Class Dismissed
One of my favorite high school teachers passed away the other day. Richard Sarver (he always referred to himself as “Dick,” even though his first name was Otto and we wouldn’t have called him anything but Mr. Sarver) was my social studies teacher in 11th grade at Jefferson High in Tampa, Florida. He was 66 when he died last week.
I don’t know that we could tell at the time, being self-absorbed teenagers as we were, but looking back, it’s obvious he loved teaching and having a positive influence on his students. He treated us as people, and not just as the latest batch of things to be talked to for a year and then turned loose.
He never was one to run with the rest of the pack, and I’m sure he made some enemies because of it. Fiercely independent and always positive, he taught us all a little about the Louisiana Purchase and a lot about believing in ourselves.
In the 32 years Mr. Sarver taught in Hillsborough County, thousands of students passed through his classroom. Even though it had been more than 20 years since I was one of those students, he remembered me and was very nice when we had an email exchange a while back. He knew at the time that he was sick and that his time was short, but he didn’t complain. He spoke of the things he loved in life (especially his wife, Dianne, who was a math teacher at JHS) and thanked me for checking in with him.
No, thank you, Mr. Sarver. I’ve had lots of teachers in my life, but not a lot of true educators. 27 years later, you’re still at the front of the class.
December 9th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Hey dude,
Can you please post to the guest book? I’m not sure that Dianne will see it, or that it will be permanently in his “memories” but it will if you send it there:
http://legacy.com/TBO/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=120995018
I plan on copying all the posts and sending them to Dianne right before they close down the guestbook.
Best and WHOAH!
Susan Fox
Class of 83
December 9th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Ken,
Mark Harris sent me to your website to read the tribute to my husband. Thank you so much for your kind words. I always told him that he had a positive influence on so many students. He was indeed a very unique man.
Thank you,
Dianne Sarver
December 11th, 2008 at 5:30 am
I also stumbled across Mr. Sarver’s email address some time ago, and I was so happy when he replied to me. What a great guy.
————————— 6/16/07
“Mr. Sarver!
I don’t know if you’ll remember me or not, but this is Josh Brady. I was a student of yours at Jefferson in 1991.
For some reason, I thought of you today and did a Google search on you, and I stumbled across this email address.
I was just a tad on the immature side back in high school and that’s putting it lightly. You were one of my favorite teachers…….you were one of the few who had the patience to deal with me.
I believe the last time I saw you was at an Outback Steakhouse. I was working there at the time.
It took me some time, but I did eventually graduate from USF in 2002. I’ve got a job as a computer programmer these days……I have a wife and two kids.
Anyway……..I just wanted to pop in and say thanks to you. You were one of my favorites. Take care.
Josh Brady”
————————
“Hi Josh,
I do remember you and it’s fabulous that you are making a good life for yourself and your love ones. I have retired from teaching. I did not want to retire but metastatic prostate cancer force me to retire. I have lived far beyond what any medical experts thought possible—going on 10 years in 2008. Presently I am in a battle with cancer tumors in my upper chest area on the left side. I go for a needle CT Scan biopsy on Thursday of next week. Keep in touch and let me know how you are doing. It was great to hear from you and I appreciate the compliment.
Richard Sarver”
———————-
“Wow. I’m at a loss for words, Mr. Sarver. It stings to hear about your struggle and its immense gravity.
Listen, my grandfather had open heart surgery a couple years ago…….double bypass procedure. It nearly killed him. His recovery was long and grueling and there were times when he didn’t want to go on. And seeing him at his weakest, and watching him claw his way back to where he is today I learned a very valuable lesson. Miracles don’t happen……rather, we ARE the miracles. You are a miracle. And that’s a fact. Your whole life is a miraculous event. Thanks for being a part of mine.
I will stay in touch with you. You’ve got my sympathy, but more importantly you have my continued respect. I appreciate you to this day. And to prove it, I can tell you that once upon a time you shared with me a very important piece of advice.
I approached you one day after class and told you that I was thinking about joining the military. The first war in Iraq was underway back then, and I had no sense of direction. You looked at me with that familiar look and you said, “Don’t sign up for something you’re not willing to do.”
“What do you mean?”, I asked you.
“Are you willing to die? Kill?”
I don’t remember my immediate response. But your words that day stuck with me.
Stay strong, old teacher, and know that there is no retiring from that profession. You’ll always be my favorite teacher…….never my favorite retired teacher.
I’m going to send a few links to some photo galleries of my family and friends for you to look at. Write back later if you have time.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=jv0pk1e.8cz5hj86&x=0&y=t60to (pics of my kids)
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=jv0pk1e.67d3mcti&Uy=pckr52&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&UV=155029384864_918752733110 (pics of friends, and a few of my kids…..i’m the one in the bright orange jersey)
Josh Brady”
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“Hope all went well for you on Thursday, Mr. Sarver.
Take care.
Josh”
————————–
“Thank you for thinking of me. Everything went fine except that I am in some pain following the needle biopsy. You too take care and give my best to your family.
Richard”
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“Thought about you this evening. I hope your pain has subsided.
Josh”
—————————-
“i hope I’m not a nuisance, bugging you all the time with these emails……
but, I thought of you again this weekend while mowing my lawn.
rumor was you always had the most finely manicured lawn.
anyway…….i hope you’re doing well, sir.
josh”
————————
“Josh,
You are not a nuisance. It is enjoyable to receive emails from you. Yes I did have a Better Homes and Garden yard for about 17 years when I lived in New Bay Crest. Presently I am still receiving external beam radiation treatments in Largo, FL. I have at least 5 more sessions. I go everyday of the work week. Some day soon I need to come by your home and evaluate your lawn.
Richard”
———————–
“Thanks for the reassurance that I’m not bugging you.
You would not be very impressed with my lawn. I don’t care for it like I should, and that’s regrettable. When we bought the house 4 years ago, I dreamt of crafting the yard into something beautiful, but ultimately I fumbled the ball. I mow and weed-wack regularly, but that’s about it. The flower bed in the front yard is such a pain. Currently, we have river rocks spread out and weeds are slowly forcing their way up throughout. I wish now that we had mulch or something lighter and more easily manageable.
You’re welcome here anytime. My kids do a grand job of keeping the house a wreck, but aside from that it’s comfortable enough.
Josh”
———————
I never heard from Mr. Sarver after this last exchange. It was August 2007. I’ll always remember Mr. Sarver.
December 12th, 2008 at 3:28 am
Good read Kenn, and good comments.
Most teachers in grade school, high school, college and even grad school are mediocre, but the ones that touch our lives more than make up for it.
I was lucky to have a couple like that, and I was even more fortunate to have multiple classes with them. (No, I didn’t flunk and have to retake.)