The Legacy Page provides friends and loved ones a way to memorialize staff, students, friends, or community members who have created a legacy through their dedication and support of District 116. All funds donated in memory of a Legacy tribute underwrite innovative creative programs to benefit the students of our district and to build the future of District 116.
Legacy Memorials
James Alan Armstrong
James Alan Armstrong was born June 12, 1974, and died suddenly on June 25, 2024. He was 50 years old.
A member of RLHS Class of 1992, Jim (Jimmy, Jimbo, Meatball as he was often affectionately called) spent all of his 13 school years in District 116.
Kindergarten at Beach School was with Diane Huckstat, who declared at the first parent teacher conference “I’m not always sure who’s teaching the class, Jimmy or me!”
He was involved in sports, music and student council from first grade through graduation.
His years at RLHS were highlighted with his play and passion of football, his love of golf and tennis, where he went on to Regional competition. He played trombone in band, enjoyed chorus through 8th grade and was inducted into NHS. He was an Illinois State Scholar, and winner of Presidential Fitness award as well as scholarships to college.
He graduated from University of Wisconsin, Parkside with a degree in Chemistry.
Jim believed fully that Panther Blood Runs deep, something Coach Dunn reminded us all of regularly.
Rest in Peace #60. Donations toward Jim's Legacy Fund may may be sent to bit.ly/JamesArmstrongLegacy.
James Alan Armstrong was born June 12, 1974, and died suddenly on June 25, 2024. He was 50 years old.
A member of RLHS Class of 1992, Jim (Jimmy, Jimbo, Meatball as he was often affectionately called) spent all of his 13 school years in District 116.
Kindergarten at Beach School was with Diane Huckstat, who declared at the first parent teacher conference “I’m not always sure who’s teaching the class, Jimmy or me!”
He was involved in sports, music and student council from first grade through graduation.
His years at RLHS were highlighted with his play and passion of football, his love of golf and tennis, where he went on to Regional competition. He played trombone in band, enjoyed chorus through 8th grade and was inducted into NHS. He was an Illinois State Scholar, and winner of Presidential Fitness award as well as scholarships to college.
He graduated from University of Wisconsin, Parkside with a degree in Chemistry.
Jim believed fully that Panther Blood Runs deep, something Coach Dunn reminded us all of regularly.
Rest in Peace #60. Donations toward Jim's Legacy Fund may may be sent to bit.ly/JamesArmstrongLegacy.
Verda Marie Franklin
Verda Marie Franklin worked at the University of Chicago Hospital as a Surgery Client Nurse for 42 years. She was a nurturer and a caregiver at work. Vera was most dedicated raising and caring for her children and siblings. She was the matriarch of her family keeping all her brothers and sisters while her mother battled illness. She was their rock and their second mother providing love, stability, and guidance. Verda was just as dedicated to her own children whom she loved and supported unconditionally. Verda moved to Lake County with her husband, after retirement, to be closer to her daughter, Lisa, and her grandchildren. Lisa was a trustee on the Round Lake Area Schools CUSD #116 Education Foundation Board, and Verda immediately volunteered for events sponsored by the Education Foundation. She was one of the pillars of the Daddy/Daughter Dance. Verda will be greatly missed by all she touched.
Verda Marie Franklin worked at the University of Chicago Hospital as a Surgery Client Nurse for 42 years. She was a nurturer and a caregiver at work. Vera was most dedicated raising and caring for her children and siblings. She was the matriarch of her family keeping all her brothers and sisters while her mother battled illness. She was their rock and their second mother providing love, stability, and guidance. Verda was just as dedicated to her own children whom she loved and supported unconditionally. Verda moved to Lake County with her husband, after retirement, to be closer to her daughter, Lisa, and her grandchildren. Lisa was a trustee on the Round Lake Area Schools CUSD #116 Education Foundation Board, and Verda immediately volunteered for events sponsored by the Education Foundation. She was one of the pillars of the Daddy/Daughter Dance. Verda will be greatly missed by all she touched.
Margaret Louise Turner Gaulke
Margaret was a graduate of Round Lake High School and lived the majority of her life in the Round Lake, IL area where she raised her three sons. She finished her work career as a bus driver for the school district she loved so much, driving “her” special needs students.
Margaret had passion for her family and friends and she will be very much missed. She also loved playing Bingo, and trying her luck on lottery tickets. Her luck and diligence paid off and she always used her winnings to spoil her family. Margaret’s other love was the students she drove daily for the RL School District. She retired in 2017 and her and George retired to Knoxville, Tennessee.
On Tuesday, April 7, 2020, Margaret Louise Turner Gaulke, loving wife, mom, grandmother, aunt, and sister, passed away at the age of 60.
Margaret’s family asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her memory to the school district that meant so much to her.
Margaret was a graduate of Round Lake High School and lived the majority of her life in the Round Lake, IL area where she raised her three sons. She finished her work career as a bus driver for the school district she loved so much, driving “her” special needs students.
