SJM_EditorsNote_10_20_EditorsNote 10 / 13 / 20 4 : 51 PM Page 1 E D I T O R ’ S N O T E A DEBT OF GRATITUDE the bridge , eventually taking Since I arrived at the magazine in late 2009 , we a job at a middle school in Wash - have always used our October issue to spot - ington Township . light local women who are making a difference No matter what was going on with my life , she was always in the South Jersey community . Through char - there for me to lean on . We didn’t always see eye to eye , but kids itable and philanthropic efforts , nonprofit rarely do when they are coming of age and think they’ve fully work or simply an overall desire to give back to experienced life . And knowing there were times when I felt like I others , it’s rewarding to shine a light on people let her down were some of the hardest to endure . But we definitely we find to be truly inspiring . And while they shared more joyous moments than not , one of the more recent don’t do these things for the attention and being when she got to hold my son , Cole , for the first time . would never ask for the recognition themselves , we are more than After 43 years as a teacher , this wonderful woman retired from happy to share their stories with you . education in June 2019 , having touched the lives of thousands of With that being considered , I thought it was only right that I other kids . Sadly , late last September she passed away just a little talk a little bit about a particular Super Woman who made a huge over a month away from her 65th birthday and this past year has impact on my life . I met her when I was a young child in Northeast been rough not having her around . The memories live on , how - Philadelphia . She was actually my first teacher . Despite being so ever , and I owe her so much for helping turn me into the man I long ago , I have vivid memories of her helping me work on my am today . penmanship as I guided a pencil across the lines inside my marble She was more than just my first teacher and a great friend ; she copy book . But more than any lessons learned in the classroom , was my mom . To her , and all the other women out there making she laid a foundation that would help me throughout the rest of an impact , thank you . my life . Our bond became so close , that even as I grew older , she still Kind regards , kept tabs on me . In fact , it wasn’t uncommon to see her in the stands at one of my basketball games or on the front lawn to take pictures before I headed off to my first school dance . And when I moved to South Jersey , she also wound up making the move over Peter J . Proko , Editor - in - Chief SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 17 issue 7 SouthJerseyMagazine.com 4 |