Beloved custodian gets school building named after her: 'She's one in a million'

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Photo courtesy Swedeborg Elementary

RICHAND, Mo. - When Claudene Wilson made her retirement plans known, practically everyone in the small Missouri school district knew something special had to be done. Cake and flowers wouldn’t cut it for "Ms. Claudene."

Claudene’s official title at Swedeborg Elementary in Richland was custodian, but to the kids and school community she served for 30 years, Ms. Claudene was so much more. In addition to her custodian duties, she served as the school’s bus driver, plumber, yard mower, chief ice cream party host, and virtually any other role that needed to be filled.

"Just whatever I could do to save them some money, I did," Claudene humbly said in an interview with FOX TV Stations. "We’re not that big a school. It takes everybody – a team."

Mark Sasfy, assistant administrator for the Swedeborg School Board, said the idea of naming the school building after her was floated at several meetings. The district’s superintendent and school board members agreed, giving final approval for the building to be called the Claudene Wilson Learning Center. It didn’t take much convincing: some of the board members went to Swedeborg Elementary and already knew how special she was for the kids and community.

Sasfy said there are employees who clock in and out at the same time every day – and then there’s Claudene.

Photo courtesy Swedeborg Elementary

"Something comes up, and Claudene says, ‘What do we have to do to get it done?’ It doesn’t matter what it is," Sasfy said. "She’s also very concerned about how the kids are doing in school."

Claudene would regularly ask teachers if the kids were behaving, and if they were, she’d do something extra for them, like throw them an ice cream party.

"Kids are such a good judge of character. We’ve had new kids come on the bus, crying, and Claudene gets in there, and by the time they leave for the day, they’re giving her hugs and they won’t leave without one," Sasfy fondly recalled.

For Claudene’s big day, everyone wanted it to be a surprise, which was no small feat. They had to cover the newly installed letters on the building for an entire weekend and hope no one would notice.

Claudene arrived at her school on a Monday morning and got very antsy about a mysterious school assembly: she had a feeling something was going on. When they unveiled the new Claudene Wilson Learning Center, she had to overcome shock before she could humbly accept the praise.

Photo courtesy Swedeborg Elementary

"It’s kind of a shock for a woman of few words," Sasfy said.

Just how humble is Claudene? For starters, she’s not on social media. And she doesn’t have a cell phone. If you miss her on the landline, she’ll call you back.

Claudene’s offline lifestyle makes it hard for her to fully comprehend how far and wide her story has spread. Teachers have shown her the videos on Facebook, but Claudene still prefers the snail mail and packages she’s received from across the country since going viral.

"Claudene is one of the most authentic individuals I have ever known. What you see with her is what you get," Sasfy said.

Claudene is such an institution at Swedeborg, multiple generations of families have gotten to know her. The school board’s president rode Claudene’s bus, and now his son does, too.

"Claudene knows everyone here," Sasfy said. "When she’s on the bus, she’ll look at someone misbehaving and say, ‘You know your dad would do the same thing. I didn’t tolerate it back then, and you know what, I ain’t gonna tolerate it with you.’"

Claudene officially retired this year, but she’s still filling in as a bus driver and jill of all trades.

"It’s for the kids," Claudene said. "I can’t say it enough: The kids is what drove me to where I’m at."