Faith Lutheran School of Plano recently gathered faculty, staff, current students, alumni and their families for a special event recognizing Jan Kueck of Plano.
Kueck served as the school’s first grade teacher for 33 years until her retirement in June 2015.
“Lutheran schools are a gift. We are blessed to have had Mrs. Kueck serve us for so many years here,” said Faith Lutheran School Headmaster Rev. Stephen W. Kieser of Wylie. “She is a faithful teacher, one who loves children. She always has a smile on her face and has always been willing to take on anything asked of her. We are thankful for her service!”
Kueck was born in Denver, Colorado but at age four moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas with her family where she attended First Lutheran School from Kindergarten through eighth grade. Her family then moved back to Denver, where she attended Denver Lutheran High School.
“My father wanted me to become a Lutheran school teacher,” said Kueck. “And that’s all I ever wanted to be.”
Kueck attended two years of junior college at St. Paul’s College in Concordia, Missouri and graduated from Concordia Teacher’s College in Seward, Nebraska. She student-taught at Holy Cross Lutheran School in St. Louis, Missouri.
Her first call was to teach second grade at Central Lutheran School in Newhall, Iowa, where she taught for three years. The principal’s wife introduced her to her husband Dick via a blind date, and they were married during her third year of teaching. Kueck’s second grade class sang at their wedding. They then moved to Cedar Rapids where Kueck taught first grade for one year.
In 1971, the Kuecks moved to Texas to escape the Iowa winters, and they moved to Plano in 1973.
When Faith Lutheran Church decided to start an elementary school in 1981, Kueck was asked to teach. Initially, she declined the offer, because her children were very young.
“God had other plans! I finally agreed to teach temporarily until another teacher could be found. That was 33 years ago!” said Kueck. “I was privileged to teach at Faith Lutheran School for 33 years, and I give thanks to God for the school and all of the children and families through the years.”
Dick and Jan Kueck have three children and nine grandchildren. Kueck plans to spend much time with family during her retirement, and still sees many of her former students at Faith Lutheran Church of Plano, where she is an active member.
“I think this school over the years has had some of the most outstanding teachers anywhere,” said Faith Lutheran School high school teacher Timothy Merritt of Plano. “Mrs. Kueck is an excellent example of that. She is always willing to help and to give advice in a gentle manner. She is a prayer warrior. She always has a smile on her face, every day. We all have learned so much from her about being a servant, about being a faithful team member and about serving our Lord Jesus Christ.”
About Faith Lutheran School: Faith Lutheran School is fully accredited and provides classes from pre-school three-year-olds through the twelfth grade. School curriculum is based on the classical model of education. In 1971, the congregation of Faith Lutheran Church in Plano, Texas established a four-year-old preschool for children of the congregation. Since then, the school has grown and opened enrollment to others in the community on a tuition basis. The school's educational program also includes both sports and the fine arts. To learn more about Faith Lutheran School, please visit the school's web site at www.flsplano.org or call 972.423.7448.