Margaret had passion for her family and friends and she will be very much missed. She also loved playing Bingo, and trying her luck on lottery tickets. Her luck and diligence paid off and she always used her winnings to spoil her family. Margaret’s other love was the students she drove daily for the RL School District. She retired in 2017 and her and George retired to Knoxville, Tennessee.
On Tuesday, April 7, 2020, Margaret Louise Turner Gaulke, loving wife, mom, grandmother, aunt, and sister, passed away at the age of 60.
Margaret’s family asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her memory to the school district that meant so much to her.
Lynn Pfeifer
Lynn Pfeifer dedicated her entire teaching career to the students and their parents of Round Lake for 39 years.
Her many contributions include: grade level leader, Spelling Bee coordinator, student teacher mentor, PTA/PTO member, Curriculum Night, Movie Nights, and Union Representative. Lynn also received the Character Counts Award and is listed in Who's Who Among America's Teachers.
Lynn's love of travel extended into her classroom where she incorporated her experiences and adventures into their learning environment. She had the gift of taking the ordinary and turning it into something quite extraordinary.
Lynn was always on the cutting edge of technology long before the district could afford to fully embrace it. She would use her own resources to fund and implement this in her classroom giving students who otherwise wouldn't have a chance for this opportunity, to become competitive and knowledgeable in this area. For many, this sparked an interest that continued on through their years of education.
As a Beach School intramural coach and devoted Cub's fan, she instilled the value of sportsmanship and loyalty to all those involved.
Miss Pfeifer left a lasting impression on those she taught and worked with. Many years after her students left Beach School, they maintained contact with her, frequently sharing their successes in higher education, as well as their career achievements. She always told them to strive for the top. The connections remained up to the time of her death in October of 2016.
Miss Pfeifer will be remembered for her dedication and positive impact she had on so many.
Lynn Pfeifer dedicated her entire teaching career to the students and their parents of Round Lake for 39 years.
Her many contributions include: grade level leader, Spelling Bee coordinator, student teacher mentor, PTA/PTO member, Curriculum Night, Movie Nights, and Union Representative. Lynn also received the Character Counts Award and is listed in Who's Who Among America's Teachers.
Lynn's love of travel extended into her classroom where she incorporated her experiences and adventures into their learning environment. She had the gift of taking the ordinary and turning it into something quite extraordinary.
Lynn was always on the cutting edge of technology long before the district could afford to fully embrace it. She would use her own resources to fund and implement this in her classroom giving students who otherwise wouldn't have a chance for this opportunity, to become competitive and knowledgeable in this area. For many, this sparked an interest that continued on through their years of education.
As a Beach School intramural coach and devoted Cub's fan, she instilled the value of sportsmanship and loyalty to all those involved.
Miss Pfeifer left a lasting impression on those she taught and worked with. Many years after her students left Beach School, they maintained contact with her, frequently sharing their successes in higher education, as well as their career achievements. She always told them to strive for the top. The connections remained up to the time of her death in October of 2016.
Miss Pfeifer will be remembered for her dedication and positive impact she had on so many.
Kim Kearby
Kim Kearby taught for 40 years at Round Lake Beach and Round Lake Village elementary schools, retiring in 2011. He served as a board member of the former Avon school district and regional chair for the Illinois Education Association. He was elected April 2013 to the Round Lake CUSD 116 school board.
Kim was a staunch supporter of education, labor, civil liberties and social issues. Devoted to children, he also served as volunteer coach for Avon Baseball.
He worked to bring in state officials to help District 116 with its financial problems. State oversight or authority over finances lasted about 10 years until 2011, helping to set District 116 on a firm financial footing.
Kim’s legacy in District 116 is in the children he taught, the changes he fought for, and the improvements he made.
Kim Kearby taught for 40 years at Round Lake Beach and Round Lake Village elementary schools, retiring in 2011. He served as a board member of the former Avon school district and regional chair for the Illinois Education Association. He was elected April 2013 to the Round Lake CUSD 116 school board.
Kim was a staunch supporter of education, labor, civil liberties and social issues. Devoted to children, he also served as volunteer coach for Avon Baseball.
He worked to bring in state officials to help District 116 with its financial problems. State oversight or authority over finances lasted about 10 years until 2011, helping to set District 116 on a firm financial footing.
Kim’s legacy in District 116 is in the children he taught, the changes he fought for, and the improvements he made.
Mark Beaubien
Mark Beaubien was instrumental while in the legislature in getting legislation passed to allow the School Finance Authority to come in to District 116. It was not an easy piece of legislation to get through both houses, then it was not easy to have the finance authority watching over all that was done, reconstituting a board, establishing fiscal strength.
Mark Beaubien was instrumental while in the legislature in getting legislation passed to allow the School Finance Authority to come in to District 116. It was not an easy piece of legislation to get through both houses, then it was not easy to have the finance authority watching over all that was done, reconstituting a board, establishing fiscal strength.