Candlelight ceremony Sunday for Edmonds teacher killed in car crash

Families at Madrona K-8 school in Edmonds will be holding a candlelight ceremony at 5 p.m. Sunday to remember a popular physical education teacher who died in a car crash near Leavenworth Saturday morning.

GayLynne Ullerich, 49, died at the scene of the accident on Highway 2 near Leavenworth, according to a report from the Washington State Patrol. She was a passenger in a 2008 Chevy Suburban driven by her husband, Jeffrey Ullerich, 51, also of Edmonds. Jeffrey Ullerich and the couple’s children, ages 17 and 14, were injured in the crash and were transported to Cascade Medical Center in Leavenworth, the report said.

Parents and former students of Ms. Ullerich said she had taught at the school for several years. Nikki Jackson, a Madrona parent, said that Ms. Ullerich was her daughter Samone was “devasted” when she heard the news Sunday afternoon. “She was her favorite teacher,” Jackson said.

The ceremony will be held near the flagpole at Madrona, located at 9300 236th St. S.W. in Edmonds.

  1. Her name was GayLynne and she was loved tremendously by her friends and family. She will be missed a great deal.

  2. Our hearts and love go out to Ms. Ullerich’s family and friends.
    My son loved Gaylynne as his instructor at Madrona and will miss the games and cheerful fun she brought to all she did at school.
    May an ocean of love surround all that are touched by this terrible loss.

  3. Absolutely devastating news.
    This candlelight ceremony is organized by a student not by the family or the school.

  4. The kids have put this vigil together all by themselves through face book and texting. As a parent I ask, because each person experiences grief differently, that parents please come with their children, help them through this time of sadness. Our prayers are for Mrs. Ullerichs family.

  5. Gaylynne loved to hike with the YAYA Hikers and have tons of fun. She will be very missed and we all kow that everyone loved her a lot.

  6. Although I didn’t know Gaylynne for very long, she was a great teacher who always held a smile on her face. She took teaching seriously and brought fun to the class. I’ll miss her dearly as will a lot of the friends of mine who knew her as well.

  7. I go to school with her 17 year old son but I never met Mrs. Ullerich in person. I can’t imagine what this family is going through. I will be praying for you. 🙂

  8. I had the honor of teaching and learning with GayLynne. She was a fantasic educator who cared greatly for her students and always sought to provide them with the best instruction possible. She will be greatly missed as a colleague and a friend.

  9. GayLynne was the rarest individual, full of love, energy, enthusiasm, with a deep passion for the outdoors. She was recognized by her peers at REI by receiving the Anderson Award, not only for her authenticity but for her genuine desire to inspire others to get outside. She taught many bicycle repair clinics, aimed at empowering other women to fearlessly work on their bikes or fix flats when necessary. She had a special brand of contagious humor. I will always love her and miss her.

  10. Gaylynne Ullerich is my friends mom. She was an amazing person who greatly cared for the outdoors. She was a helper in my girl scout troop and she had amazing ideas that we could do. Everytime I saw her she had a big smile on her face. She will always be in our hearts. R.I.P. We will really miss you.

  11. Mrs. Ullerich taught after school sports at Madrona, like Volleyball and Cross Country. My daughter had the joy of participating in both programs. I asked GayLynne why she did it, and she pointed at the kids and said, “Look at them, they are amazing and I love them”. That kind of teaching is what makes the world a better place. She was amazing! The candlelight vigil, started by the 8th grade kids, was one of the most beautiful events I have ever attended. Our prayers for her family go out tonight.

  12. My daughter, Inger, was best friends with GayLynne and they met when Josh U. and our Sarah were both one and in a play school together. Inger is devastated by this, as the rest of the family.
    My last happy memory of Gaylynne and Jeff was at a Christmas open house at Inger’s and Dave’s and we were standing in the kitchen laughing and talking. She was such a wonderful down to earth, and loved by so many. The Ullerich family is on many prayer lists.

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