Ridgeland community mourns loss of teacher who died due to COVID-19

RIDGELAND, S.C. (WTOC) - A Ridgeland family is mourning the loss of a mother, co-worker and teacher.

COVID-19 has claimed the life of Ridgeland Elementary teacher Margie Kidd.

Margie Kidd was a wife, mother, teacher, and friend to many in the Ridgeland area and beyond. Her daughter says she loved being around family and teaching was her passion.

“A few years after teaching kindergarten they switched her to first grade and she stayed at first grade for the rest of her career," said her daughter Essa Jackson.

The Jasper County School District released a statement about Mrs. Kidd’s passing. In part it says, “We lost a most beloved member of our school district family. She served the people of Jasper County as a professional educator for 26 years. Our deepest sympathies go out to her family, friends and co-workers at RES.”

Before the new school year began, her daughter says her mother had concerns about returning to the classroom.

“My mom was 71 and that really made her nervous so she was taking all the precautions. My mom wore a face shield and a mask and she also wore gloves even if she was just visiting at one of our houses she was always covered," said Jackson.

Kidd tested positive for COVID-19 two weeks into the new school year. She was admitted to the hospital with shortness of breath and a high fever in September.

“She lost so much weight in about three weeks time from the last time I had seen her. And by then she was on a breathing machine.”

Kidd died from COVID-19 on September 28. Her daughter says her mother was healthy and she wants people to take this virus seriously.

“If we can all just continue to take precautions and continue to wear our masks and do what we have to do for one another.”

The family has received a tremendous outpouring of love and support, but her daughter says she’s missing her mother and the laughs they shared.

“She would send us funny memes every morning that we would wake up to a funny meme from her and I’m going to really miss that not being able to have that every morning.”

Mrs. Kidd is survived by her husband of 47 years and her four daughters.

Copyright 2020 WTOC. All rights reserved.