Cindy Greer Reavis

REAVIS, Cindy Greer- age 53 passed away Friday October 24, 2014. She is preceded in death by her father, Harold Dean Greer. Survived by her son, Evan Jackson Reavis; mother, JoAnn Thompson Henry& her husband Rev. Tom Henry ; sisters, Gretchen Greer Dvorak & Amy Williams; niece, Lacey Ford Hester; nephew, Reavis Ford; the family wishes to express a sincere thank you to Cindy's Oncologist, Dr. Julie A. Means -Powell, M.D. & the staff of Vanderbilt-Ingram Breast Cancer Center. Cindy was a member of West Haven Baptist Church & a teacher with the Wilson Co. Schools & Lebanon Special School District. Visitation will be held on Sunday October 26th 2-6 p.m. in Lebanon's First Baptist Church. A Celebration of Life will follow at 6:00 p.m. at the Church. Pastor Dr. Jonathan Richerson & Rev. Tom Henry will officate the service. Graveside services will be held on Monday morning October 27th 10:00 a.m.. in the Cedar Grove Cemetery. Active pallbearers, Reavis Ford, David Dvorak, Wayne Powell, Jonathan Dvorak, Cody Allison, Jordan Hester, & Michael Summerlin. Honorary pallbearers, Fellow teachers and administration of the Wilson Co. Schools and Lebanon Special School District. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Cindy's memory to the Evan Reavis Benefit Fund at any Wilson Bank & Trust location. PARTLOW FUNERAL CHAPEL(615) 444-7007 OBITUARY LINE (615) 444-7700.www.partlowchapel.com Cindy Greer Reavis was born in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina in 1960 to Harold Dean Greer and Jo Ann Thompson Greer. The family moved back to Lebanon in 1962.Education was a major part of Cindy's life. It began with Highland Heights Church of Christ Kindergarten. She attended Byars Dowdy Elementary and Lebanon Junior High. In 1978 she graduated from Lebanon High SchoolCindy was prankster. At Lebanon High School Cindy and several classmates had an idea for a senior prank. They caught about 40 big bullfrogs and released them in the cafeteria at lunch. I don't think she got caught, but according to her classmates, she also could talk her way out of trouble.Other pranks included sneaking out of her house. On one occasion she escaped leaving her bedroom window open and drapes blowing in a strong wind. On another occasion, she snuck out the front door, but managed to elbow the door bell without realizing it. She was caught on both occasions.Her education continued at MTSU with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a Master's degree in Administrative Supervision. Except for dissertation, she completed a PhD at Tennessee State.Teaching followed education, and Cindy began her teaching career in 1983. She was a student teacher at Walter Hill Elementary, an assistant at Sam Houston Elementary, and a teacher at Byars Dowdy for 6 years.Cindy quickly became the teacher that parents requested for their children. Sometimes parents maneuvered offering to be room mothers or PTA officers to get their child into Cindy's classroom. My wife was one of those parents, and her daughter, Lori, says that Cindy is still her favorite teacher.Cindy was known for decorating her classroom with whatever was popular with the children: for example, 101 Dalmatians. Cindy spent her summer, and too much of her paycheck, shopping for classroom decorations.Cindy excelled at teaching and expected her room mothers to excel at parties and classroom activities. Cindy also excelled at fashion (She was voted best dressed in high school.) and room mothers usually responded with an appropriate gift. A best teacher coffee mug would not be adequate.In 1990 Cindy married Lieutenant Colonel Michael Reavis, a US Air Force F15 pilot, and moved to Hawaii. She taught at St. Andrew's Priory School, the oldest all girls school in Hawaii. She received Hawaii's Favorite Teacher Award.In 1992 Cindy moved back to Lebanon and taught at Carroll Oakland from 1992 to 1998. Her final teaching was at West Elementary where she taught first and third grade until 3 weeks ago.Cindy was a member of Chapel Playhouse Community Theater, formerly Sound and Light Company. She helped found StageStruck Productions.Her acting accomplishments included: Arsenic and Old Lace, Went with the Storm, The Lucky O'Leary's, Fairyland Rock, The Bare Facts, The Obituary Club, and dozens more. Her favorite roles were Sara Lee Turnover in "Daddy's Dyin'... Who's Got the Will", Peg in "The Lucky O'Leary's" and Phyllis in "The Revival".Cindy's son, Evan, is continuing his mother's theatrical tradition. He is playing "The Beast" in "Beauty and the Beast" at Mt. Juliet Middle School.While I was in the audience surrounding Cindy on her final day, I asked her family, "When did Cindy's drama career begin?" Her mother told me that she had roles in Lebanon High School plays. She also had roles in plays at Byars Dowdy and Lebanon Junior High.But Delaine Smith told me that it was earlier. Delaine and Cindy had competed for the role of Cat Woman on the playground at the Highland Heights Church of Christ Kindergarten. Her sister, Gretchen, confirmed telling me that Cindy wanted to be a professional singer. She would light candles in her room and sing into a jump rope.It is difficult to separate teaching and drama with Cindy. Everywhere she taught she would direct plays. Her plays reached their peak when she founded the West Elementary Drama Program where the stage is dedicated in her honor. With second through fifth grade students as actors she directed Annie, Fiddler on the Roof, Oliver, Hello Dolly, and South Pacific.When Cindy would read a story to the children in her classroom, she would bring it to life with her animation, different voices for the characters, and even a Ventriloquist doll. She had a clown costume when she participated in Byars Dowdy Fall Fest.At Christmas, Cindy would identify students in her class who would probably not have presents. Her stepfather, Tom Henry, and mother would dress up as Santa and Mrs. Claus. Cindy and Gretchen would be elves. They would take presents to these children on Christmas Eve.Each year Cindy would identify at least one child who did not get much attention. She would do special things with these children often taking them to a circus or something like Sesame Street Live.Children who had lost a parent or had a tragedy in their life would seek Cindy for counseling. She was a magnet for children. On her last day of teaching, Cindy was in severe pain, but still took the time to hug a child in the hallway as she left school.Cindy was always the life of the party and could light up a room. She would tell stories with animation and a twinkle in her eye. She had a mischievous laugh that made you wonder if she was considering a prank or knew something that you did not know.