As a cart of 31 backpacks loaded with school supplies, destined for students in need, entered the office, Erin and Karen Kyle shake hands with Principal Christopher Aguinaga and Mrs. Sheryl Knight, marking the official donation.
For thirteen years, Tim Kyle dedicated his work to teaching at Loy Norrix. Kyle instructed in the Community Based Vocational Education program that helped students with special needs and assisted their transition into the work world by helping to find employment opportunities for them.
In January of 2017, Tim Kyle had three strokes, resulting in him having to leave KPS for rehabilitation. Unfortunately, after 18 months of rehabilitation, Kyle passed away due to health complications.
At Kyle’s memorial service, his family asked for donations to help students both at Loy Norrix and throughout the Kalamazoo Public School district. These donations included backpacks loaded with school supplies for students who need them and a total of three thousand dollars in donations to the Kalamazoo Regional Education Service Agency. This will be put towards helping students with special needs throughout the school district.
“He would have loved that. He had a school store where kids could earn school supplies. His legacy was always having food, supplies, whatever he could come up with for the kids,” said Loy Norrix art teacher Cindy Vanlieu, a close friend of Kyle.
Kyle is recalled well by those he worked closely with, both students and staff alike. At Kyle’s memorial service, the student turnout was described as phenomenal and heart-warming.
“I was very impressed by how many students showed up at his funeral service. There were many students there from the past that are no longer in school,” recollected Vanlieu.
Kyle is remembered for many reasons, such as the school shop he ran that allowed students to earn supplies and the vocational education field trips he planned for the students.
“One of his favorite things to do was go on field trips,” said Loy Norrix paraprofessional Bill Logan. “They were going out to the car museum, going to Stryker, going to a place called Landscape Forms.”
Though, Kyle is remembered for more than his work, he is also remembered for his heart and his drive to help others.
“Mr. Kyle was very positive, an extremely hard worker, conscientious, and really dedicated to helping students,” recalls Vanlieu. “After school, when we would both be here very late, we would sit and have conversations on all kinds of things.”
“He was very intelligent, he liked education, he liked teaching students, and he liked teaching here at Norrix,” said Logan. “He will be missed in education because that was what he really liked.”
With the donations to KRESA and supplies for students in honor of Tim Kyle, his legacy will live on in the hearts of many students and teachers alike.
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The Memory of Tim Kyle: Giving Back to the Community
September 28, 2018
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About the Contributor
Brandon Schnurr, Web Editor
My name is Brandon Schnurr, and I've been with Knight Life going on three years. I started in the 2017-2018 school year as the News Editor of Knight Life, and continued into the 2018-2019 year as Web Editor, a position I still hold in the 2019-2020 school year as we move to a more web based platform. Besides Knight Life, I am also a member of the Loy Norrix Chapter of the National Honor Society. Some of my hobbies include video games, playing guitar, and singing.
