With great sadness we report the passing of middle school teacher and coach Phuong Kathy Nguyen of Dallas, Texas. She succumbed to Covid-19 on Feb. 13, 2021. Photo credit: Twitter.

With great sadness we report that Covid-19 has claimed the life of yet another beloved educator. Phuong Kathy Nguyen, a teacher and coach in Dallas, Texas, succumbed to the disease on Feb. 13, 2021, in Richardson, Texas. She was only 37 years old.

Kathy was born on July 12, 1983, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Her maiden name was Cipriano. She graduated from Lakeview Centennial High School in 2001. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Mulit/Interdisciplinary Studies in 2006 from the University of Texas at Dallas. She completed the requirements for her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of North Texas in 2022.

The fallen educator taught and coached at a middle school in the Dallas Independent School district. Her career there spanned 15 years. During those years, Kathy gained a reputation for being a passionate teacher who did her utmost to give her students a better education for a brighter future. She dedicated countless hours and even her personal time and finances to see to it that her students succeeded, both in the classroom or on the field.

Kathy will definitely be missed by her family, friends, colleagues, and students. I knew Kathy as Mrs. Cipriano when I first started teaching at Lee,” remembers colleague Yasmin Cardenas. “We were both on the fourth grade team. She was always so positive and had a colorful smile that was contagious,” Cardenas said. Friend Alain Castillo agrees. “Kathy was a great person that impacted the lives of whoever she met,” he asserts. Friend Julie Trujillo also had positive memories of Kathy. “She was an amazing teacher. Always with a smile on her face. Her passion lives on through … all the students she taught and coached,” Trujillo declared.

To read more about this beloved educator, click on this link to read her obituary.