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| St. John the Baptist School eighth grade teacher Margie Schels, above, is pictured with Kena at Christmas time in 2018. Kena, who knew her teacher was a die-hard Chicago Bears fan, got her a Green Bay Packers’ hat for a gift. Schels commented, “Only for YOU, kid, would I even THINK of wearing this! And I wore it all day, much to her delight!” (Contributed photo) |
JEFFERSON — St. John the Baptist School eighth grade teacher Margie Schels admits “it was a rough week.”
She explained, “A very dear student, who just graduated from St. John the Baptist School in June, died on the evening of September 3. Kena (Makena Suzanne-Lynn Eighmy) had battled leukemia for four years, and God decided he needed her at home,” said Schels.
“It has been rough for adults and students alike, but we continue to be a loving community that supports one another through the toughest of times.
“It makes me even more grateful than ever to be a part of a Catholic school community . . . especially one as special as ours.”
She added, “Please pray for Kena’s parents, Tricia and Jay, and her loving classmates, all of whom attended her funeral Mass. They mustered up enough strength to sing ‘Lord, I Need You’ after Communion. Wow, it was incredibly moving.”
Kena was planning to be a freshman at Jefferson High School this fall.
She is now resting in the St. John the Baptist Parish cemetery.