Mister Tezyk

Mr. (Stan) Tezyk passed away this week.

Not everyone who's reading this knows Mr. Tezyk, but the students of North Collins Central certainly do. Mr. Tezyk was a teacher at the school for years and years and years.

If you attended North Collins High School anywhere from 1970-2014 you were well aware of Mr. Tezyk's influence. Even after he retired he was a mainstay in the town that he loved.

I thought of Mr. Tezyk a lot this week as I went about my business - out of town - which would make attending his services impossible.

There were just so many things to consider.

First and foremost, Mr. Tezyk was a good man.

You can tell by the grin in the photo above that he liked to have fun.

Secondly, he always seemed to be covered in chalk dust when he taught class.

Thirdly, he dressed a little like me...hammering the disheveled look.

Fourthly, he really loved his family.

The Tezyk family (and all of North Collins) suffered a tremendous loss when John Tezyk was killed in an auto accident at a young age.

Stan never really got over losing his son...

...but how could he?

Despite the fact that he certainly tried and brought a brave face and that smile...

How in the hell could he?

Life threw him a nasty curve ball, but Mr. Tezyk had warned us all that it just might.

Through the years Mr. Tezyk was always ready to laugh. He seemed to seek out the Fuzzy boys a little because he knew we were good for a story or two.

Yet that grin wasn't all that I remembered as I thought about Mr. Tezyk.

I actually recalled specific lectures that he gave in tenth grade psychology class!

I remember him telling us that the important love in a marriage wasn't the physical aspect of it. To hormone-raging 10th graders that seemed crazy.

Mr. Tezyk was right.

I remember him talking about id and ego...and right and wrong.

There was a lot about right and wrong.

Mr. Tezyk had a straight-forward teaching style.

He'd sit cross-legged on top of the desk.

He'd get your attention if you weren't paying attention.

Some days he'd set the lesson plan aside and tell us real life stories that helped us grow.

He got to know us.

He spoke to us instead of at us.

I remember one time, way back in 10th grade, when he called me on the girl I had a crush on. I tried to deny said crush and he just laughed.

As an adult I had the chance to spend some more time with Mr. Tezyk.

We had a couple of beers a few years back.

We talked about my writing and he confessed that he was proud that I'd been published.

I told him that he certainly had helped me.

He liked that.

Because Mr. Tezyk was a teacher.

And man, when you read that sentence you know how important that label is.

He taught so many kids.

He had so much influence on so many lives.

What a noble way to spend your days, right?

He taught me one other thing at the North Collins reunion the last time I saw him.

"Hi, Mr. Tezyk," I said as I shook his hand.

"Call me Stan, for God's sake," he said.

I explained that I was more comfortable calling him 'Mister.'

"What hair you have left is gray," he said. "You sound kind of goofy calling anyone 'Mister.'"

We laughed.

We toasted.

RIP

Mr. Tezyk.