H1N1 flu kills kindergarten teacher

STAFF REPORT

COLUMBIANA — A teacher in the Columbiana School District has died from complications of H1N1.

Cathleen Wagner, 55, who lived in Columbiana, was a kindergarten teacher at Joshua Dixon Elementary School, according to an obituary posted on the Seederly-Mong & Beck Funeral Home Web site.

She had taught at the school for 30 years, also teaching first and third grades during that time.

She died at Cleveland Clinic at 3:55 a.m. Wednesday. She had been on sick leave for about four weeks, said schools Superintendent Don Mook.

She is apparently the first Columbiana County resident confirmed to have died of H1N1 complications.

Her husband, Raymond Wagner, also is a teacher in the district, Mook said, noting he teaches fifth-grade math.

Mrs. Wagner is also survived by two sons, Benjamin and Andrew.

Mook said grief counselors and local clergy will be available for pupils at Joshua Dixon today.

The school district has not planned a memorial at this time, he added.

“At this time, we’re honoring the family’s wishes to grieve in private,” he said.

“They are an unbelievable family — very strong,” he continued.

He called Mrs. Wagner’s death a “tremendous loss to the school system and the Columbiana community.”

She meant a great deal to a lot of people, he said.

Mook said that to his knowledge, no one else in the school district has been diagnosed with H1N1.

He said the custodial staff began preparing in August to contain the spread of the virus.

He said drinking fountains, phone receivers, desks and doorknobs are disinfected daily.

He said there are disinfectant wipes for keyboards and hand sanitizer available. All hand soaps in dispensers are now antibacterial, he said.

He said nurses did hand-washing demonstrations, teachers read stories about the spread of germs, and parents were encouraged to keep their children home when they appeared sick.

He said, the district vaccinated 435 children Monday.

Calling hours for Mrs. Wagner will be 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Seederly-Mong & Beck in Columbiana. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Salem.