Sad News from Graland: A Message from Ronni McCaffrey

UPDATE: There will be a celebration of life in honor of John Threlkeld (1954-2015) on Saturday, August 29, at 10 a.m. Join friends and family at the Froelicher Theatre on the Colorado Academy Campus, 3800 South Pierce Street in Denver. A reception will follow.


“…a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.” John 13:34

 

Dear Graland Community:

 

It is with a heavy heart I share with you that John Threlkeld, a Graland Master Teacher who taught math from 1986 to 2008, passed away on June 7, 2015, after a long battle with a rare form of leukemia. John was hospitalized a year ago to begin bone marrow transplant procedures, and fought valiantly until last week when he entered hospice.   

 

The passage above from the new testament kept coming to mind as I thought of John and his relationships with so many of us here at Graland and beyond our gates. John and I worked together for only one year, but during that time, I experienced him as someone who gave and received love with gratitude, grace and compassion. First and foremost, he loved his children, Liz and Chris, and delighted in each of their milestones and accomplishments. Moreover, he loved his students so much that he generously shared his greatest gifts: intellect, curiosity, and humanity, with them.

 

Finally, John had an extraordinary ability to form and to nurture deep and abiding friendships. Schools are places where we can become isolated by the hectic pace. Busy as he was, John never let this happen; he always took the time to visit and get to know colleagues who soon became friends. By his own admission, John loved Graland, the place and everyone in it. He once said to me, “Ronni, I bleed Graland Green!” 

 

John’s enduring legacy will be the community he created around him. Since last July, John was confined to the hospital and completed countless rounds of chemo, transfusions, surgeries and two stem cell transplants. Through it all, he received love and support daily from Di Nestel and Tony Catanese, legions of current and former Graland and CA friends, and the miraculous care of Dr. Brunvand (former Graland parent) and his team of health care professionals at Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center. 

 

John spent a good part of his career at Graland serving many roles including mathematics teacher, assistant head of the Upper School, leader of a math/science cohort, co-chair of the school’s Education Committee, ninth grade dean and director of communications. In 2009, after Graland ended the ninth grade program, John joined Colorado Academy as Chair of the Math Department. Characteristically, he immersed himself in the culture and community of CA and enjoyed continued success as an educator and leader.

 

John was also known and respected in mathematics circles far beyond Colorado. He was part of educational committees for the National Center for Education Statistics in Mathematics Assessment and the National Assessment of Educational Programs. As a member of the standing committee on mathematics for the Educational Records Bureau, he helped to author ERB standardized math assessments.

 

He was a presenter countless times at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), the Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics (CCTM), the Technology in Education (TIE) Conferences, the Association of Colorado Independent Schools (ACIS), and many more. His teaching practice was examined in detail in the book, Intellectual Character: What it Is, Why it Matters, and How to Get It. [Jossey-Bass, 2002].

 

John was honored as Mathematics Teacher of the Year by CCTM (1994), by Phillips Exeter Academy as a leading math educator (2009), and by Colorado Academy with the Frances Newton Award for excellence in teaching (2012).

 

John graduated cum laude in 1976 from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and with distinction in all subjects. He earned a master’s degree from Dartmouth College. Even while still in college, John worked as a mathematics teacher at Verona High School in New Jersey. He went on to teach math, physics, and outdoor education at schools on the East Coast. Barely out of graduate school, he became the publisher and general manager of the Johnson County News in Cleburne, Texas and comptroller of the family-owned Information Company, the parent company of the Johnson County News. 

 

He was preceded in death by his twin brother, Tom Steiner-Threlkeld, and his parents Aubrey and Elizabeth Morgan Threlkeld. He is survived by his wife, Cindy, of Evergreen; his two children, Liz of Seattle and Chris (Alex) Threlkeld of Greeley; and his sister, Laura Threlkeld Anello of Rockaway, NJ. He is also survived by many, many loved ones, all part of John’s “dream team” of friends and caregivers who visited and cared for him in the hospital over the past year.

 

Arrangements are pending.

 

Our students spend countless hours with their teachers, watching and listening. I believe they come to understand, and accept, our authentic selves. The following is the yearbook dedication to John from the Class of 2005:

 

“Throughout the years at Graland, students look forward to ninth grade, as well as looking forward to having supposedly the greatest teacher at Graland. When we finally get there, we realize that you are much more than just an inspiring teacher, but a great person that has an unconditional love for math. You continuously bring that love to the classroom, eager to share it with us all. Whether it be your cardinal question, ‘Why?’ or some pointless pun that you got from your weekly math reading; everyone is looking forward to hearing what you have to say. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for getting on the bus each morning for over an hour, to come teach a bunch of ninth graders. We try to return the favor by listening and learning as much as possible. Although we might not always follow up on that part, we want to thank you for being the amazing teacher and friend that you are. You will always remain part of our wonderful Graland memories.”

 

There could be no person more deserving of length of days; no teacher more gifted, no human more gentle, patient, or forgiving. Never did John cast judgment or doubt; he only looked up and ahead. Never did he lose faith in the ability of a student to grow, learn, change, or achieve. 

 

Warmest Regards,

 

Ronni McCaffrey

Head of School

http://www.thedenverhospice.org/giving/Pages/giving.aspx