Cary-Grove teacher remembered for her magnetic personality
Even during the darkest moments of her four-month battle with colon cancer, friends and colleagues say Jodi Lynn Harrison continued teaching with the bright and magnetic personality that made her a beloved teacher at Cary-Grove High School.
The freshman math teacher died Monday. She was 47.
A graduate of Millikin University and member of the Streamwood High School Athlete Hall of Fame, Harrison enjoyed a successful business career with Cingular Wireless before her passion for education led her to teaching.
Cary-Grove High School Principal Jay Sargeant remembered Harrison’s dedication to her students.
“Even on a bad day it meant the world for her to be in the classroom because that’s where she loved to be,” Sargeant said. “That’s my favorite memory. It was so her. She was so selfless.”
Harrison was diagnosed in August and still started out the school year teaching.
In addition to her classroom duties, Harrison was the Math Team coach and a sponsor of the after school homework club.
“Jodi was bright, enthusiastic and energetic,” Sargeant said. “She was everything you could hope for in you son or daughter’s teacher.”
Sargeant said Harrison held high standards for her students, but ensured students received the assistance they needed to reach their goals.
Friends said Harrison instilled the love of activity in her two sons, Michael Jr. and Noah. Harrison played golf and tennis, rode bikes and in-line skates, hiked, camped and took karate lessons with her sons. She also completed two half marathons in Chicago.
“She was such a caring and loving mother who was very involved with her boys,” friend Donna Gauthier said.
Gauthier said Harrison had an easygoing personality and the pair shared many laughs, especially in the tae kwon do lessons they attended with their sons.
“We had to spar in front of a panel of judges for a belt test, which we had never done before,” Gauthier said. “We just laughed all the way through it because we had no idea what we were doing.”
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, at Querhammer & Flagg Funeral Home, 500 W. Terra Cotta Ave., Crystal Lake. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23, at Willow Creek Community Church, 220 Exchange Drive, Suite A, Crystal Lake.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Michael and Noah Harrison’s College Fund at Harris Bank, 5545 Northwest Highway, Crystal Lake, IL 60014.