Chicago teacher fatally shot in Rogers Park remembered during visitation
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Family, friends, students and colleagues gathered Monday to remember a Chicago Waldorf School teacher who was fatally shot while walking to dinner with her husband last week in the city's Rogers Park neighborhood.
Cynthia Trevillion, 64, was killed Friday night, one eight people killed by gun violence in Chicago. No one was in custody Monday evening.
A visitation was held at Christian Community Church in the Ravenswood neighborhood, where dozens of people shared hugs and tears while rallying around Trevillion's family.
"Cynthia was a beautiful, generous soul," said co-worker Kathy Matlin.
Mourners consoled each other and even shared some of her favorite recipes.
"She fed and nurtured people with her spirit and with her food and in any way that she could," Matlin said.
A longtime teacher at the private Waldorf School in Rogers Park, Trevillion taught all grades at the small K-12 school, which will be closed until Wednesday. Teachers gathered Monday morning with counselors, working to support each other and decide how best to talk to students about the tragedy.
"She was an incredibly generous and inspiring teacher. She loved her neighborhood and lived here. Just as she was a force of good for this neighborhood, we feel this school can continue to be a force of good for this neighborhood inspired by Cynthia," said Luke Goodwin, a Waldorf co-worker.
Trevillion was shot in the head while walking to the Morse L stop with her husband. Police said someone in a passing SUV shot her. The shooter was aiming at a group of young men standing nearby.
At 7 p.m., community members returned to the intersection where Trevillion was shot for an Operation Wake Up event.
"Our charge tonight was to let people in the community know they have a role to play in making our community safe," said Ald. Joseph Moore (49th Ward).
Her nephew remembered his aunt's influence on many.
"The community around her obviously knew her very well, which I wasn't so aware of. I thought in cities people weren't quite as connected but clearly people are really feeling her loss and, uh, I think that's really important," Maclyn Biener said.
A funeral is scheduled for Tuesday.
