SAN ANTONIO —
If you asked someone to spell the word “art,” it would be three simple letters: A-R-T. But Incarnate Word High School art teacher Mr. Louis Lubbering spelled it a little differently: F-U-N.
Mr. Lubbering, better known as Mr. Lube, began his teaching career at the all girls high school more than 25 years ago. He was an artist, a veteran, a brother, a husband, a father and a grandfather. But if you ask an Incarnate Word High School student or alumni who he is to them, they’ll tell you he’s an icon. An icon that was taken by COVID-19.
On Friday, the city released the latest coronavirus numbers: 478 new cases and 11 new deaths. But the numbers don’t tell the stories of each person that lost their life. And it doesn’t tell the story of the beloved teacher that the IWHS community is mourning.
But on Friday night, the community came together to honor his memory with a drive-thru memorial. And it’s no surprise that the high’s school Hildebrand entrance was bumper-to-bumper with cars full of passengers who wanted to honor Mr. Lube.
Students, teachers, faculty and alumni also came together on social media, sharing their favorite memories of him:
Whether or not you took an art class with Mr. Lube, Shamrocks knew Room 204 was a safe place. If you wanted to paint, he gave you clean brushes. If you were hungry, he gave you the food off his plate. And if you just wanted to talk, he listened.
It’s teachers like this that San Antonio needs. And to know a kind soul who spent his life giving back to others was taken by COVID-19 is a heartbreak no one could have imagined at this time.
But one thing is for sure, art will always be spelled F-U-N.