By the end of May, Springtown Independent School District reported more than 365 backpacks with school supplies had been donated in memory of longtime educator and administrator Dale Cleveland. The donations came after a request from his wife, Kathy Cleveland, in lieu of flowers following his passing.
“In lieu of flowers for his services, we asked for stuffed backpacks with school supplies,” she said. “(We) didn’t care what age, that was totally up to them (donors). You spend so much money on flowers — if we could give back to the kiddos that we fought for, or the ones that are in need, that’s really what we wanted to do.”
For Kathy, the overwhelming response reflected the same unspoken values that guided their nearly 46 years of marriage: supporting students and giving back whenever possible. Together, the couple spent decades investing in young people, both inside and outside the classroom.
