March 7, 2001
Librarian reaches her final chapter
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
With tears, hugs and laughter, Judy Lober sailed off into the sunset Thursday afternoon.
The librarian at Eastern Elementary School for the past 23 years, Lober bid a fond farewell to staff, students, parents and administrators during special all-school assembly.
As students serenaded her with an original song, she rocked in her trademark rocker, decorated for the occasion, and basked in their love. They bestowed her with parting gifts included her rocking chair and an album of photos highlighting events of the past decades.
Coming up afterward to give farewell hugs by the score, many students teared up at the thought of her leaving.
"Mrs. Lober is the best thing in school," declared Evan Williams, a second-grade student at the school. "She helped teach me to read."
Despite the lure of an extended vacation in Arizona and Hawaii with her husband, Bob, Lober was struggling with saying goodbye. Leaving the many reading success stories like Williams was a difficult step.
'It is very hard to leave, I am going to miss all my friends here and the children," Lober said. "We're all a very supportive school, it's always been this way at Eastern."
Characteristically for Lober, her support extended into the final minutes before she left the library. She spent her last time at the school doing what she does best: watching out for 'her' children and making sure they are excited about books and reading.
"Probably five minutes before the ceremony, Judy was turning in an order for a new major reading initiative," said Bill Smith, principal at Eastern. "I am sure we will miss her and I am also sure she will be back to volunteer here and in the district."
Her farewell party drew one Eastern alumnus, who could not resist a chance to say goodbye. Adam Fiverson is now a senior at Traverse City Central High School and a member of the Trojan football team. He heads over to his former elementary school weekly to read to first-grade students and last week stayed for the goodbye party for Lober.
"I remember story time with Mrs. Lober, it was one of my favorite times at school," he said. "She inspired me in reading."
Turning kids like Fiverson and countless others onto reading was the one of the highlights of her decades at the school. Working with both classes and individual students, organizing a cadre of volunteers to help her, Lober reveled in watching students transform into eager and interested readers. She loved watching that spark of interest in books and language grow over the months and years.
"The kids, when you see that light click on with reading and then have them enjoy it as much as you do, it is great," Lober said. "Knowing how to read is the key to so many other things."
A veteran teacher who retired two years ago, Bob Lober watched his wife's dedication over the years. Many a night or weekend found her at the library finishing some project or preparing lessons, he said.
"She comes home and tells great stories about the kids who touch her each day," he said.
Her career spanned the information technology revolution, with personal computers barely a blip on the educational horizon when she began at Eastern. Today's school has a computer in every room and the Internet and computer skills are an integral part of learning. While teaching this technology is crucial, Lober noted that books still have their place.
"Being able to cuddle up with a nice book, nothing beats that," she said.