A Sad Day For Caddo Parish Public Schools

Longtime Caddo Parish educator and administrator Wanda Gunn died today after a short battle with cancer. 

On Wednesday, February 9, Mrs. Gunn saw her primary physician complaining of lack of appetite and feeling bloated.  He ordered blood work and a scan; she met with other doctors, had additional blood work and more scans.  On Tuesday, February 22, she had surgery for primary peritoneal cancer. 

The surgeon was pleased with the surgery and felt that he removed about 80% of the cancerous tissue.  She did well following the surgery and after a brief stay in the hospital went home.  However, she experienced problems eating and was readmitted to the hospital on Monday, March 21 to deal with the nutritional issues.  Additional scans revealed that the source of the cancer was the pancreas. 

She had her first chemotherapy treatment on Friday, April 1, 2011.

Gunn, most recently was the Executive Area Director of School Performance, having been tasked with keeping up with the district’s student standardized testing scores.  Gunn worked for the school system for 51 years.  

Before Dr. Gerald Dawkins was hired a few years ago, Gunn served as interim Superintendent. 

“She has touched so many lives over the course of her service here and you would be very hard pressed to find anyone with a negative word to say about Wanda Gunn,” Dawkins said.  ”You need only take a look at the thousands of messages she received on her Caring Bridge website over the past few weeks to glimpse the huge impact she has made in this school system.”

A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church at the head of Texas Street, in downtown Shreveport.  Burial will be at 4 p.m. Saturday in Jena, Louisiana.