During Tuesday night's Tamaqua School Board meeting, Assistant Superintendent Raymond Kinder stunned board members with news that a much loved teacher, Thelma Urban, had passed away on Monday morning.

"She was a great person, kind, who cared about the students and helped them inside and outside the classroom," Kinder said.He also said that a public memorial service was being organized by teachers, students and administrators.The memorial service was first announced by way of the Tamaqua Blue and White Magazine's Facebook page.Organizers are encouraging everyone whose life was affected by Mrs. Urban to share a memory of the popular high school language arts teacher. Those written memories will then be collected into a book, which will be given to her children, "so that one day, her children will know the impact she had on the lives of her students and community." A collection box for the memories will be placed at the Senior Stand.Also at the stand will be a collection box for donations to the family.Thelma was the wife of Mike Urban and the mother of two preschoolers, Sean and Violet. A college fund has been established for the children at

www.giveforward.com. The introduction makes note of her spirit and her love for education, "Thelma was an angel long before she left this world."The tribute continues, "Her tiny stature could barely contain her mighty spirit and tremendous compassion for others, especially children. She was a tireless crusader, a heroic teacher and an educator who devoted her life to helping her students and standing up for anyone everyone especially those who were picked on, left out, forgotten or marginalized. We call Thelma the "Champion of the Underdogs" because she would always find the weakest, most excluded, most forlorn among us and make their cause her cause. Thelma devoted her life to healing others through acts of love, kindness and compassion. As a teacher, Thelma reveled in daily opportunities to educate children about their world. She opened their eyes to the beauty that surrounded them. She nurtured their curiosity and inspired them with her love of learning. Thelma embraced teaching's highest virtues: to teach children that their lives are filled with meaning and purpose; to instill in them a sense of self-worth and possibility."Mrs. Urban did more than just teach language arts. She also found ways to show her students the real meaning of community service through the creation of an anti-bullying video, Community Fit Day, a Hero Project, Family Day, a book fair, teen read challenge and community clean up days.The memorial service will be held from 8 to 9 p.m. today at the Tamaqua Sports Stadium. The public is welcome.