Memorial Saturday for West Seattle ES teacher Heidi Hudeckova

| Obituaries | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

West Seattle Elementary wants to make sure that everyone who knew teacher Heidi Hudeckova knows about the memorial for her at the school this Saturday. Counselor Laura Bermes tells WSB that Heidi died last month, just 50 years old, from a brain aneurysm, adding, “Heidi taught at West Seattle Elementary in the Developmental Preschool Program. Graduated students from that program populate local schools throughout West Seattle. We’re hoping to get the word out so that those who loved Teacher Heidi, and those whose lives she touched can share in this celebration.” Parent Ellen Bremen says of Ms. Hudeckova, “Heidi was an institution there; her years of experience and almost magical intuition of what makes a ‘higher needs’ child thrive changed countless children’s lives, as well as their parents.” The memorial, described as an informal potluck for sharing memories, is planned for 11 am-1 pm Saturday (May 4) at the school, 6860 34th SW.

DevPreschoolParent April 30, 2013 (8:20 pm)

Teacher Heidi was an amazing, amazing person who had an incredible gift for working with children with special needs. She changed not only our child’s life, but the lives of our entire family. We love and miss her very much.

laura April 30, 2013 (10:11 pm)

Just a clarification – no need to bring food to attend. Please, if you knew Heidi, feel free to join us in celebrating her life. Peace, Laura Bermes

G April 30, 2013 (10:53 pm)

Very sad news. It seems recently there have been too many relatively young people passing away. My condolences to the family.

Michelle R-R May 1, 2013 (9:27 am)

What a loss to the community. She sounds like an amazing person and I love her beautiful smile. Heartfelt condolences to her friends and family. She will live on in the lives of all of her students.

Corrin May 1, 2013 (12:30 pm)

Heidi was wonderful!!! She always went out of her way for her students, always wanted them to EXCEED and EXCELL! I could never possibly thank her enough for all the help she gave our son (the one standing behind her in the white and green striped shirt) :) We will be there Saturday for sure. She was and is DEFINITLEY a benchmark teacher for kids with special needs. <3

parent volunteer May 3, 2013 (9:59 pm)

I worry about our teachers — so many seem to die younger than normal. Too much stress, too many (uncompensated) 10-12 hour days. Most teachers work directly with kids all day, then have meetings, and have to do their emails, contacting parents, curriculum dev’t, prep work, correcting, inputting grades, making materials, photocopying, etc on their own time. Summers are for professional development, getting ready for the next year, and catching up on everything that didn’t get done during the year due to workload!! I think teachers do more ‘volunteer’ work than any other profession! I do not know this teacher, but my heart goes out to her family and friends. I know she gave her all, with much love –

alkigirl May 5, 2013 (9:33 am)

I worked with Heidi at WSEPS for almost 5 years, as her assistant. She called me her “right arm” (she was left handed). I have worked with countless teachers in my 13 years in the district, and never, ever, have I had the great joy to work with such an amazing, magical person, before her. She knew just how to reach the kids, that seemed “unreachable”. She truly was the “autism whisperer”. She inspired my daughter to go into the teaching field, as my daughter did her “senior project” in our classroom, on “Special Needs Children” and she now works with high school kids that are emotionally and behaviorally challenged, and she herself, is just 21. She saw firsthand, at a young age, the magic Heidi worked with these little kidlets, and was inspired to want to do the same. Heidi touched so many lives, and it just doesn’t seem right that she is gone, and cannot change any more lives for the better. The ones she did reach, are the lucky ones, and their families attest to that fact. As “parent volunteer” stated, teachers are overworked, and Heidi was under tremendous stress with deadlines approaching. Teachers do NOT get the time they need to get the work done that is expected of them. Truly overworked and underpaid. But Heidi LOVED the work she did, and her brain never shut off. She’d wake in the middle of the night, with some new brainstorm for a child that she was working with, and trying to help. She was always so caring, loving, giving, helpful, kind, funny, and truly amazing. I miss her presence every day in the classroom, and my life will never be the same, but is forever changed because of Heidi Hudeckova. My heart goes out to her 14 year old son, and to her forever friend, Riki. My heart breaks for the lives that will never be touched by “Teacher Heidi’s” magic. I was one of the lucky ones to know her. I will carry her knowledge with me always, and will do my best to represent her. She was one in a million. RIP sweet, sweet lady.