“Riann was Nixa through and through. She loved the Eagles,” Lance Brumley said.

   Riann Lubinski taught Art Foundations at Nixa High School. She was born Jan. 30, 1978, and died April 2, 2020 due to cancer.  Physical Science teacher and fellow coach Brumley said her dedication to Nixa was unquestionable.

  ¨People that met her in the last couple years don’t know the real Riann Lubinski,” Brumley said.  “The cancer had taken quite a bit away in the last couple years from someone who was so full of life.  She had great passion for her family, [including her] mom and dad, brother and sister, husband and her two kids.”

   Lubinski graduated from Nixa High School and attended the University of Central Missouri. She had taught at Nixa since 2001. Lubinski spent her time running cross country, doing it all  through high school and college. 

   Lubinski was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2003 and it returned in 2015. It got the best of her.

   Nixa Junior High art teacher Kyndal Frazier and the other  art teachers set up a fund for the Nixa High School Art Department.

   “We want to honor Ms. Lubinski’s memory and the legacy she has left for the students and former students of NHS,” Frazier said. “We are working with the Nixa Education Foundation on setting up a scholarship in Mrs. Lubinski’s name. People can donate to the scholarship starting today and the funds will go to enable students to continue their art education through college classes and other avenues,” she said.

   Lubinski held an impact on more than just her coworkers, but with her students as well. She helped them succeed. 

    Students and fellow teachers said her loving heart was unquestionable. Senior Jozalynn Schwartz was one of her students. Schwartz had Lubinski as a teacher all four years of high school. Lubinski was more than just a teacher to Schwartz, she was also a friend.

   “She was resilient,” Schwartz said. “No matter how awful students were being,  she was always calm and kind. She was also an incredibly goofy lady, she could always say something to make me laugh.” 

   The NEF is accepting cash and checks for the Lubinski scholarship fund. Donations can be mailed or dropped off at the faught administration center during office hours. The donations must include the donor’s name and addresses in order to send them a receipt for tax purposes.

Nixa Education Foundation
Attn: HR Department
301 S Main St
Nixa, MO 65714