RIP Mr. Eggener

The same day I heard about Ms. Kusch dying, I was told my 7th grade teacher, Mr. Eggener, had also just passed away. Here's how I remember him, with a smile, glasses, and a mustache. 

I hadn't seen him since 1989, at my sister's graduation, but according to his obituary photo he really leaned into the facial hair over the years. He looked good. 

 

If you take the time to read the extended death notice below, you'll see what was evident to his students, even if we weren't privy to all the details listed there: he was an intelligent, fun loving guy who devoted himself to his family, and to the causes and hobbies that he believed in. 

He started working at St. Adalbert's partway through 7th grade, when his predecessor, Mr Anderson, was fired. I liked Anderson, but I quickly recognized Mr. Eggener was a man to respect, and the superior teacher. 

I remember him telling us he was a Vietnam vet (and that's probably all he ever said of it to us), I remember he was very kind to my sister Katie, who followed a year behind me, and I remember asking him - Lord help the naivety of a 12 year old in the '80's - if the recently deceased Liberace had been gay LOL

He was, to quote one of my Grandma's favorite phrases,  "a good Joe."

RIP

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