(Submitted photo/Kristen Froehlich)

By Ben Tompkins

Mr. Gendall

Late Melfort teacher honored by student-made memorial flag

Oct 22, 2025 | 10:32 AM

A late Melfort teacher at Reynolds Central School will forever be memorialized thanks to a new student-made flag that flies at the school grounds.

Jeff Gendall passed away during last year’s school term, and some of his former students have come together to design a flag that reminds them of him.

That flag is now constructed and has been raised outside at Reynolds Central School in Melfort.

“We were looking for ways to honour the impact that he had made on Reynolds school, the students here and the students who have passed through and gone on. He’s just been such a huge part of the heart of Reynolds, and one of the things that we knew was important to him was that he loved flags,” explained Reynolds’ vice-principal, Kristen Froehlich.

“We had everybody gather outside and raised the flag for the first time. We had an attitude of gratefulness and celebrated his life and all that he has meant to us. As time has passed, the memories haven’t faded, but it does get easier to talk about him and to reminisce about him and remember him with joy and with love and to share that together.”

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The designed flag, which is located near the back of the school, next to one of the buddy benches, is covered in a variety of things Gendell was involved in.

These include a flask and a mathematical equation for his love of teaching, mainly in the science and math departments, logos of intramural programs at the school, Star Wars characters, a Black Panther phrase, a bible representing his Christian background, and all the first letters of the first names of his last students.

“It’s hard to describe the hole that’s been left because his personality was larger than life, and he had a way of connecting with every person that he was involved with. He gave selflessly of his time, his energy, and his sense of humour would just brighten up the school,” Froehlich concluded.

“This project was a good way for the kids to be able to process some of their feelings. They spent a lot of time coming together in their grief and sharing their memories and their feelings and the things that they knew about him.”

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

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