Touching tributes to gifted teacher Eva

A TOP university educator from Barnard Castle is to be laid to rest after a six-year battle with cancer.
A senior tutor and vice master at University College Durham, Eva Schumacher-Reid, showed remarkable strength in her fight against the disease, working full time up to the end.
She died at Darlington Memorial Hospital on November 11, aged 62.
Mrs Schumacher-Reid’s husband, Ian Reid, paid tribute to her, saying it was a privilege to have shared her life.
The couple met during a town-twinning anniversary between Wuppertal, in Germany, and South Shields in 1991.
At the time he was a director of education and she a head of languages at a German college. They moved to Barnard Castle in the 1990s where they initially presented language and cultural courses for young businesspeople, principally from engineering conglomerate Siemens, helping to fill local guesthouses and marketing the town to internationals.
Mr Reid said: “She was a gifted teacher, creative and resourceful, who demanded high standards.”
Later she was appointed to the German department at Durham University where her abilities were recognised when she became a teaching fellow in the Excellence in Training Scheme.
She developed a German language translation course for undergraduates, of which she was immensely proud.
A university representative described the vice master’s battle with cancer as highlighting her incredible determination and strength of character which focussed on the students until the very end. Of her achievements, the university said: “Eva introduced the weekly newsletter to all Castle students and staff, the crier, and recruited Otto, the Castle welfare dog, to the editorial team. Eva’s weekly advice to students, and Otto’s guidance and community, were read by many.
“Eva also introduced the current mentoring scheme which has been a huge success, and connected students to academics and leading members of the Durham community on a routine basis.”
Mr Reid added that Otto, their pet dog, had a huge fan base, particularly the persona of a cat named Melisande, who spoke fluent Latin and Greek, just as Mrs Schumacher-Reid did.
Mr Reid said during holidays and spare time, she worked as a specialist tour guide touring all over the world, including the British Isles.
Mr Reid said: “She knew more about England than I did.”
She frequently shared her extensive world knowledge during talks she gave back in Germany. On the social side, Mrs Schumacher-Reid was an avid reader, particularly of crime novels, and once dressed up and spoke as Miss Marple during a Ladies’ Night Ball with students.
She had a committed social conscience and served as chairwoman of the Darlington and District Soroptimist Society and was touched by international charities which she advocated among her students. Perhaps her most significant quality though was her dedication to high standards.
Mr Reid said: “There was no second best for Eva, whether you were a student, senior member of staff, porter, cook or manager of a supermarket store, there were no excuses and she was fearless.”
Mrs Schumacher-Reid’s funeral will be held at St Mary’s Church, Barnard Castle, at 2pm on December 1.
The Chapel Choir from the Evensong she regularly attended and strongly supported will perform during the service. She is survived by her husband, Ian, sister, Jutta, and mother, Magdalena.