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