm working on the new normal but I don't much care for it Sista...not what I had in mind.  You're such a spark for just about anything we did-you always found a way to make it fun.  I'm looking for those sparks, having fun in things that I do and loving life (just like you did) but it's just a little harder right now.  I know it will come easier for me but for right now it's just HARD!  Love ya-

We Miss You - Ashley Ingram

We Miss You :)
From Ashley Ingram

As soon as I saw Karen's first post with the picture of Cindy painting and the "Cindy Rocks" written on the side of the beach house, this picture immediately popped into my mind.  This is one of few instances where it pays to be a bit of a pack rat, because I still have this picture saved on my phone, and wanted to share it with everyone.  This is a picture that Cindy and Karen sent to us after Jonathan and I had to come home and go back to work from one of our beach house painting trips.  I will also take this opportunity to add that when I talked to coworkers that day about how much fun we had painting a beach house in the HOT June weather in South Carolina, I got multiple raised eyebrows, and "you make it sound like you ACTUALLY had FUN" comments...but WE DID! As Karen posted, Cindy worked hard at EVERYTHING she did and always found a way to make ANYTHING fun.  That is truly one of the things that I will miss the most--her ability to turn absolutely anything into the time of your life. 



So, Cindy (and maybe Karen-don't want to take away any justly due credit) painted this picture on the wall of the beach house as they were painting that Monday and sent it to us...
The text message that accompanied the picture was "wish you were here...love you much". 

While I know that my dear friend is in an incredibly magnificent place, the selfish person in me misses her earthly presence more than my words can begin to describe.  For all of those reading this blog, I know that your sentiments must be the same, as that is inevitably what brought you here.  So I just had to share her own "artwork" accompanied by her very own words.  So, here we go sending Cindy her own message back to her...

Cindy, "WE MISS YOU" and "WISH YOU WERE HERE...LOVE YOU MUCH"... and will FOR ALWAYS...

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

I think I've made it easier to post (hope so but this is all so new to me, hang with me until I get it figured out!)  Give it a try so I'll know :)

I miss Cindy so much every day-I have reached for the phone so many times to call her just to see how her day was going.  She was so easy to talk to and I almost never talked to her when she wasn't upbeat about something.  Even if there were tough times (A.B., Dad and Griff's deaths and many other trials and tribulations of life) she would always say "but hey we've got so many good things to be happy about and wonderful memories so we'll focus on those."  Every now and then she'd need to vent and say "give me 10 minutes" and I'd listen, then when she was through we'd talk about all the great things happening in our lives.
I count my blessings that she was my sister and I'm so very thankful that she touched so many of you because I get to keep hearing about her and her impact.  My daily blessings always include Jacob, Anna and Addie because they are phenomenal people and I love them so!!

Come back and join us later-hope to hear some of your thoughts


From Kate Gordon:
One of my earliest memories is the green jeep and sitting in the center between Cindy and Karen feeling like "one of the girls". As youth leaders, Mom and Dad talked of Cindy sharing her rather explosive feelings during "Jaws" the movie, much to their external mortification yet internal amusement.
I picture her pitching during church softball and catching a ball going about 100 miles per hour at close range; only to smile and kind of shake her burning hand. Her beautiful wedding...my Grandma faints and, as Cindy is walking down the aisle, she is trying to send me hand signals at the front of the church to tell me about Grandma after I have carried the Crucifix; always thinking of the other person. The fondest memories are of talking about family on the beautiful beach of Edisto Island; "Beach Therapy". Love to you, Cindy...you left a legacy of a beautiful smile and kind heart and will be forever missed.
From Judy Gordon:

I stand and look out my kitchen window across the pond dam with the trees and azaleas blooming and know that I would give anything I own to see Cindy come across the dam on her four-wheeler in her shorts and sun visor as she would sometimes do. She was the sunshine in our family, always smiling, always sharing fun times, and always full of the love of life. She adored her family, and made friends wherever she went. We will so miss tail-gating at the house while watching the game on tv, the burning of the Christmas trees, and our hearts are so heavy with the loss of such a vibrant personality.We feel so much grief for Jacob, Anna, Addie, Karen, Mike, and LaVonne. However, Cindy will be with us forever in our hearts as we remember a truly unforgettable person.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Email address

