Loosing Someone Important

When I say loosing someone important I’m not talking about a family member here but a special friend and teacher.  

When I first had a class with this special person, Father John Oetgen, I was terrified and intimidated.  A few weeks later maybe even a few days later my opinion totally changed about this  man. He was considerate and kind to me at a very difficult time in my life. The first semester I had him as a teacher was the semester I came back to college after having a stroke.  Being back at school was a big adventure for me. One that I really wanted to do well on. 

I can’t remember the topic, but I think it was a world literature class of some kind. I have the book around her somewhere I think although I might have gotten rid of it when we moved.  But, anyway, in this class Fr. John wanted us to memorize some lines or something of that nature, I told him I would have trouble with this and that I would practice and study up on it either during fall break or thanksgiving. He said he didn’t want me to use my vacation for something like that and I think he gave me an alternate assignment. .  All that I know is that he was kind to me in a time when I really needed it.

I took that first class with  Father John and after that I had at least  2 more classes with him.  The first being Southern Literature. He became my pied piper of books and authors during that class. He gave me a whole new world of literature to explore and learn about.  I LOVED this class and I Loved  Father John for giving me this whole new piece of pie to eat.

I had always been an avid reader as a child but now I had this whole new set of things to read and explore. This exploration still continues today as I read more Flannery O’Connor  and about the Great South and the state of Georgia where I had the pleasure of living for 13 years.

Father John also taught me a thing or two about common courtesy. He always addressed me as Miss Ivey except maybe when we were in private conversation. Yes, I’d been called Miss Ivey before but I believe when he called me that I felt a real sense of finally being a grown-up.

He also inquired always about my family especially my mom who he  had the pleasure of meeting.  His concern for the well-being of others was great.  I remember this time when I needed a ride to the airport. He was at a basketball game  that I had come to searching for a ride.  I found a ride but when I returned to college after my long weekend there was a message from him saying  if  I still needed a ride to let him know and he would provide me with one.  I will always remember that.

I could tell you other things, like how patient and understanding he was., about his love for abbey sports …and the list could on and on. 

Father John’s great teaching, his common  class=”hiddenSpellError” pre=”common coutrsy and kindness to others will always be .missed, I think the real thing I will miss as someone reminded me today, his is voice.  He could read aloud to you and it was like lighting a candle, Nothing was the same. Someone else could read it but it would’t sound as good.

Father John you were a class act. God Bless You and thanks for being a part of my life as well as many other Abbey studen’t lives.