Devoted teacher saying ‘goodbye’
Source: Peoria Journal Star
Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2009

When a teacher who has an immeasurable amount of time, guidance and devotion to a school retires, it’s hard to find a way to thank him.

Concordia Lutheran School tried.

Tom Ruppert, a 42-year athletic director, teacher and coach, is giving up most of his duties. He’ll continue serving as assistant principal and athletic director until others can fill those rolls.

On Saturday, about 300 people — a fraction of the people he’s touched over the years — gathered at Concordia to thank him. Ruppert was stunned.

“It was a tremendous outpouring of kind words and expressions from former students, students, staff and parents,” he said. “It was very heartwarming to hear. It was really quite special.”

Among the former students who came for the celebration was Shaun Livingston, a Concordia graduate who has known Ruppert since his wife, Ruth, was his kindergarten teacher. Tom and Ruth became his godparents, and Tom coached Shaun in basketball in sixth through eighth grades.

“Our school record those three years he played was 89-0 — 89 wins and no losses,” Ruppert said. “We won two Lutheran school state championships, and Shaun was MVP both of those years.”

Concordia used the occasion to honor their famous alum as well, retiring the jersey number that Livingston wore at the school, No. 34.

That’s when Livingston passed the ball back to his coach.

Livingston said, “I have a special treat for Mr. Ruppert, too.” He announced they named the gym at Concordia Lutheran the Thomas Ruppert Gymnasium.

Concordia’s Parent-Teacher League also announced a new scholarship in Ruppert’s name that will send one boy and one girl to basketball camp each summer.

Ruppert is retiring to be able to spend more time with his daughter, who lives in Washington State and is battling cancer. Otherwise, the goodbyes would have waited.

“I planned to stay even longer,” he said.