Dear Students, Parents/Guardians and Gunn Community,
We received the sad news that our dear colleague, Claudia Winkler, passed away on August 2, 2010, in her beloved hometown of Milano, Italy, surrounded by her family, friends, and loved ones. This summer she was able to travel to Italy with her son, Ben, and to attend his wedding, which she was looking forward to. The services and burial were held in Italy. Claudia was a dedicated teacher first and foremost--and was always available to her students--whether for extra help or to help supervise some Gunn event, they knew they could count on her.
As a community we are shocked by this loss, but we choose to celebrate this remarkable individual through our wonderful memories of her, which including many funny stories. Not surprisingly, at Claudia's request, her family will establish the Claudia Winkler Memorial Scholarship. This is truly the best way to celebrate her life, which included her love of learning and teaching.
We realize there are many students who will be affected by the loss and we encourage all to remember that she was happy in her chosen profession: teaching. However, we would like to offer our counseling services, because loss, whether expected or unexpected, does bring up feelings and memories. Please remember that we have wonderful Counselors and the services of ACS on campus; therefore do not hesitate to contact us.
Claudia, you will be missed.
~Katya Y. Villalobos, Principal
I am reading this a few months late and the news also reached me some time after Claudia's passing. Her life as a wonderful teacher was equaled by her life as a software industry professional, where I worked with her during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Claudia was fun, intelligent, warm and a high energy person who I enjoyed working with. She was loved by many. Even now in January 2011 after her passing, others are actively discussing Claudia's life and how she enriched theirs.
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