noted a time she approached Withers about having points added for a question graded incorrectly .
“ She asked if she had ever given me credit for an incorrect test question ,” Herring said . “ She had not , so she smiled and said that she would give points this time only . Her reasoning was that we must be strong enough to overcome incorrect questions on a test , so in the future if the test question / test bank was incorrect and I lost points , the score did not change . Life ’ s not fair - win anyway !”
Herring said seven years after she graduated from the MCC program , her son was killed in a car accident . Withers showed up at his funeral on a Saturday morning , which meant a great deal to the former student .
“ She saw each of us as her own ,” Herring said .
Like the Cambodian family , Withers knew what it was like to be without hope at some point in life .
She was born in Okolona , but was brought to the Masonic Home in Meridian after her father died when she was 6 years old , Tingle said . She was separated from her three brothers , who were sent to the Masonic Home in Columbus , though her brothers were moved to the home in Meridian several years later .
Tingle said his mom spent the next decade living at the Masonic Home , graduating from Meridian High School in 1956 . Later in life , while raising her children , Withers enrolled in the X-ray program at Riley Hospital , earning her degree as an X-ray tech in 1972 .
She worked a couple of years at the hospital before joining the faculty at then-Meridian Junior College in 1975 to help launch the college ’ s new Radiologic Technology Program with her first graduates earning their degrees two
Darlene Withers with her son Shayne Tingle , founder of the nonprofit organization Aqua Share which works to bring access to clean drinking water to rural villages in Cambodia . Photo courtesy of Shayne Tingle .
years later . Leading the program until 1999 , Withers taught more than 250 students and another dozen the following year as an instructor , Myers said . Altogether , 241 of those students graduated from the program during that nearly 25-year span .
Smith said Withers made sure graduates of the program were well prepared to take the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists ’ Radiography Examination . During one 10-year period , 99 % of her graduates passed the licensure exam on their first attempt .
Myers said Withers was one of those extraordinary teachers who cared for her students and went above and beyond to make sure they had the knowledge and skills to pass their licensure exam and be successful in their careers .
“ She had a sense of knowing what you needed . If you needed a momma , she was your momma . If you needed to be jerked off by the ear and put in place , she did that too ,” he said .
“ She did probably so much more than we even know to help students ,” he added .
Tingle and Wedgeworth grew up being around a lot of the radiologic technology students because of their mom ’ s dedication to her work .
“ She ’ d be up there if you wanted to meet her at 5 o ’ clock in the morning or stay ’ til 8 o ’ clock at night to do extra studying . She was willing to do anything just to help you ,” Tingle said . “ Her entire life was her students .”
For more information on Aqua Share or to donate to its mission , visit the charity ’ s website at www . everydropcounts . us . or follow it on social media . M
30 • MERIDIAN LIFE