Her hands were held out to the students who needed help. Her ears were open to the students who needed to clear their minds. Her voice always spoke words of wisdom and advice, and she smiled every time she came to class.

But there was something behind her smile that was very scary to me every time we met in class; a very dangerous cough that seemed far worse then a normal cold. A cough that lasted for nearly 30 seconds and seemed very painful.

I could see the pain in her eyes every time she coughed. I always said, “I hope she gets better,” after every class.

It never crossed my mind that my professor, Linda Markley, a great woman, a woman who cared for her students and knew the material she was teaching well, had lung cancer.

I remember one day after I did an in-class presentation she said, “Jameel, you are a fine young man. You are very intelligent and hard working. You are going to be something in life and your parents should be proud of you.”

That statement meant a lot to me because not too many professors speak about their students like that, and that statement made me strive harder for success.

I leave with this:

Professor Markley, I’m very heart broken that you had to leave without saying goodbye, but I’m happy your pain is gone, and the suffering is over. You are in a better place now. Thank you for all you have taught me. I wish you could have stayed to see me graduate next year. I will miss you!

Jameel Davis is a sophomore justice studies major and guest columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].