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Bean 'There When People Needed Her'

Photo by Faith Jordan-Masella

A memorial service on Jan. 24 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 20735 Leonard Road, will honor longtime educator Dora Bean.

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By GEOFF FOX

gfox@tampatrib.com

Published: January 17, 2009

LAND O' LAKES - Dora Bean understood that not every student could be taught the same way.

Thanks to her sweet sense of humor and strong sense of family, administrators at Sanders Memorial Elementary School, where Bean taught more than 20 years, were confident in her ability to handle students with unique needs.

"My son was in her last class at Sanders," Faith Jordan-Masella said. "She was wonderful. In her last class, she had 20 students; fifteen were boys, and five of them were 'bad' boys.' They gave her the hard-to-handle kids because she could handle them. She was just very sweet and had a great way of handling kids and people."

Bean died Dec. 25. There will be a memorial service for her on Jan. 24 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 20735 Leonard Road.

In addition to her work as an educator, Bean was active in the community. She was a longtime member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, the Lutz-Land O' Lakes Woman's Club and the Heritage Park Foundation, among others.

After retiring from the school system in 1993, Bean worked as the first director for the Little Lambs Preschool at Holy Trinity Lutheran. She was there until her death.

"They started with six children. Now they have more than 100," former school board member Marge Whaley said. "I would see Dora at everything from teaching her commerce classes at the business expo to the Flapjack Festival.

"When I visualize her face, I always see a smile. Whenever you asked how she was, she'd say, 'I'm wonderful, and how are you?' I never saw her depressed or angry. I think that's what she transmitted to the kids."

A Chicago native, Bean moved to Florida with her late husband, Chuck, in the 1950s. They moved to Land O' Lakes in 1969.

Ruth Reilly, the school district's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instructional services, was an assistant principal at Sanders Elementary while Bean was there. She said she will remember Bean's sense of humor and gift for storytelling, as well as her love of children.

"She really understood the family context," Reilly said. "She would often know whole families. She would have taught siblings and connected well with mom and dad. That was a piece of her. She got to know what worked with kids and what motivated kids. She knew what moms and dads were interested in for their children."

Bean was just as well-known for her dedication to environmental causes, such as the annual Coastal Cleanup in central Pasco, and support of local events.

"She left some big shoes to fill, so we need some community people to step up," Jordan-Masella said. "She was such a wonderful, sweet woman and always there when people needed her."

Especially her students.

"They just loved her," Whaley said. "I think children know when teachers really care for them and when they're not as into it. There are teachers who aren't afraid to put their arm around kids and say, 'Honey, have you had a bad day? Sit down and you can cry and we'll get the Kleenex.'

"She was concerned about each individual child. Not every teacher is like that."

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dora Bean Memorial at the Little Lambs Preschool at Holy Trinity Lutheran.

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