It wasn't until her funeral that Paul Meginnis, B.S. ’63 and MAS ’64, Gies Business, came to understand the profound impact his wife, Kay, had on their community. An longtime and well-respected educator, Kay Reeves Meginnis, dedicated her life to teaching, including a 30-year legacy of teaching special education in both Illinois and Iowa.
Kay Reeves graduated from the University of Illinois College of Education in 1958 with her bachelor's degree in elementary education and completed her master's degree in 1961. She went on to devote more than 30 years to teaching special needs students and to helping children understand that learning is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences one can have. She often used strategies and procedures that helped celebrate successes, no matter how large or small. Paul remembers Kay telling him that a doctorate was out of the question at that time because she wouldn't be in the classroom with the children which she loved.
Following her untimely death in 1995, Paul received a request from Kay's principal asking that they move the weekday service from a morning time to early afternoon. He knew that Kay's school staff and community would want to attend her service to honor her, so he closed school at noon that Tuesday. The day of her funeral, Paul recalls the family meeting in the Guild Hall; they were called to go to the sanctuary five minutes prior to the service. It was then Paul saw the corridor was packed for 20 yards, from the entry to the sanctuary, which also was overflowing. There were more than 500 congregates–300 of which were school-related. Teachers, parents, and current and former students were among the many who were in attendance to honor Kay.
“Kay had a natural gift of getting each of her students to perform to his/her highest potential, no matter what obstacles they might face,” said Stan Voss, then principal of the Saydel (Iowa) School District near Des Moines. “She made such an impression on her students that they continued to come back to see her as they grew up. When children were students in her classroom, they would proudly announce, 'Mrs. Meginnis was my teacher!' For Kay, that was the ultimate reward.”
In addition to her successful career as an educator, Kay celebrated a wonderful family life. She and Paul, a University of Illinois accounting graduate, raised a son, Colin. Father and son shared a mutual admiration for Kay and her passion for teaching. To carry forward her legacy, they created the Kay Reeves Meginnis Special Education Scholarship, honoring her deep love for and commitment to teaching students with special needs.
Paul still relishes at the opportunity to share Kay's story, especially with the recipients of the scholarship named in her honor. “She made a difference in their little lives," said Paul. "She made their lives better.”
If you want to support the Kay Reeves Meginnis Special Education Scholarship or create similar opportunities for students, faculty, research, and programs, please email the College's or visit our .