Friends

and coworkers will dedicate a garden today in

memory of the "tremendous impact"

Shirley Reid had on Fayette County students and

faculty over the years.

Reid,

a custodian at LaFayette Education Center, passed

away April 3. Her 51st birthday would have been

April 19.

She

had worked in the Fayette County School System

since the 1970s, and at Fayette County High

School for several years before moving to

LaFayette. She was a graduate of the high school

before it became Fayette County High, when it was

known as the Fayette County Training Center.

"Her

passing was a shock to all of us and we miss the

warmth of her presence every day," said

Jerry Whitaker, vocational coordinator for

Fayette schools.

"Shirley's

Garden" will be dedicated at 4 p.m. in the

commons area of the LaFayette Center, which is

the old Fayette High School building.

According

to Gena Turner, Whitaker's secretary, Reid was

far more than a custodian to the thousands of

students who came in contact with her over the

years.

"She

was loved and admired by the administrative

staff, the faculty as well as the kids,"

said Turner. "The kids just loved her and

went to her for advice... she was just a very

special lady. She made an impact on an awful lot

of people."

Reid

worked most of her career at the old Fayette

County High School, moving to the new school when

it was completed recently. But when there was an

opening at the LaFayette Center, which occupies

the old building, she took it. "It was like

coming home for her," said Turner.

She

was known for working with children with special

needs when they came to the center for certain

programs, said Turner, and was especially liked

out of her way to be extremely kind and courteous

to everyone."

She

also became well known at the monthly

administrative breakfasts that follow Board of

Education meetings, cooking for the department

heads.

School

workers and students alike would have liked to

participate in Reid's funeral, but her death

occurred during spring break, said Turner.

"We wanted a way to show how well loved she

was," she said.

In

addition to keeping the buildings clean and well

ordered, Reid "liked to keep things pretty

around here," said Turner. "She liked

flowers and liked to plant things."

Hence

the idea of a memorial garden on the grounds of

the center. Students at the Crossroads School

have been working to get the garden patch ready.

Reid

is survived by her husband, Frank, two sons, a

daughter, give brothers, four sisters and two

grandchildren.

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