‘KIND’ AND ‘FIERCE’: NAUNIE LOBAUGH’S LASTING IMPACT
Photo by Photo provided by PEP Counselor Cindy Newton.
World history teacher Naunie Lobaugh’s celebration of life was held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, March 3 at the Community of Hope United Methodist Church. Lobaugh passed away Thursday, Feb. 27 of Ovarian cancer.
Mar 5, 2020
Winter “Adam” Heuertz said her sister Naunie Lobaugh was the smartest sister in the bunch.
Lobaugh had a thirst for knowledge that led her to want to teach others so they can do more in the world than she ever could.
“Naunie had the best laugh,” Winter said. “I remember she would watch “Golden Girls” or “M*A*S*H*” her whole body would shake with laughter and you couldn’t help but laugh with her. I never thought that Corporal Klinger was that funny but her laughter made me laugh too and that was amazing.”
A celebration of life event was held for Lobaugh at the Community of Hope United Methodist Church. Friends, family, and students gathered Tuesday to celebrate Lobaugh’s independent and fiery spirit in the wake of her death. She passed away Thursday, Feb. 27 of Ovarian cancer.
Fernando Benavides, human resources secondary director of Mansfield Independent School District, said he hired Lobaugh his first year as SHHS principal. Benavides said Lobaugh had been with him for a long time and was a great teacher.
“I do remember when she got sick,” Benavides said. “She was fierce and didn’t let that cancer, way back when she was first diagnosed, affect her. She was still gonna be there and do her job and work hard for the kids and Sam and the teachers she worked with as well.”
Lobaugh’s youngest sister Danion “Josh” Martinez said it was the early sibling fights that made Lobaugh such a strong and fierce woman. Lobaugh loved in many ways from food to old movies, she said.
“Naunie was what a lot of people would call an old soul, but it is hard to imagine her ever being a well-behaved lady of the past,” Martinez said. “God knew all too well where Naunie belonged when he put her here and we were lucky that he did.”
Moises Castro