First pitch into retirement: Lavern Wachter retires after 38 years of teaching, and celebrates in a big way

After teaching school for 38 years, Lavern Wachter is retiring from St. Paul Lutheran School in Jackson in a big way: She threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the St. Louis Cardinals baseball game on June 13 at Busch Stadium.

"I was presented with this honor on the last day of school," she says. "They really surprised me; I was completely dumbfounded!"

According to Wachter, the Parent Teacher League at St. Paul was selling tickets for the June 13 Cardinals game as a fundraiser.

"There has been a lot of publicity about the game, as the money raised from the ticket sales will help finance the second phase of our security system at school," she says. "I believe someone from the Cardinals organization asked a couple of the parents in the PTL if there was someone that they would like to have throw out the ceremonial first pitch."

The fact that the St. Paul PTL chose Wachter to do the honors seems befitting, since she has been a lifelong Cardinals baseball fan.

"When I was a small girl, my brother and I would sit in front of the radio and listen to the games," says Wachter, who herself is a former softball pitcher.

So stepping back up to the mound and throwing the first pitch for her favorite team was like a dream come true.

"It was absolutely amazing," says Wachter. "We were blessed with the most beautiful evening and it was an experience that I never dreamed would happen. Many people from the school came and my family was there as well."

At 78 years of age, Wachter officially retired from teaching at St. Paul Lutheran School on May 23.

"I taught for 33 years at St. Paul," she says.

Her retirement is bittersweet, as it is for many lifelong educators.

"I have enjoyed teaching the children so much and I will also really miss my fellow colleagues and the faculty," she says.

While she doesn't have any definite plans for retirement, Wachter looks forward to doing other things she enjoys.

"I like to read and I have a rose garden that I take care of; I love working outside. I will also have more time to go to my grandchildren's ball games," she says.

The ceremonial first pitch at the Cardinals game is one of many honors that have been bestowed on Wachter during her long teaching career.

She was given the Teacher of the Year Award by Walmart in 1996 and was chosen as an Educator of the Year by the Jackson Rotary Club in 1999. In 2000, she was named a Heartland's Best Teacher by KFVS-12, and in 2014, she was selected to receive the Educating in Christ Award by St. Paul Lutheran's School's Foundation.

"I am very proud of that award," says Wachter.

Wachter was born in Pocahontas, Missouri and obtained her teaching degree at St. Paul's College in Concordia, Missouri. She and her husband, Gene, who is now deceased, moved to Jackson in 1987.

Wachter has five grown children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

"All of my children live around the Jackson area except for my youngest daughter, who lives in St. Louis," she says.

Besides attending as many of her grandkids' sporting events as she can, Wachter will stay busy in retirement as an active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson.

"I sing in the choir, and I teach a Bible class and I belong to the Concordia Guild there," she says.