x
Breaking News
More () »

Creating a legacy: Late Temple College educator honored with scholarship in her name

Glynda Parker died on March 30 after she was diagnosed with cancer in January. Her family raised more than $5,000 to create a Temple College scholarship for nursing students.

TEMPLE, Texas — It's been more than a month since Glynda Parker died after she was diagnosed with cancer in January. 

"She fought," said Glynda's daughter Melissa Parker. "She had times where she had no cancer. She had times where It came back a little bit at a time."

Glynda Parker had a lot of passions in life. Helping others through excellent patient care and Temple College's nursing program was what she dedicated her life to. For more than three decades, she was a nursing instructor at Temple College. 

"She was a force of nature on campus," said Jennifer Graham, the Executive Director of the Temple College Foundation.

Glynda Parker was described as a rigorous and tough teacher because she wanted to create the best nurses possible. She focused on the good, even in the face of cancer. 

"Her enthusiasm throughout the entire ordeal was tremendous and amazing," Graham said. "She always chose happy. She always chose upfront, honest. She always chose forward."

Her fight ended on March 30, but Parker said her mother did not see the end as a loss. 

"She told us over and over, 'Either way, I win,'" she said. "'Either here, or with Jesus. I don’t want to leave my family, but I’m going to be okay either way.'"

Her family wanted to honor her memory and create a legacy at Temple College. On Saturday, they created an online fundraising campaign for a scholarship targeted to nursing students.

"The scholarship is forever. This scholarship goes longer than Glynda, longer than you, longer than me," Graham said.

To help the scholarship grow, follow this link. 

"She never got a glimpse of how well she was loved," Parker said. "She kept pouring out and pouring out, and not expecting anything back, so she would be amazed to know that people cared so much about her."

Other stories on KCENTV.com: 

From 6-man high school football to the D1 gridiron: A Parkview athlete's story

NYT: Donald Trump lost more than $1 billion from 1985 to 1994

Gov. Abbott prepares emergency personnel as severe weather targets Texas

Before You Leave, Check This Out