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Roger died June 7, 2000,
at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, at the age of 51. He was
born Sept. 30, 1948, in Lawrence, the son of Otto and Velma
(Van Ness) Mignot. He attended St. John’s School and Lawrence
High School, and graduated from Kansas University in 1970. He
taught math at Bonner Springs High School until earning his
master’s degree in guidance and counseling at Emporia State
University. After that he was director of counseling at Bonnor
Springs High School for 25 years, and was involved in the
Kiwanis Club and sponsored the Key Club. Roger married Miryam
Bentley on Aug. 30, 1997. Other survivors include a stepson,
Joshua Bentley, Lawrence; a stepdaughter, Jessica Peters,
Olathe; and his mother, Velma Mignot, of Lawrence.
◊◊◊◊◊
One
last goodbye for Mr. Mignot
By Jackie Hosey, Editor
Thursday, October 5, 2000
Close
to 100 people gathered at Bonner Springs High School Tuesday
afternoon to honor former high school teacher and counselor
Roger Mignot.
The
longtime teacher and counselor died from a stroke on June 7
of this year.
During
the ceremony, past students, school employees and members of
Mignot's family planted a tree in his name and dedicated a
plaque with his photo. The plaque will hang in the school's
counseling center.
Bonner
Springs High School Principal Jerry Abbott noted Mignot's
"selfless commitment" to academics and praised his efforts to
establish several scholarships for students over the years.
"Each
year the number of scholarships went up," Abbott said. "He had
a way of reaching out to others without broadcasting what he
was doing."
Mignot
taught at the high school for five years and served as a
guidance counselor for the last 25 years of his career.
Members
of his first class, the Bonner Springs graduating class of
1973, helped organize last week's ceremony and purchased the
plaque from their class reunion fund.
Debe
Birzer was among the returning class members.
"I was
in his first sophomore geometry class in 1970," she said. "He
was just a special teacher, a real nice man."
One of
Mignot's more recent students, Jessica Wright, came forward
during the ceremony to praise the man she credited with
changing her life.
The high
school senior said Mignot encouraged her to get more involved
with her community and her school at a time when she had no
interest in doing so.
"I
remember going into his office during my freshman year for the
first of what would be many long talks," she said.
At their
first meeting, Mignot urged Wright to join the school's KEY
club, a community service club associated with the Kiwanis
club. Mignot served as the faculty adviser to the club. Wright
said she was reluctant at first, but Mignot kept asking her
until she agreed to join.
Wright
was later elected president of the group and served as a state
officer.
"He saw
potential in me that I didn't even know existed," she said.
The
volunteer work Wright was involved in through KEY club
encouraged her to pursue a career as a medical missionary.
"I
always thought I wanted to be a doctor, but now I think I want
to do missionary work," she said. "A big part of that decision
was due to his influence. He encouraged me to volunteer and I
discovered it was something I loved to do."
Wright
said she would remember Mignot not only as an educator, but
also as a friend.
"He was
like a best friend," she said. "He was just an all-around
great and compassionate guy. He was a real role model."
Before
the oak tree was lowered into the ground, retired teacher Pat
Sheley added some final words.
"Like
Roger, this oak tree came to Bonner Springs High School at a
young age. Like Roger it will develop deep roots and provide
shelter for the people around it," she said. "And just like
Roger, this oak tree will be a little nutty." |
