At the conclusion of the 2004–05 school year, Walla Walla Valley Academy (WWVA) said goodbye to three of its beloved faculty. Roman Hintz, Rose Marie Walter, and Cheryl Wren have each begun a new chapter of their lives.
Roman Hintz has retired after 41 years of teaching math and sciences. Nineteen of those years were spent instructing WWVA students and brightening their days with his jokes. "I'll miss his sense of humor; he's an awesome teacher," said Kristen Lynch, WWVA junior. Hintz says of his pending retirement, "I am really going to miss the association with the kids; it's going to be tough." Yet, for Hintz, retiring is just a figurative term. He plans to stay active by doing plenty of volunteer work and completing his own long-neglected projects. He and his wife Linda are also going to India with Gospel Outreach in October.
Rose Marie Walter said farewell to WWVA after 25 dedicated years of teaching English, 16 at WWVA, to pursue a master's degree in archival management. Of her departure from WWVA and a move east with her cat, Eloise, Walter says, "Teaching is a job that has a lot of rewards, and I think I'll always be a teacher at one level, but it's time to do something different." Her inspiration and creativity will be missed. "What I'll miss most is her hilarious laugh and her unique style of teaching," said Heidi Reich, WWVA sophomore.
Cheryl Wren said goodbye to WWVA in March after 10 years as director of development and alumni relations. She is currently filling her new position at Sunwest Management where she is director of communications in the corporate office in Salem, Ore. WWVA will greatly miss these people who have blessed and enriched our campus for so many years.
Roman Hintz
Rose Marie Walter
Cheryl Wren
