Clovis elementary school teacher passes away

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- A well-known sixth grade teacher at an elementary school in Clovis has died.

Kevin Lehr was at school on Monday, and according to his students, everything seemed fine. His family members say he started feeling sick that night and stayed home on Tuesday. On Thursday, Mr. Lehr, as he's known to students, passed away -- leaving his current class devastated just two weeks before they move on to junior high.

Since the early 1980s, Mr. Lehr has been a fixture at Mickey Cox Elementary. And years after students left his class and room 17, they often came back to give him progress reports.

"He would always joke around with me, used to call me 'Gagester,' and all this stuff little nicknames," said Gage Bodine, a former student. "But, one time he called on me in class, and I gave him a goofy answer. He goes, 'go run to the wall.' So, I run to the brick wall and come back and he says, 'you know I was just kidding, right?'"

Carson Lehr is Mr. Lehr's son. On Friday, he made a memorial for his dad at the baseball field. He remembers playing tag in his dad's classroom before school and getting scolded after his dad discovered muddy footprints on a desk. But, away from school is where the two made their best memories.

"We had a little camp, we called it cowboy camp, up by Huntington. It was everyone from Mickey Cox, all the kids and staff and so those are the memories I have of my dad that will stick with me forever," said Carson Lehr.

Over the years, the popular teacher also coached football and baseball, and filled in anywhere else he was needed. His students say he was always encouraging and optimistic, but Justin Mejia says he would also put you in line, if you were slacking off.

"He's always been there, like, helping me, telling me to do my homework and same thing, calling my dad. I don't know what they are going to do now. I wish they could retire his room," said Mejia.

Carson Lehr says his dad probably didn't know the legacy he left in the lives of the students he touched over the years. He had many plans for the future, including after he left the classroom.

"He had six more years. He was going to retire when he was 60. So he was 54, he was almost there," Mr. Lehr's son said.

Mr. Lehr's chair is now empty, but a picture of his current class rests on it. All the memories he made are still alive in room 17. Nikki Poindexter says he is the kind of teacher you never forget.

"It hurts for all of us, to have him leave in this way. But, he is in a better place and I think that eventually everyone will regroup and get it together, but we will always remember Mr. Lehr," said Poindexter.