<
http://www.webfh.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=139194&fh_id=11007&s_id=32D8CD2D5AEC28D7498112B3E62A74ED>
Ruth Jacobsen was my 11th and 12th grade English teacher and I can barely express the loss I feel right now. Not in any personal sense as I didn't know the woman beyond the walls of a classroom, but for her family and for the fact that she was one of the most influential people in my life. I am the son of two teachers who, like Mrs. J, are the kind of teachers that their students remember for life. That affect you. That shape you. So it should be no surprise that I consider teaching among the most holy of professions, if I may use such a word to describe it.
Ruth taught from the heart and mind and urged us to always use both in whatever we wrote. I was fortunate enough to take a creative writing course of hers and it was probably the best time I had in high school. She would never be too critical of our work past the technical things and despite my many attempts to shock her with some edgier stories her appreciation of the effort always outshone whatever reservations she might have about content. She just enjoyed a good story. I can't think of anymore to say about her without going on for too long, and she would scold me for not being more verbose, she surely deserves it. For now I'm simply going to kick back and remember a great human being and someone who showed me where my art was and that is something I can never repay even with the words she freed me to write.
Good Journey to you teacher. You truly were the best of the best example of the word. I look forward to toasting you at the reception Monday.
I love you Mrs. J,
Scott