subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite map
Fri, Nov 27 2009 

Published June 20, 2009 10:20 pm - A friend called me last Friday morning to see if I had heard that one of our former classmates had died.
Christa Voss, a member of the Joplin High School class of ’94, was killed on June 9 when a motorist plowed her SUV into a group of cyclists riding on the shoulder of Highway 51 near Sand Springs, Okla. Christa and another cyclist were killed, and a third was injured.


Scott Meeker: Lessons emphasized life well-lived



A friend called me last Friday morning to see if I had heard that one of our former classmates had died.

Christa Voss, a member of the Joplin High School class of ’94, was killed on June 9 when a motorist plowed her SUV into a group of cyclists riding on the shoulder of Highway 51 near Sand Springs, Okla. Christa and another cyclist were killed, and a third was injured.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol report indicated that alcohol may have been a factor in causing the driver of the SUV to swerve into the path of the cyclists.

I didn’t really know Christa, other than having shared a class with her once or twice in high school. I do remember that she seemed like a nice person, though.

Reading the obit that ran in our June 12 paper, it was easy to see that she really was an exceptional individual: a biology professor at Tulsa Community College who previously worked for the Tulsa Zoo; a marathon runner; a member of an amateur bicycle racing team; someone who went skydiving and took bagpipe lessons simply for the fun of it.

But the type of person she grew into was really no surprise to me, having sat in her father’s classroom for four years in high school.

Looking back, I’m not really sure why I signed up for Latin. Maybe I just assumed that since it was a dead language and I would have no need to ever use it outside of class, how hard could it be?

I found out the answer to that question as I struggled to correctly conjugate verbs, translate passages of text and (sometimes unsuccessfully) hold on to a B in the class.

A number of classmates who started out that first year dropped it in favor of Spanish or French, but what kept me coming back each year was Gerald Voss.

Mr. Voss was more than just a teacher — he was a Teacher with a capital “T,” one of those all-too-rare educators who was as concerned about the type of adults his students would become as he was the letter grade they were making in his class. Maybe even more so.

Much of our time was spent translating selections from works such as “The Aeneid,” which traced the adventures of the heroic Aeneus that would eventually lead to the founding of Rome.

Often, Mr. Voss would use these stories as a springboard for weightier discussions:

What does it mean to take on responsibilities? What does it mean to live up to those responsibilities?

What is love? Can you truly love somebody and make them happy if you haven’t first figured out how to be happy on your own?

What is a family? What does it mean to be a good citizen?



print this story    email this story    comment on this story   

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.


Add a comment on this story







autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide

Announcements


Click here to VOTE!!

Click here!!

: Special Offer For New Subscribers : 32 buy 1 get 1 free offers

Click Here!


Featured Jobs

TRUCK DRIVERS NEEDED

for local construction project, must have CDL and experience on construction site belly dumps. 417-206-0930.
...>MORE

See all ads

Featured Transportation

2005 FORD FOCUS
4 cylinder, 5 speed, 134,000 miles, $3495. 417-434-0925...>MORE

2001 FORD WINDSTAR SE
Sport, loaded, all options, great looking van, extra nice, $3200. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE

1999 CADILLAC SEDAN DEVILLE
Delegance, Michelin tires, Northstar, vinyl top, loaded, $3900/or offer. (417)850-0731....>MORE

2001 DODGE RAM 1500
SLT/shell, 71,000 miles, 5.9l V8, tow package +, super condition reduced $7690. 417-358-5395....>MORE

1998 CHEVROLET TRACKER
removable hard tops, automatic, air, CD, sharp, $2500. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE

HONDA 2001 CIVIC EX
HONDA, 2001 Civic EX, 4 door, automatic, 94,000 miles, $5800; 1998 Accord, 4 door, $4200; 1999 Honda Prelude, automatic...>MORE

TOYOTA 2004 TACOMA PRERUNNER
Toyota, 2004 Tacoma Prerunner, TRD off road, double cab, V6, new tires, CD, bed liner, lid cover, 100,000 miles, excelle...>MORE

1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM
2 door, spoiler, sharp, loaded, automatic, air, CD, extra nice, $2600. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE

1993 CHEVROLET LONG BED
runs good, 4.3 V6, new transmission, needs body parts, $400. (417)438-2508...>MORE

JEEP 2000 CHEROKEE SPORT
JEEP, 2000 Cherokee Sport, 6 1/2” lift, 35” foggers, locked front end, welded rear end, off road use, winch not included...>MORE

See all ads

Featured Homes

NEWER 3 BR/2 BA
Lots of upgrades and great location. $149,000 but all offers considered. 903 Katlin, Carl Junction. Pictures www.fsboloc...>MORE

525 E. 41ST, JOPLIN, MO

to be sold at auction December 5th or before. Lovely all red brick home on large corner. 4 bedroom, 2 bath, double
...>MORE

3 ACRES
3 ACRES more/less with pond. Nice park-like setting, just minutes from Range Line. Close to area of newer homes. $19,900...>MORE

Deerfield Estates
in Carl Junction, prime building sites, reduced $10,000 each. 417-825-0052...>MORE

See all ads

Other Cool Stuff

MALTESE PUPPIES ADORABLE!!

6 weeks old Thanksgiving. 2 boys and 2 girls. Shots, wormed, and vet checked. Healthy, active, and loved! Great Ch
...>MORE

ANTIQUES FOR SALE
blue sette $350 2 lamps $75 coffee table $35 2 half side tables $35 2 mauve 60's chairs $225 will e-mail photos. 417-673...>MORE

NEW IN BOX
New in box, Lucchese cowboy boots, black, size 9D, $200. (620)231-9256...>MORE

ANGUS HEIFERS
6 Augus heifers, good foundation stock. (417)358-7519...>MORE

SCHNAUZERS
one white puppy, one registered silver adult female, one white adult male. (417)437-0300....>MORE

GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT!
1000 thread 100% Egyptian cotton bed sheets, all sizes, 10 colors, $35/set. (417)782-6639....>MORE

I WANT TO BUY
6’ t-post, 5’ wire. Call for details. (417)396-1339...>MORE

(2) TEACUP CHIHUAHUA
APRI puppies. (417)673-1997....>MORE

POODLES
POODLES, standard pups, born 10/10, registered, shots, wormed, family raised. Adorable personalities! 417-673-3892....>MORE

5TH WHEEL
5TH WHEEL, 2004 Prowler Regal, 26’, 2 slides, loaded, nice. (620)674-2127....>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index

 

 

The Joplin Globe Electronic Edition