My name is Emily and I am a former student of Mrs. Creagh. She taught me in 7th grade and 8th grade during her first two years at Riverton School. Yesterday, I was remembering our "publishing parties" fondly and I was wondering how Mrs. Creagh was doing. I was heartbroken when I looked her up on facebook and learned of her passing. Mrs. Creagh was my favorite teacher for the two years that I had her. She encouraged our creativity and gave us honest and fair feedback on our work. She treated every piece we wrote like they mattered, because to her, they did. She was a talented writer in her own right. I remember when my class was about to graduate, and she wrote a poem about how much she loved us. There wasn't a dry eye in the entire room. This woman meant so much to me and I only wish that I had gotten to express that to her before it was too late. I remember the fondness with which she spoke of her daughters, how she always took an interest in what they were interested in. 2007 and 2008 were the years of Hannah Montana, and Mrs. Creagh would play that music for us during class all the time. I really loved that.
I really want to extend my deepest condolences, though they are late, to Mrs. Creagh's family, to all of the staff at Riverton who loved her, and to anyone else who loved her. I checked my 8th grade yearbook to see what she wrote, and in it, she told me to keep writing. Well, Mrs. Creagh, I kept writing and I have been writing ever since you let me know that my voice mattered. Rest In Peace, you wonderful human.
Emily Mann