To the editor:

Our family was so saddened to hear about the recent death of Kathy Dunn, a long-time Islander and retired schoolteacher.

Like many others on the north end, we knew Mrs. Dunn as our kids’ first “real” teacher, in kindergarten.

It’s always hard for parents to drop off their child that first day, especially at age 5. But Kathy Dunn made it easy for us, because she was so calm, capable, pragmatic and obviously trustworthy. We knew our kids were in good hands from the start.

Kathy also had a great sense of humor. I’ll never forget her admonition to parents about snacks, at the orientation session before school started.

She said, in a gentle but firm tone, “Don’t send raisins with your kids. They don’t like them, and they’ll end up leaving them somewhere in the classroom.” Then she’d laugh. But she was right about her kids, and we never sent ours with raisins that would have become part of classroom archaeology.

In the many years after our kids had left Wilkes Elementary, we would see Kathy around the Island. She must have been stopped on shopping trips a million times a day by other parents, but she always had a friendly smile and a moment to talk. I don’t know how she did it, but she also always seemed to remembered us and our kids.

The Island has lost a vibrant community member and someone who got so many kids off on the right foot. It’s also lost a warm, funny, smart friend. We will remember you Mrs. Dunn, and we miss you.

KEVIN SWAN

Bainbridge Island