Elaine Kluttz Honbarrier taught fourth grade at Granite Quarry Elementary School for 32 years.
After retiring in 1994, she filled in as a substitute teacher for 10 more years. And today, at age 69, Honbarrier volunteers as a reader in local elementary schools.
On Wednesday, for example, she read a Christmas story to Diana Anderson’s second-grade class at Faith Elementary School. Honbarrier took her puppet, Fred, with her to offer a few pointers on how not to spread germs and the importance of recycling.
Through the years, Honbarrier has kept up with most of the students she taught at Granite Quarry. She donated $100 to the Christmas Happiness Fund Thursday in memory of 44 who are now deceased.
“I might have lost more,” she says, “but those are the ones that I have known about and kept up with around here.”
Honbarrier says she can remember something ó “something good” ó about every single student she taught. “I loved every one of them,” she says, “and I had a close relationship with them.
“They knew that I was their teacher and their friend.”
As their teacher and friend, Honbarrier even made home visits. Polly and Al McCracken still talk about how thrilled their daughter, Nancy, was when “Mrs. Honbarrier” came to see her cat’s litter of kittens.
Even though it’s been years since she’s seen some of them, Honbarrier says she always recognizes her students when she runs into them. “I was at the post office this morning,” she says, “and a big boy put his arms around me and I looked up at his face and said, ‘Steven Daughtery.’ ”
Honbarrier says she hadn’t seen her former student in over 20 years. “He was 6 feet tall,” she says, “and he could not get over the fact that I remembered him.”
Please bring Christmas Happiness contributions to the Salisbury Post, 131 W. Innes St., between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays or mail them to the Salisbury Post, P.O. Box 4639, Salisbury, N.C. 28145-4639. Make checks payable to the Christmas Happiness Fund and indicate how you wish your donation listed.
Wednesday’s total .$24,214.25
In loving memory of George E. Rusher Jr., by Mrs. George Rusher Jr. and family $100
In memory of Clyde and Louise Clodfelter, by Larry Clodfelter $200
In honor of Thelma and Albert BouLus, by Erma Bonzo $25
In memory of Dr. Marvin Bonzo, by Erma Bonzo, Cindy Davis (daughter) and Christy Owens (granddaughter) $100
Janus Book Club $50
In memory of Azula Linga, by The Azula Lingle Class of Salem Lutheran Church $20
In memory of Mrs. Johnnie Morris Monroe, by Charles and Susan Monroe and family $100
In honor of Jimmy and Tracy Webb and Salon 125, by Pennie and Dick Martin $100
In honor of our parents, by Margaret Bocchino $20
In honor of Alice Purcell and Al Hoffman, by Everyman’s Bible Class of First Presbyterian Church Salisbury $300
In honor of Tanner, Christopher, David and Kathryn, by Gran and Grandaddy $100
In memory of Everette Wilhelm, Mary L. Beaver and Roy Ritchie, by Dale and Marsha Beaver $100
In memory of Albert “Red” and Fannie Crane and Javus Crane, by their family $75
In memory of Carl S. Stutts and in honor of Carl Stutts Jr. and Tessa Lesley, by Mrs. Blanche Stutts $100
Fred and Alice Stanback $1,000
In honor of our wonderful pastor, the Rev. Wayne Trexler, and his lovely wife, Doris, and our Sunday School classes, partners in doing God’s work, by Parking Lot Class, Ladies Bible Class of Shiloh Reformed Church of Faith $25
In memory of Ross Bernard Penley and in honor of Mary Penley and children, by Mary Penley $25
In memory of Rosetta Davis, by Hallie Hawkins Missionary Circle $25
Anonymous $20
Happy Birthday, Mary Cook, from your sisters $50
In memory of our parents, Charlie and Minnie Barber and Lee and Betty Spry, and in honor of our children, William and Sandy, Michael and Sharon, Wendy and Chris $25
In memory of Mozelle and Ed Cline, Harold Kennedy and Don Bowden and in honor of Will, Paige, Hall and Bert Kenerly, by Toni and Bill Kenerly $100
Anonymous $1
In memory of Charles Jones and Rosemary Honeycutt, by Hazel R. Jones $25
In honor of Mrs. Anne Ketner and Virginia and Leo Wallace, by Evelyn and Walt Wagner $50
In honor of our Sunday School teachers: Jeanne Shaver and Clyde Harriss, Eva Adams and Lib “Doodle” Morgan, who faithfully served our class for many years; and in loving memory of William Shulenburger and Lonnie Yost, by Patterson-Wessinger Sunday School Class, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Salisbury $50
In honor of Madilyn Arnez, by Mom $10
In honor of Robin Faggart and in memory of Fred and Lucille Faggart, “Marty” Faggart, by George and Fran Faggart $200
In memory of Tom and Ruth Cohen, by Newton and Marilyn Cohen $100
In memory of Homer and Margaret Horah, by Newton and Marilyn Cohen $100
In memory of Deborah Jean Cohen, by Newton and Marilyn Cohen $100
In honor of our children, Jim and Vicki Cohen, Robin Louise Cohen and Tom and Lorie Yost, by Newton and Marilyn Cohen $100
In honor of our grandchildren, Meghann and Tanner Robinson, Caroline Cohen, Mary Chandler Cohen, Laurel Cohen and Daniel Cohen, by Newton and Marilyn Cohen $100
In honor of the residents of “St. John’s Woods,” by Newton and Marilyn Cohen $100
In memory of my loving son, Jody Peeler, by Jane K. Peeler $25
Anonymous $100
In honor of our friends and neighbors in Milford Hills, by Chuck and Liz Friedrich $200
In honor of our wonderful neighbors, “Aunt Shully” and “Uncle Ned” $75
In honor of all our children and grandchildren, by Howard and Carol Edwards $100
In memory of loved ones, by R.W. Soderberg $50
In honor of our grandchildren, Katie, Ben, Will, Cal, J.T., Heather and Ashlynn and in memory of Greg $200
Merry Christmas to John and Peggy Carter, Harry and Pat Cooke, Mike and Ebbie Whisenant and Gwen Pope $100
In memory of my students ó David Cecil, Robin Shue, Ray Ritchie, June Carol Rives, Johnny Bane, Carlton Owens, Keith Ashley, Robert Gentry, Janice Lackey, Amanda Allen, Randy Lyerly, Larry Kluttz, Ricky Kluttz, Lisa Williams, Pamela Jackson, Donald Bullins, Douglas Redwine, Parthenia Dumas, Suan Lynne Cauble, Kevin Stokes, Michael McCoslin, Brad Patrick, Travis Martin, Lain Sullivan, Chris Mako, Trey Wood, Michael Eidson, Sybil Shores Joyner, Gabriel Eanes, Tommy Peoples, Mark Miller, Franz Merrell, Nathan Raymer, Michael Kennedy, Kenneth Moore, Kevin Shue, Allen Cross, Christine Thomas Helms, Michael Cook, Gary James Stiller, MaryAnn Trexler Howard, Michael Shelton, Torlyn Brown, Sharon Earnhardt and Mr. James E. Mathis ó by Elaine Kluttz Honbarrier $100
Total for Thursday $4,546
Total to date $28,760.25