BUCYRUS, OHIO (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW) — Courageous and kind.
Two words used to describe Dawn Schaaf by Wynford Elementary’s first- and second-grade teams and elementary principal Amy Taylor-Sheldon, following Schaaf’s recent passing after a hard-fought battle with cancer.
A wife, a mother of two girls, and a lover of Disney—especially Tigger—Ohio State, the Columbus Blue Jackets, shopping, Florida, her in-laws’ cabin in Michigan, the beach, and countless other joys, Dawn was someone who embraced life wholeheartedly. Above all, she cherished her family and the time she spent with them.
“In all of my career, she was one of the most welcoming people and she made me feel like I was a part of the Wynford family right away, and it is a huge loss for us,” Superintendent Forrest Trisler said. “She was a wonderful teacher and an even better person.”
Dawn, who worked as an intervention specialist at Wynford Elementary for over 20 years, was a familiar and friendly face to students and staff alike—whether she worked with them directly or not. Students would pass her in the hallway and say hi—many giving her hugs—because she loved all the kids, and they loved her. That same warmth extended to her colleagues, too.
“She was one that, when you went into a classroom, you couldn’t tell who the typical teacher was and who the intervention specialist was because she was always helping everyone,” elementary principal Amy Taylor-Sheldon said.
Dawn always did her best to support her teaching team—especially on tough days—by bringing their favorite candy or drink and leaving encouraging notes. Her thoughtfulness was a quiet but constant presence.
“We are thankful to have worked with Mrs. Schaaf, she loved each and every one of her students, and she left an impact on many lives. She was more than a teacher, she was a great friend,” first-grade teacher Tracy Frombaugh said.
Second-grade teacher Vicky Wurm shared a quote that reminded her of Dawn: “A true teacher is like a candle, it consumes itself to light the way for others.” Wurm added that even when things were hard for Dawn, she wanted to continue to show up and light the way for her students.
Her tenacity, desire, and resolve to do her best to never let her illness stop her shone through. Throughout her battle with cancer, Dawn never wanted to miss a day of work and always showed up for her students and fellow teachers whenever she could.
“Thinking about coming to school, being in pain, thinking about your students, thinking about your kids, thinking about not wanting to let your teaching partners down, because she never wanted to miss a day of work,” Taylor-Sheldon said. “It does take a fair amount of courage to do that and get out of bed. And so when I thought about her legacy here, I just felt it was to have courage and be kind.”
To honor her memory, the Wynford Local School District will announce commemorative activities throughout the year.
Her legacy lives on—in every hug, every hallway smile, and every act of courage and kindness.
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“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.”
–Thomas Campbell