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Members of the Landels Elementary School community came together last week to honor the life and contributions of Lucinda Daniels, a Landels mom who died last August after suffering a stroke on the field at a Mountain View High School football game.
Teachers and staff at Landels, members of the Daniels family and other community members gathered in the school’s multi-use room on Thursday, May 30, to dedicate a bench in Lucinda Daniels’ honor.
The black bench, with an engraved plaque honoring Lucinda, is expected to be installed outdoors at the school this summer. Families from the Landels’ class of 2023 raised money for the bench, with additional contributions from the Daniels family and the school, according to one of the parent organizers.
Thursday’s ceremony was an intimate and emotional one, with many audience members tearing up as Principal Pieter Dolmans and Lucinda’s mother, Olga Gonzalez, spoke about Lucinda’s impact on the community.
Dolmans described Daniels as an integral part of the Landels community, who was a “friend to all” and had a contagious smile.
“This bench symbolizes her legacy of kindness, friendship and community,” Dolmans said. “It will serve as a place for students to come together, make new friends and support one another – just as Lucinda did for so many of us.”
Daniels grew up in Mountain View and attended Landels herself, with her four children going on to attend the school. Her youngest graduated from the elementary school last week. Lucinda also worked at the school as a yard duty supervisor.
At last week’s bench dedication, Gonzalez thanked everyone for their support of the family and described Landels as her daughter’s “happy place.”
“If it wasn’t for all the support, everyone who has been with us, we wouldn’t be as strong as we are right now,” Gonzalez said. “Thank you so much.”
Lucinda Daniels’ husband, Dale Daniels, similarly told the Voice that the love the family has felt has been a source of strength.
“I can’t put into words how much this means to all of us, this kind of support from the entire community,” Daniels said.
When asked what he wants people to remember about his wife, he pointed to her smile and kind, loving nature.
“That’s who she was – she was like a mother to everybody,” Daniels said.
Great memorial to a great mom/supporter/employee and long-time (multi-generational) user of public elementary education here.
Now – Solar-Wise placement of the black metal bench /// please find a place that is Not IN the Direct Sunlight during Spring-Summer season, especially Not in direct Afternoon Sunlight then.