She's been Mother Goose for the kindergarteners as they learn nursery rhymes.

During ABC days, she was a queen on Q Day.

"She had a crown and the gloves and this long, beautiful dress. The boys and girls thought she was The Queen," said teacher and friend Betty Garwood.

After 14 years of volunteering in classrooms at Mount Hope Lutheran School, Wednesday was the final day for Marilyn Golich.

Seventh- and eighth-graders had a group picture taken with her.

First- and second-graders in Mrs. Garwood's combined classroom each presented her with a construction paper card and received a hug.

They wrote personal notes, remembering that her favorite color is red and she likes pretty shoes.

She called each of them by name, remembering one's dancing skills in the hallway and telling another her eyes sparkle when she smiles.

The class sang the first verse of "God is Spoken by His Prophets," and then clapped for themselves. Or maybe they were clapping for Mrs. Golich.

"Usually, a choir doesn't clap for itself," Mrs. Garwood gently suggested.

Before the ceremonies, however, Mrs. Golich took her usual place at the reading table, and listened to second-graders reading "The Boxcar Children," aloud.

Mrs. Golich is using the rest of this week to finish packing a lifetime of memories from her six acres in Dempsey Acres.

Widowed just more than a year, she is moving to Albuquerque, N.M., to be near the oldest of her three sons, Tim, and his family.

"The winter isn't quite as harsh down there," she said. "I have no family here in Casper anymore."

"She has just been a devoted volunteer," Mrs. Garwood said. "She has the heart for one who needs extra help. You can't replace people like this. She is a blessing to all of the kids."

Mrs. Golich began volunteering at the school when her granddaughter started in the first class there 14 years ago.

"There were only two boys in the kindergarten, and they were pretty sure they wanted it to stay a boys kindergarten," Mrs. Golich recalled with a smile. "So I kind of helped with that, but it didn't take the boys long to realize that she was pretty OK."

Mrs. Golich says the best thing about the 65-student school representing 41 families, preschool through eighth grade, is easy to choose.

"The thoughtfulness and the caring of each child really truly is apparent," she said.

And quickly, she added the second best thing is the curriculum.

"They are receiving a classical education," she said. "They are learning things they'll need all their life."

Once settled in her Albuquerque apartment, Mrs. Golich has plans to resume volunteering at a church school there.

"But I'll miss these children," she said wistfully, holding the bundle of handmade cards.

Community News editor Sally Ann Shurmur can be reached at (307) 266-0520 or sallyann.shurmur@trib.com. Read Sal's blog at tribtown.trib.com/Sal/blog and follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WYOSAS