By Kelly Youngblood
Paula Hyde Gaddis was known for her vibrant personality. The 34 year-old first grade teacher at Kenwood Elementary often preferred skipping to walking and loved to dance.
Friends who knew her say she was joyful, bubbly and full of life and love- for her family, her four children, and her students.
“If you met her, you’d never forget her,” according to close friend and co-worker, Stephanie Merkle.
Just seven months after tragically and unexpectedly losing Gaddis last fall, staff and students at Kenwood Elementary are finding a way to honor the memory of their beloved friend.
The Kenwood Cares 5k Run and 1K Youth Run will be held on April 12. A spaghetti dinner and auction will also be held following the races. All of the proceeds from these events will go to Gaddis’ husband and four children.
Merkle said parents and staff members were looking for a way to help Gaddis’ family and to honor her memory. They decided to organize a run/walk fundraiser because Gaddis loved to run, and even inspired some of her co-workers at Kenwood to participate in the Illinois Marathon with her last year.
Merkle said the event is a way to make something good come out of a tragic situation and says planning it has been a “really good healing” for her.
“We just want everyone to come out and have a good time,” Merkle said. “(Gaddis) loved life and to have fun. We want to honor her through that.”
For more information about the Kenwood 5K Run and 1K Run, spaghetti dinner or auction, go to https://www.chambanamoms.com/events/kenwood-care-5k-run-and-1k-youth-run/.
Paula Hyde Gaddis
(Bio written by Stephanie Merkle)
At school you might have seen her smiling and skipping down the hallway, giving a child a hug or helping a coworker. Paula was a teacher who gave everything she had to help the children and families she worked with. Paula was not only a teacher; she was a mom to four, a wife, a sister and an amazing friend.
Paula was an adored first grade teacher at Kenwood Elementary School. After spending years as a teacher’s aide at Garden Hills Elementary School and Centennial High School her dream of being a teacher finally came true in 2009.
Paula was born in Urbana, IL where she went to school through 4th grade. Her family then moved to Tolono, IL where she graduated from Unity in 1997. Paula was a single mom who worked her way through college. Her son Connor is 15 and attends Unity in Tolono. She later met and married her husband David and become a step mother to Kenzie who is 6.
While pregnant with their now two year old twins, Paula was hospitalized. During her stay in the hospital she developed an infection. The infection settled in her heart. Paula was able to maintain the pregnancy and delivered her babies healthy but early. Shortly after delivery Paula had to undergo open heart surgery to replace a valve. Finally after months of being hospitalized Paula was able to go home from the hospital and join her growing family.
Paula heroically returned to teaching just months after having open heart surgery and delivering twins. She was a hard working driven woman who wanted to be there for her students and school as well as provide for her family. Family, friends and her job meant everything to Paula.
In September of 2013 Paula was finishing up the first quarter of school and getting ready to go on her fall break when she started not feeling well. Her heart infection had returned only this time the Dr.’s were not able to save her. We lost our beloved Paula on September 23, 2013.
Kelly is a freelance writer and mom to three wild and wonderful children. She has lived in the “suburbs” of Champaign-Urbana for most of her life, but is still finding new and interesting things to do in the area.
