Family recalls Weaver as 'one of a kind' By Janice Fae Mitchell, Community News Editor Published on 1/5/2005 The secretary at Batesville's Central Elementary School has been described as a good listener, a caring person who treated every child as her own, a dedicated Christian and the kind of person who liked to tell humorous stories. "She didn't care to laugh out loud," husband Kendall Weaver said. "She'd brighten up the room." Karen Weaver died on Dec. 30 at the age of 53 from complications of an extremely rare bone marrow disease. "After looking at our life, there's only two days I would take off if I could," Mr. Weaver said. "July 1, 1998, when she was diagnosed, and Dec. 30, the day she passed away."

Kendall Weaver said because the disease is so rare, his wife took part in two medical studies in hopes of helping others. "(The doctor) told me, 'We have learned so much from Karen.' We have all learned from Karen."

Her mother, Lela Lee Wright, said they never had a cross word and had a close relationship. "There were a lot of people at the funeral home I didn't know, but each one said the same thing - what a wonderful person Karen was. That gives you ease in your heart when you hear that."

Her father, R.J. "Coonie" Wright, worked at Edwards Gas Company in Newark at the time his daughter was born in Batesville. He is a World War II veteran. A special memory he has was after he got saved 16 years ago. On Armistice Day, the veterans were asked to stand up in front of the church so the children could walk up to them and thank them.

"Karen jumped up and said, 'I love you,'" he said, his voice breaking. "I remember that. I never could get that out of my mind."

Kendall Weaver said, "He was extremely proud of Karen. She was always her daddy's little girl."

Lela Wright, a homemaker, said as a child her daughter requested pinto beans on a daily basis - pinto beans with catsup.

Weaver's aunt, Peggy Fuller, said, "I was 9 when Karen was born, so we were like sisters. "She was the most beautiful child I've ever seen. She was unique; there's not but one Karen.

"I can't say enough about her," her aunt continued. "I always knew she loved me and she'd be there if I needed her. And she was."

Weaver received her education at Batesville schools. The summer of '71 was when she met the man who would be her husband. "We met at where the Dairy Dee was, across from Krogers. That was her hangout," her husband said. "The very first time our eyes met, we were interested in each other and began dating. ... It's been a wonderful trip."

He was a building contractor for some years and is now pastor of the Concord Missionary Baptist Church.

After working for 10 years at International Shoe Factory, Weaver planned to return to work after their son, Brandon, was born. But the best laid plans ... "I was going to keep the baby while she went to work," her mother said. "When the day came for her to drop him off, I waited all morning. Finally, I called and Karen said, 'I can't do it!'" So Weaver became a stay-at-home mom.

When he started kindergarten, Brandon Weaver said, he didn't want to leave his mom and cried any time she put him on the bus. "Finally, one day, she said, 'Son, your dad has a job. You have a job to do, too. Your job is school.' Later in life she told me that the next day when I got on the bus I told her, 'I'm going to school, Mom. I'll see you after work.'"

Weaver began an association with the school district in a number of capacities over an 18 or 19-year span, volunteering several years, then being hired as secretary at Central Elementary School. "I remember when she was a substitute," her cousin Kristi Fuller said. "She was an excellent teacher and an excellent person. She was so good with the children."

Another cousin, Sherri Smith, added, "All the children loved 'Miss Karen' to read. Kids have come up to me and told me about that over the years. It was such a joy to see she has touched these kids."

Superintendent Ted Hall said she was one of those unsung heroes of secretaries. "She took care of those kids as if they were hers. If one of them missed a bus, well, she'd take care of that child until they were in the right hands. She was a very gracious lady, and that's what our kids want to be around."

Jack Sanders, who has been principal at Central for the past three years, said she will be sorely missed. "She was a wonderful, positive person. She never complained at all about her illness. She was a good listener and was often a counselor to the children, to the staff and the teachers. She filled that capacity well.

"The children are saddened, and our K-Kids are very eager to so something to recognize her years here," Sanders said. "She was a real role model. We were proud to have her here the time that we had her.

"On a personal level, she was a friend and a fine Christian lady," Sanders added.

Weaver's faith in Jesus Christ was extremely strong, her husband said, "and she would want everyone to have a strong relationship with Jesus, love their families and create loving homes for their children."

"Hope was always out front with Karen, even on her school badges," Kendall Weaver said, holding up the badges to display the gold pins spelling "HOPE." "She never lost a joy of life, she never lost hope."

Her son, a college graduate who stayed home to care for her the past 1 1/2 years, said he finds it ironic that when he was president of the Circle K Club and was trying to come up with a motto for them to focus on, the motto became "Helping Other People Everyday." "Which spells out hope. That was her, always trying to do something for someone else - at school, at church, here. Hope has always been a constant in her life."

The family was grateful for the cards, flowers, gifts, visits, money, love offerings, and the people who put her name on hundreds of prayer lists, and the prayers received for her across the nation and the world, including Iraq. Weaver was able to continue receiving her paycheck because the teachers and the staff at the district donated their own personal and sick days to her.

Weaver felt the best she'd felt all year the last three weeks of her life. She did her own Christmas shopping, delivered the gifts and baked goodies, as she did each year, so her Chex mix, mandarin orange cake, cheese logs and "famous" black olive dip will be missed, her family agreed. It was the most physical activity she'd had since before she was diagnosed.

She loved the snow and played in it.

"We felt the white Christmas was her present from the Lord," her husband said.