Dr. Myra J. Kraker, professor of education at Calvin College, died in her Grand Rapids home on Tuesday evening, December 30, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 57.
Until February of 2002, Kraker served as director of the school’s master’s of education program in learning disabilities. In this capacity she administrated, taught and advised graduate students in the program.
Kraker was appointed to the Calvin College faculty in 1985 after teaching in the Ontario (Calif.) and Ada (Mich.) Christian elementary schools. She was a 1968 alumna of Calvin, received a master’s degree in teaching from Michigan State University in 1981 and earned a Ph.D. in communication disorders and learning disabilities from Northwestern University in 1987.
“Myra was a highly appreciated teacher and played an important role in the development of graduate education at the college,” said Calvin academic dean Michael Stob.
She regularly taught summer workshops and in-service training experiences for teachers in special education.
Kathy Hekman, a Calvin graduate who teaches in the Holland Christian school system was a student of Kraker's and later helped supervise Kraker's student teachers.
"Myra inspired me," said Hekman. "She believed that no matter how a child struggled, there was God-given talent there."
"She was an encourager, both of her graduate students and of the children in the classroom. She saw the potential in both teacher and student and was not one to give up," Hekman said.
Kraker’s research interests were the teacher-student discourse and educational programming for students with learning disabilities. She served on an advisory committee for the state director of special education within the Institute of Higher Education. In 1996-97 she spent her teaching sabbatical exploring teaching and learning from a socio-cultural perspective.
In addition, her interests and experiences in international education led to an appointment to an advisory committee for the U.S. State Department’s Office of Overseas Schools.
"I thought the world of Myra," said Hekman. "I loved it when she came to my classroom to observe student teachers because we could visit. She was always excited about new ideas for teaching and learning."
Kraker was married in 2002 to Calvin professor of music, emeritus Dr. John Worst. She is also survived by her parents, Albert and Sue Kraker; brother, Ivan (Judy) Kraker; sister, Yvonne (Roger) Boomsma; and nephews and nieces, grandnephews and grandnieces, stepchildren and stepgrandchildren. She enjoyed growing orchids and loved art and music.