The founder of Wilma鈥檚 Little Peoples School Dr. Mary Kathleen Johnson, affectionately known as Dr. Kay, passed away last month at the age of 91, just short of the school鈥檚 50th anniversary celebration.
Dr. Kay, a former JU professor, started WLPS in 1973 in order to give students in 91成人AV鈥檚 early childhood courses an opportunity to work with young children. What started as a class of nine 4-year-old children has served nearly 2,000 preschoolers since its opening. Today, it houses classes of 55 children a year.
A two-time Stanford University graduate and Fernandina Beach native, Dr. Kay began teaching as a professor of elementary and early childhood education at JU in 1965 while she completed her doctorate at Florida State University.
In her time at JU, Dr. Kay led numerous study abroad trips to England, was named Professor
of the Year, recipient of the Faculty Excellence in Community Service Award and was
Senior Executive Director of Wilma鈥檚 Little People鈥檚 School. 
She retired from JU in 2001 after 35 years at the university. In 2004, she was presented with the Integritas Vitae medal 鈥� JU鈥檚 highest honor presented to 鈥渢hose individuals who by example of their lives have contributed significantly to the improvement of society through their generosity in service to the community.鈥�
Jeanine Garrett, current Director of the Wilma鈥檚 Little People鈥檚 School, has known Dr. Kay since she was a student worker on the day the school opened in 1973. Garrett said Dr. Kay made weekly visits to the school following her retirement up until 2020, when the pandemic struck.
Garrett described her as 鈥渂rilliant鈥� woman with 鈥渁 sixth sense about children鈥� as well as a 鈥渢reasured mentor and an imaginative humorist.鈥�
鈥淪he created WLPS' foundation and 50 year mission of always providing developmentally appropriate education for young children,鈥� Garrett said. 鈥淪he set and taught us guidelines for what is best for young children. We continue to follow them today. The school will remain her legacy and continue to help children grow and succeed through 鈥楲earning, Playing and Sharing.鈥欌��
Dr. Kay was deeply involved in the community, serving on various boards including the St. Andrews Episcopal Day School, Child Guidance Board, the Duval County Commission for Children with Special Needs, the Gateway Girl Scout Council, and the Duval Magnet School Advisory Board, among others.
Rev. Jean Dodd, a student of Dr. Kay鈥檚 in the JU education master鈥檚 program, remembers her as one of the most influential, yet humble, people she鈥檚 met.
鈥淗ow can Dr. Kay 鈥榮 life and influence be condensed into words on a sheet of paper? Her love of life, her love of people, young, old, big, and little, her diplomacy, her ethics, her creativity, her honesty, her integrity, her concern for all, her good humor, her smile, her laughter, her love of poetry,鈥� Dodd said. 鈥淣othing written can adequately describe Kay or explain how important she was to us all.鈥�
In lieu of flowers, Dr. Kay鈥檚 family requested .
