Thoughts from the Publisher | March 10

[aesop_character img=”https://signal-tribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-22-at-5.05.16-PM.png” name=”Neena Strichart” caption=”Publisher” align=”left” force_circle=”off”] Earlier this week, I had a visit from a woman asking about our procedure for placing obituary notices. When I asked her for some of the details, I learned that she wanted to run the information regarding her mother. During our conversation, I learned that I had known her mother, Virginia Cullen, and that dear Virginia had worked at my elementary school as our playground’s “Coachie.”
I loved Coachie; she was kind and helpful, and we students respected her as a no-nonsense type of woman.
I have printed below both the obituary notice that Coachie’s daughter Meredith brought to us and a poem that Coachie’s boss, May Woodward, had written and then read at an employee Christmas potluck on Dec. 6, 1978. What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful woman, my “Coachie.” I am still in touch with some of my elementary school friends; I will send them a copy of this column. I know they remember her fondly.
Our mom, Virginia Oertly Wilden Cullen, according to the Bible (St. John 5:24; 11:26) “…has passed from death into life…” having believed in Jesus. After 25 years in Gifford, Washington, which was nearby the home of her son, Dr. Bill Wilden, Mom returned to her hometown of Long Beach, to live with me, (her daughter) Meridith Wilden Harmonson.
Mom worked 42 years with the Long Beach Unified School District at Signal Hill Elementary School as the “Coachie” beginning in 1952. She worked at the school during both the school year and the summer breaks.
Both of her husbands, Owen Wilden and Hugh Cullen, passed prior to her. Mom’s two children, three grandchildren (Mark Harmonson, TX., Susan Saddler, Lakewood, CA., Janelle Sutliff, VA.) and six great-grandchildren survive her passing, which was February 20, 2017.
[aesop_image imgwidth=”300px” img=”https://signal-tribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Screen-Shot-2017-03-10-at-12.01.31-PM.png” credit=”Courtesy Meridith Wilden Harmonson” align=”right” lightbox=”on” caption=”Virginia Oertly Wilden Cullen” captionposition=”right” revealfx=”off”] We all thank God for her love and care and work for us all during her ninety-three years of her life here on this earth! we will have a celebration/memory-time of her in Gifford, Washington.
“Coachie’s Christmas”
It was the week before Christmas, and what do I see?
“Coachie” out on the playground, as busy as can be.
She tied Susie’s shoelace and wiped Johnnie’s nose,
then out on the field a big fight arose.
She hustled on out and split up that group,
and then she got ready to reorganize the troop.
She got four square going and then pitched a few balls,
’til all of a sudden, there was noise in the halls,
she ran down that problem in no time at all.
She taped the bat handles and marked the supplies
and then heard the sound a small child’s cries.
She took care of that and started basketball play,
these are the things that are all in her day.
She might grumble and groan, but she’s a great gal,
one thing I’ll say, to the kids she’s a pal.
Yes, Christmas is jolly and merry and gay,
and so are our “COACHIES” day after day.
And I heard her shout as she walked out of sight,
“Merry Christmas to all and kid, WALK THAT BIKE.”