Central California Council of Teachers of English honors the memory of KATHLEEN CECIL

When I received the call about Kathleen, for once words failed me. I sat, stunned and disbelieving, unable to comprehend how a spirit as vital as Kathleen's could simply be gone in the time it took to leave a room. I can still hear her voice cajoling her students and urging the rest of us to work for change, for justice, for equity. Serious as Kathleen was about changing the system, she also had a wicked sense of humor and loved a good time and a good laugh. She was the perfect traveling companion on our many trips to NCTE and CATE conferences. I miss her but her voice lives in my head and her spirit lives in my heart.
Liz McAninch

Kathleen was a teacher's teacher. She could start a conversation about a sentence she had just read, then jump to theology, soccer, libertarianism, film theory, and tie it all back to that one passage of text. I always enjoyed our conversations. They focused on her family, her students (whom she championed) her colleagues at Mission, and across the nation. She was tireless in her devotion to addressing injustice. Her dedication to crafting resolutions and educational policy issues energized CCCTE, CATE, and NCTE. We were lucky to know her and to work with her during her all too-shory time in our presence.
Susan Dillon

She never asked and always offered. She considered, questioned, thoughtfully responded to us all. We will miss her forever and love her always. Her life and her politics were in sync and her smile shared her life with us. We will miss you.
Bev Kreps