Alamo Heights Superintendent Dr. Jerry Christian delivered these remarks Friday at a service of comfort and celebration at Alamo Heights Methodist Church:

Thank you, Allison, Stephen, and Mike for asking me to be a part of this tribute to your mother and sister. I've found that my words seem too narrow to describe the wonderful attributes of Diane Tilly. And so I've looked for other means of communicating how special she is. We've been sharing countless stories about Diane, and in preparing for these comments, the staff has shared with me a number of written letters and comments that describe her better than I ever could. I will share excerpts from some of those comments.

The following is from a former Robbins graduate - a letter written to Mrs. Tilly back in September. It was addressed to "Momma:"

"I can still remember the day my life turned for the good; when you opened your arms and welcomed me to a brighter future. How could you love a troubled daughter like me? When I had nothing to eat, you fed me, clothed me and made sure that school was a whole lot better than home. It is 5:20 a.m. and I put a lot of thought into you, Ms. Tilly, little lady who gave me a lot of courage, knowledge, strength, and turned my bad image into good. So we don't look alike, you didn't give birth to me, we haven't known each other for all my life; but forever I will love you... Momma."

Can you imagine this young woman's feelings when she wrote the following words just this past Saturday:

"As I try to comprehend this story, my adrenaline rushes. I cry in great pain and rage. WHY? I could cry forever. This is so unreal, praying for the best, for God has called one of his most important angels - Diane A. Tilly, who is like the very meaning of unconditional love. I love you dearly. Forever you will live in hearts of generations and beyond."

The Robbins Academy is a non-traditional school of choice. Students must apply, and once they're accepted, Diane would take their picture in cap and gown and put it up on the bulletin board in the front hallway. She would emphasize that they would one day be walking that same hall in cap and gown to the music of Pomp and Circumstance and to applause, shouts of "Way to go." And as always, Ms. Tilly would present the graduates with an Alamo Heights HS Diploma as her eyes welled up with tears - tears of great joy that last forever.

Dr. Foster, in recommending Diane for a special honor, once described that special time of graduation in this way:

"Diane, with tears streaming down her face, asks each graduate what their future career goals are and it is always with pride and love that she watches each of her students chart their future. Her graduates now that she unconditionally loves them and I see them return often to share their accomplishments and struggles with the teacher who saved their soul."

As Superintendent, I can relate to those words. Sometimes, when I'm frustrated and need encouragement, I go to Robbins because I know I will always come away uplifted by the students and staff - and especially Diane, who could always make a bad day seem like blissful joy. One day, I made such a journey to Robbins, and was going to tell her how much I appreciated her. But before I could say anything, she started this non-stop exclamation, with hands and her entire body (just as usual), so excited that she had received a letter from a young man who had graduated from Robbins in 2000. She lit up like a Christmas tree. This young man had joined the Marines and was writing to his favorite special person some three years later. He stated he was stationed in San Diego, but would soon be shipped out to Iraq. But what he expressed mostly was how much she had meant to him; and that he wanted to keep writing her after he went to Iraq. You see, this young man knew the essence of what Diane was all about - genuine relationships.

Then I came across a most unusual e-mail sent to Diane two years ago. It was from a former student of Diane's. She had taught this young lady in 1968 at Levi Fry Jr. High School in Texas City. In doing my arithmetic, Diane would have been 22 and in her first year of teaching. This young woman's class was having a reunion in 2002, and even though she hadn't seen Diane in 34 years, she just had to find Ms. Tilly so she could ask her to come to their reunion. She searched the WEB and found a presentation Diane did at a workshop. It mentioned that Diane was a teacher in Alamo Heights, so she contacted our WEB site and sure enough found Ms. Tilly. She wrote:

"You are definitely the all-time coolest teacher I ever had. You really took the time to understand us and find out about what was going on in our lives."

It might not surprise you that this young lady, some 36 years later, is a teacher - she obviously had the influence of a wonderful role model.

I also found a note to Diane in March of 2001. It said exactly what I wish to say to her this very day:

"Dear Diane: You ar truly a beautiful person whose heart radiates love for young people. I thank God for you, for you've made an incredible difference in many lives. Not only for the kids, but for all of us as colleagues, as you've modeled such strong belief in our kids, and love for them, and an undaunted positive attitude. Thank you SO much for holding up our profession with such grace."

All of these words from others express just how much she is valued and loved. However, we've also found words written by Diane herself as she was asked to express her teacher's philosophy a few years ago in preparation for a special recognition. Listen to the words of Ms. Tilly:

"Our students not only need academic support, but also emotional support. Helping a student know they are truly cared for is one key to their future. I believe it is my job to be an unfailing support for all of them. This sometimes makes me the 'mother' at school - and it is a job that I love. Teaching is not just a job to me. Truly, it is a gift every day. I love coming to school every morning so I can start my day with a smile of greeting to the many individual personalities who enter our front doors. I love getting to know the students, not only in an academic manner, but also as real people with disappointments, breakthroughs, and hopes for their futures. I love listening to their stories, sharing their dreams, and seeing their successes first hand. One of my greatest joys is witnessing the sense of accomplishment that radiates from a student when that last course is complete, and they realize they're a high school graduate. What more can a teacher want than to be a part of the growth and maturation of a life? You ask me why I teach. I teach because I love it."

The testimony I've given from a few today is only a small portion of the outpouring of love for this remarkable woman. I don't know that any words could be as meaningful as those coming from the students whose lives she touched with such grace.

I want to add these closing thoughts. I ask for forgiveness as I think out loud. My thoughts are not meant to diminish the respect and glory we give to our Creator, Our Heavenly Father.

That being said, I found myself in preparing for this time of comfort and celebration, thinking of Diane as she approaches our Father in Heaven. I see her immediately expressing her desire to make things happen for others - great ideas coming out of her head at a mile a minute - with a great sense of urgency. And I can imagine in my limited earthly manner, that God must be trying to calm Diane down. It's ok, Diane, just take a deep breath and relax. After all, there is no time in Heaven. So there's really no rush. And things are perfect here, so there's really nothing that needs to be fixed. WHAT! Can you possibly imagine Diane's disappointment in not having something to fix?

Then I can hear Diane saying, well if that's the case, please Father, please, please make me an angel so I can help others back on earth. I promise I'll make you proud; I'll give it my best, and it's just what I'd love to do, please, please. Now having been a father of a young daughter, I might sense God thinking that this pleading could go on and on for an eternity. For sure, Diane would never give up. But in my heart, I can see our Heavenly Father embracing Diane and gently saying to her:

"Dear precious child, don't you know that I know everything, including your every thought. And so I know you'd love to be an angel; and you'd make a wonderful angel. But dear, dear Diane, what you don't understand is that's exactly what I created 58 years ago."

And for this angel, for this day and for always, we all give thanks.