I've heard quite a few people say they would like to add something but aren't very familiar with how to post.  Feel free to email me at roofherlong@comporium.net and I will post your thought or memory for you.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Her impact on my life - Jonathan Ingram

Karen, I am happy you started this blog.  What a great way for people to have a place to leave thoughts and memories of someone so special.  I am so fortunate to have been able to be touched by Cindy's life.  Both she and Jacob are great models of how to raise a family, love your spouse, and be the best person you can be at all times. Her love for others was contagious.  She could make you feel so special.  I don't know if I will ever understand why she left this earth so quickly.  I think part of my problem with that is selfishness.  I wanted her to see my daughter grow up to be an adult.  I wanted to have her sitting on our boat singing along to her current favorite song.  I wanted to share one more splitter with her under her beach house.  I wanted one more of her hand-hewn burgers or shrimp with Cindy's Edisto Sauce.  Just One at the Thirsty Fish.  Boat rides to Charleston and Beaufort Memorial Day weekend.    I wanted her to help me get through my short comings that she never judged me on, but instead helped me become stronger. Leaving on a whim on a Saturday morning to find snow.  Throwing something on the grill on the weekends.  Copper River, Thirsty Fellow, Travinia, Wild Hare.  Happy Hour at the white house after an Airport Football game.  Carolina sports.  Like I said, selfish.  Above all, I know that this was not the end for her.  I just wanted her here longer.  The one thing we can all see is how she and Jacob raised two amazing young ladies.  She taught them so much about life and how to handle people and situations with an open mind.  My heart hurts for Anna, Addie, Jacob and the rest of her family.  All I can do is move forward in thinking about all of the good she did for everyone she knew.  I don't know when the sorrow and sadness will cease, but I will never forget her impact on my life.

Jonathan Ingram

Viki-thank you for sharing this email with the family.
 
 
Dear Colleagues-
 
I am very sad to announce that Cindy Wilkerson (Clinical model teacher and adjunct instructor for PEDU 575) passed away very suddenly.  She was diagnosed with a brain tumor last week, suffered a stroke and then passed away on Saturday morning.  Cindy was a graduate of Airport High School and received both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of South Carolina. She was a nationally Board Certified physical education teacher at Springdale Elementary School where she touched the lives of many children and adults.  Cindy worked tirelessly to enhance the physical activity and health of students.  She was a Springdale Elementary Teacher of the Year, a recipient of state awards from the South Carolina Association for Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, presented at state and regional conferences and published in professional journals.  She served as a cooperating teacher for more than 30 student teachers from the University of South Carolina and taught PEDU 575 (Physical Education for Classroom Teachers) since 2009.  Cindy was an incredibly positive person who loved children and always had a smile on her face.
 
You likely do not know that Cindy and her husband Jacob Wilkerson played a major role in the survival of our department back in the early 1990's.  Cindy and Jacob were instrumental in the department moving to the College of Education.  Cindy's parents were close friends with members of the USC Board of Trustees.  If we had not had support from pedagogy faculty all over the country, at every pedagogy institution in SC, and from local teachers, there was a strong chance the pedagogy program and doctoral program would have been disbanded in the School of Public Health.  Thus, our Department owes a great deal of gratitude to Cindy Wilkerson for allowing us to keep the program safe and alive at USC in the College of Education. 
 
Visitation will be held on Monday, February 27, 2012 at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home, West Columbia Chapel from 5:00-7:00.  A celebration of her life will be held on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 3:30 at Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church.  Memorials may be made to the Cindy R, Wilkerson Children’s Fitness Memorial, SCBT, 1100 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033.
 
 
Lynda M. Nilges-Charles, Ph.D.
Chairperson and Associate Professor
Department of Physical Education and Athletic Training

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Considering I'm not much of a writer, I'm a little surprised at myself for choosing a blog as my way to connect and share my sister with others.  Please feel free to share your memories and thoughts any time!  I want all of my friends and colleagues to know her like I did so Cindy, here we go girl.


Cindy worked hard in everything she did, but she ALWAYS found a way to have fun at the same time.  I think that is part of what drew people to her.  So whether it was teaching, painting the beach house, cheering for the Gamecocks, being a mom, a wife, a daughter or sister, Sunday School teacher, a friend, (and this list will continue to grow) she did it with gusto.

I'm looking forward to sharing more throughout the days and weeks to come.