Alberta MICKAEL, Grim Reminder of Teacher, 1980

MICKAEL, BURMEISTER, LASCINA, SHANAHAN, STRANGE

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 6/17/2013 at 15:49:08

Des Moines Tribune
Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa
September of 1980

A grim reminder of teacher

By Frank Santiago, Tribune Staff Writer

MOUNT AYR, Ia. - After a recent $5 theft at the Mount Ayr Community School, teacher Alberta MICKAEL used the moment to have a little fun.

She penned a note and slid it into the middle drawer of her desk, a place most thieves would look.

The note said, "There's no money in my room." And she added, "Thou shalt not steal."

It was typical "Bert" MICHAEL, a 68-year-old widow, teacher of the handicapped and a short, jovial woman whose personality disarmed almost all.

"When you think of her you think of a Coke - bubbling all the time," said Phil BURMEISTER, school superintendent.

Tuesday, the school teacher's hidden note in the desk was a grim and tragic irony.

MICHAEL, who lived alone for several years since the death of her husband, Lloyd, a carpenter, was found slain Monday in her neat, white two-bedroom home. She apparently had been robbed.

Preliminary findings of an autopsy indicated the woman had been beaten to death, said Gerald SHANAHAN, chief of Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Hw quoted Dr. Emmanuel LASCINA, assistant Polk County medical examiner, who said the woman had massive head injuries and may have suffocated.

LASCINA performed the autopsy at Northwest Community Hospital in Des Moines.

SHANAHAN said Tuesday it wasn't immediately known what caused the injuries. He said no weapons were found.

Ringgold County Sheriff Elbert STRANGE said there are no suspects.

MICKAEL'S death jolted the southern Iowa community of 1,700 and shook the school.

Said a stunned Larry GILES, the principal, "She was a caring person, someone who really cared about people. Of all people, Alberta MICKAEL.

"She was very generous with her time and money. She would buy things for students who needed something. Money didn't mean all that much to her."

MICKAEL, a teacher in the county for half a century, chose to teach beyond retirement three years ago.

"We asked her to continue and [remainder of article missing]"

Tribune photograph

Submission by Theola Weeda, June of 2013

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2013

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