CARTHAGE, Mo. — The Carthage R-9 School District announced Thursday that Caroline Tubbs, a longtime English teacher for the district, has passed away.

The District released the following statement:

“Dear Carthage Staff and families,

It is with a heavy heart that we share with you the passing of Caroline Tubbs.

Caroline Tubbs has left a profound impact in the Carthage community throughout her 44
years of teaching experience. Many of those previous students have followed in her
footsteps and are now employees of Carthage School District.

Mrs. Tubbs earned a Bachelors in English Education from Southwest Missouri State in 1963
and a Masters in Secondary Teaching from Pittsburg State University in 1974. She has
taught every ELA class offered at CHS including AP Language, AP Literature, ELA 4 DC, and
all other upper-level English classes. Her passion and unique teaching style will be greatly
missed at Carthage High School.

“Mrs. Tubbs taught both my parents. She taught my wife and me. She taught and loved
both my eldest daughter and my son. In education, we use the term ‘Master Teacher’ too
flippantly sometimes, but in her case, it is a label absolutely deserved – earned over
decades of trial, error, continued learning, and pushing boundaries. Personally, she
propelled me into a love of the English language, literature, reading, writing, and learning.
As a colleague, Mrs. Tubbs challenged me and forced me to defend my decisions against
her wealth of knowledge and experiences. People always asked, ‘Why is she still teaching
at her age?’ The answer was clear to me: Mrs. Tubbs taught because ‘teacher’ is her core.
Teaching was as elemental to her being as letters are to books. Thank you, Mrs. Tubbs, for
helping craft me into the person I am today. I will miss you.”
-Dr. Matt Huntley, Assistant Superintendent, Colleague, Former Student, Friend

“Mrs. Tubbs will be missed not only by our current students but also by many generations
of Carthage Tigers. She was a teacher who made a difference.” – Dr. Mark Baker,
Superintendent

District counselors will be available at the high school to aid grieving students and staff
members.

Please join us in keeping the Tubbs family in your thoughts and prayers.“